I sought my soul, but my soul I could not see. I sought my God, but my God eluded me. I sought my brother and I found all three. ~Author Unknown

This post is all about my brother Jon, who turned 60 today!  Happy happy birthday darling brother!!!

I don´t think that I have ever told you how much you mean to me - and this is probably not the appropriate place to say this, but hey, we are not good on the phone and we see each other very infrequently, ie in the future it will probably only be when you get the chance to come to the frozen north.  So, I am taking this opportunity to not only wish you a very happy birthday but to also thank you for being the wonderful brother that you have been!.   Remember all our conversations about the state of the nation, the ineptitude of our political leaders, some more inept than others, our calls for social justice, that will never come to pass???  I loved those chats, I felt like a grown up, I think that you were the first to treat me like a real person in the family - even though the memory was of you slapping me for waking you up (you were then on nights at John Deere)  I was soooo upset - you my hero - telling me to get a grip!!  How could you.... it is only now 40 years older that I realise just how much you sacrificed for our family in those early years in Aus, and the least that I could have done was given you peace to be able to sleep.. For that I truly apologise!

Would you believe that I had to cut and paste to get a photo of the two of us together!!!   Actually, not that hard to believe really - usually you  were behind the camera, and then when I grew up I hardly ever was around to have photos taken of just the two of us.  Still, folk here say we look alike - I can't see it - but then I have always considered you far better looking.

Then, I went through the archives, - excuse me - what time warp were you in - oh yes thats right you are the child of the beatles and the shadows....

Just as well Lóa is in the photo!  What a stunner she was and is!  I know that sometimes things have not been easy in the familial female relationships, however, I know that you love her and love her dearly and for that I love you more.  You know that your sisters were just jealous cos they stopped being the central females in your life... It´s a problem we all have - we don´t like to share.  You and Lóa have produced two wonderful human beings,  Maja and Valdi, two people that I am so proud to be able to call my nephew and niece.  I know that you too are proud of them and their achievements - they would not be who they are today if not for you and Lóa.

You also have a very good sense of humour and I am hoping that this is kicking in right about now.  Remember when you tried to grow a beard??  It was a joke a huge joke and hey Dorian... take a look at your uncle - do you think that you are the only asian in the family??????

Yes, the wonderful men in my life as I was growing up - I knew that I could never reach any of the expectations that I imagined that you had for me (note the pivotal word - imagined), I doubt any of you really had a second thought - but to me I often asked myself as I was about to embark on something new / crazy / stupid... what would dad, Jon, Hilmar think?????

Yes, youngest of the brothers.... you will be next... be warned... but you will have to wait till 2016 when you turn 60 ... and big brother... you will have to wait till 2018...


So, to my darling brother Jon, thank you for being a sounding board, a person that I not only respect and admire, but that I love dearly for being who you are not only a brother but a friend. Take care of yourself and have a wonderful birthday!!