Me, my dad, his cousin… unfortunate friends
Weird title? Probably. But here’s why. See, I discovered recently, like today, that a person at the school I’m doing work experience at is in fact my second cousin. It came as quite shock, especially when I realised I didn’t quite know what that meant. So I checked Wikipedia, the source of all life’s answers.
This is the part that explains the title. My dad has a cousin. No big surprise. People over here bred like rabbits a few years ago (no points for guessing where I’m from.) But anyway, she had a son. So she’s my first cousin once removed, and he’s my dad’s cousin once removed. I finally understand that part now. It’s generations. So once removed is one generation, twice removed is two. But my dad’s first cousin once removed is then my second cousin. Same generation (though he’s a good few years older than me), but with a wide gap in the family tree between us.
I would like to make a family tree too, one day. But finding out all my dad’s uncles’ names seems a daunting task. There are simply too many of them. Okay six, but that’s only on the male side. And then I’d need cousin’s names, and their children’s names. Also, I don’t know how to spell my cousin’s girlfriend’s surname, as she’s from Thailand. But maybe it won’t be so hard. With computer’s nowadays, it could be finished quite quickly without all of those added details.
In fact, I’ll make it my new years resolution. Begin a family tree. The only problem then is my mother’s side. I know nothing about it but one great aunt’s name, and she’s passed away already.
Still, it was interesting to find my second cousin. That’s two I know of now. Another is a musician, and a mad one at that. I don’t talk to him much. Or at all. I don’t think he realises we’re related in any way.
Now onto the second part of the title – unfortunate friends. My work mate, a lovely lady, recently lost her daughter. It came as a shock to everyone. Her picture is in the newspapers as well as a part from the mother’s prayer at the funeral. She died on December 23rd 2007. Anyone can agree it was a dreadful thing to happen. Especially if you know the family. They are the definition of a nice family. May their daughter and older sister (for the kids of course) rest in peace.
