Here in Part 3 I briefly go in to "Raising a family - Camping and visits to the coast in UK and France". In Part 2 I mentioned that I am convinced that the creative people that I encountered in the 1980s really shaped me and helped me to become a successful, but outsider, research Professor and a good father. Well, in terms of being a parent, let's see. I do have two fabulous young adults in my life. They both turned out to be on the arts side, Billy is a musician and Meghan is an illustrator. They both also do other jobs to earn a living. So my time in Camden Town helps me understand artistic intentions. Modern life does involve drugs, so I understand this part of current youth culture and the activities of the young ones!
In August 2020 I wrote on FB: "sorted through old family photos that Terri my ex recently sent over for me so I can look for snaps of our family camping holidays in Brittany. Well that was an emotional thing to do, with memories from the last 34 years! Some of the best days of my life were those camping holidays 27 years ago. On this one (picture above and below, taken 1995) we all went on a ferry to an island then a bike trip to see this lighthouse because I have a thing about them; can't remember the name but I had the daughter on the back of my bike and so she was happy in the heat at least".
One of the few things that you had to worry about when camping in France was who was going to the shop for the croissants. We had this huge Cabanon canvas tent (below); with this and all the gear it made it hard to get the duty free, and oh yes also the kids, into the car for the way back home on the ferry. I had trouble naming the locations of most of the pictures below. However, Terri helpfully commented on a draft of this post as follows: "must be the first time we used the Cabanon, so could be Parc D'Inly it was a Eurocamp site. The beach is Brittany I'm pretty sure". Parc D'Inly is a 5 star campsite located in Penestin in the Brittany. All those green tents belonged to Eurocamp, but we travelled under our own steam.
I may post more on this subject at a later date. Part 3 is paused now, this is really a holding blog to keep the "Parts" in chronological. I will conclude with 3 things. First, the kids are the best thing that ever happened to me. Second, even in the midst of our arguments, I always maintained you were a good Mother Terri. You still are. And third, when Billy was born I made a cassette tape for his Mum called "Billy the KC Kid: 1991". At the end is a photo of this cassette and cover with the songs/tunes on it. I also included the first 5 songs/tunes from side 1 as a Playlist. Be rude not to ...
All family photos are by Theresa Kinnison.
Billy and Himself (me!). Parc D'Inly, Brittany, France. Cabanon canvas tent. Billy's face is brilliant! I loved that Saab 900i of ours that you can just see in the right-hand corner.
Meghan and Himself, Brittany. We both look happy.
Billy and and Himself. Penmarch, Finistère department of Brittany, northwestern France. It lies 18 km south-west of Quimper by road. I remember this place stank of rotting seaweed.
I suspect this one is Scotland as Meghan looks younger than the photos above.
"Billy the KC Kid: 1991" Playlist
Miles Davis - ESP
Ivo Papasov and His Bulgarian Wedding Band - Bulchenska Ratchenitsa (Bride's Ratchenitsa)
Miles Davis - Big Time
Alex Harvey - Faith Healer
Robbie Robertson - Somewhere Down that Crazy River