Poppy day

Is NOT big in South Africa.

Although many South Africans served and lost their lives, in the war effort.

So was pleased as punch, to discover Mom's garden was celebrating.

This lone red poppy waved the flag.

I used the moment to catch up on the family history.  My "Uncle" Taffy (not his real name, but a nick name), also not MY uncle, but my Mom's uncle, represented the family in world war 2.

He did make it home, but not unscathed.

He was blown up in a tank, somewhere in Italy.  He lived to tell the tale, the other 6 guys, were all killed in the explosion.  When he returned to South Africa, he was a broken man.

He lived in a back room, drank and smoked.

The smoking was is undoing.

One night, the room caught a light and he burned to death.

NOTE :  I had heard the story of Uncle Taffy before, but the many poppy pics on blip, made the story more real.