Something completely different...

Remember all that jumping about I did yesterday? Not a good idea...

I was determined to go into work today (so much 'stuff to do' playing on my mind plus in times like these, with my job definitely coming to an end next March and other work very hard to come by, I'm keen to have as few 'sick days' on my record as possible) but I made it as far as the bus stop before having to accept defeat and come home again. My legs were like jelly and my head was spinning. So, it's another day of rest and nutrition for me. Strictly no jumping!

Casting around for something of interest to blip, my eye was caught by these little pictures of my maternal grandparents and, inspired by berelaxed's incredible family history project, I decided to tell you a bit about the Booknerd family story.

I think Goatee and I have both touched on this before so apologies for any repetition.

Our father is a historian and, pre-internet, did a superb job of tracing his part of the family tree (consisting mainly of Oxfordshire and Berkshire yeomen and women) back to 1522 - that's 15 generations back from me and Goatee. I like to think that I get my love of English folksong/music/lore from this deeply rooted 'Lark Rise to Candleford' side of the family. Indeed, one ancestor actually published a book of folk songs he'd collected in the local area.

Our mother's side of the family has the makings of a historical drama about it and has also been well documented by family historians. We've got records of 13 generations of German forebears dating back to a Bürgermeister in Böblingen, born in 1600.

We also know that we have Irish ancestors from County Down and Jewish ancestors from that part of Europe whose borders have changed with the prevailing politics and conflicts of the times but which is currently in Ukraine.

There's been immigration, emigration, elevation to the Peerage, fortunes lost in the Wall Street Crash, suicide, political detention and all manner of excitement. I've also recently discovered information about a branch of the family in Norfolk and Suffolk as if things weren't giddy enough!

Anyway, a little bit about Granny and Grandpa Downes... Grandpa (Maurice) was born in London in 1900 of Irish/Jewish stock and was, I think, pretty much the model of a self-made man. He worked in shipping insurance and I barely knew him as he died when I was only 5. One of my earliest memories is of my mum receiving news of his death and the awful upset in the house that day.

Happily, Granny (Eileen - born in London in 1906 of Anglo-German parentage), lived to be 92 and played a major role in our lives right up to the end. It's hard to believe she's been gone 14 years as she still feels so 'present' in a lot of ways.

I gave her the little pill box at the front of the shot for her birthday just 3 months before she died and she kept her tea sweeteners in it. She always loved a cup of tea and had a very sweet tooth - traits which she has passed down the generations as Goatee is a prodigious tea drinker and no cake should ever be left in my safe-keeping for long!

The dining table and chairs which are just about visible in my shot as well as the sideboard which the plant in the background (that little splash of green) is sitting on are also from Granny and Grandpa's house.

And the shadowy figure taking the original photo of Grandpa? I have no idea... But I've made the same mistake myself a few times!