Who are you proud of?

Today it’s my brother.He’s won yet another award for his children’s books (the best being a Blue Peter award, voted for by the viewers themselves.)

it can be a tad annoying as many ‘slebs ’ jump on the ‘children’s author’ bandwagons.

Oh and a few STWers may have had him visiting your child’s school.

My wife and kids

MrsMC,  as well as putting up with me, is nearing 30 years working in children’s services, mostly at the sharp pointy end, ridiculously professionally qualified, all the while dealing with the (in her case relatively minor) additional problems that cerebral palsy brings, and making a huge difference to the lives of local girls as a Guide leader.

MCJnr graduates from Cambridge next week, followed his heart and studied music rather playing to his equally strong academic interests. Not bad for a lad from a failing secondary school.

LittleMissMC is gearing up to travel to Norway with her display squad to represent British Gymnastics at Eurogym for the fourth time. Not bad for the girl who is built like the one who held her school shot put record.

I just drive them all around and feel like the runt of the litter 😆

Eldest daughter has just graduated from medical school and is starting work as a junior doctor next month.

Pretty impressive for a kid from Cinderford, especially since neither I nor her mother are graduates.

That’s really cool @bunnyhop

I’m really proud of my youngest. They started rowing in August last year declaring they just wanted to do the social rowing stream. Raced their first heads in November, were selected to represent their region for JIRR, were the youngest rower on the Thames for Schools Heads of the river (as part of a J16 crew). In a couple of weeks they’ll be racing at the British Championships and a few weeks ago were at Eton Dorney for Schools Champs.

They train so incredibly hard with such commitment forgoing lots of things their friends take foregranted; navigating hotels and long journeys and the emotions that come with elite sport. They have spent nearly 3 weeks away from home at competitions in 4 months. They’re 14.

Heads of the river

Do the schools do the full course?

Its great fun but one year leanders floated past upside down and the race was binned, it can gwt surprisingly bumpy on the Thames. Technically as we didn’t capsize on the way back we performed better than leanders.

Right now I am proud of my daughter for managing to overcome her debilitating social anxiety enough to make it to school for every one of her mock GCSE exams. And equally proud of her twin sister for supporting her through it.

Today it’s my brother.

Nice! But what’s his name? So small on the book covers that you can’t read it!

I’m immensely proud of my son getting through his degree course and getting a 2:1 – I got bored with school in the 5th Year and failed most of my o’ levels, so for him to get through GCSEs, A levels and 3 years at Uni is mind boggling for me. I’m sure no-one else cares though! But he is awesome on a bike too.  😀

My brother. Has done Martial Arts since 13, now 54. He had a fairly troubled childhood, in and out of trouble with the police, he didn’t do well at school, in the rare days he attended he would generally be sent home. Left school at 16, joined the army junior leaders. Fell in with a bad bunch in the army and became addicted to drugs, left the army at 23. Was in a really bad place, he was in a really awful pub at 1130am about to inject heroin for the first time. He had a major wake up, from there he went to the careers office and rejoined the army. Served for another 23 years leaving as the Regimental Sergeant Major a couple of years ago. Never touched another drug since he had the moment. (That’s no exaggeration, he literally went from the pub toilet about to shoot up direct to the Army Careers Office and rejoined)

Moving about with the army he was constantly changing different martial arts so he never made a black belt. Now at 54 and being out of the army he finally managed to get his black belt a couple of weeks ago. He says it doesn’t matter, belts are for holding your trousers up, but I can tell he’s also very proud to have finally achieved it.

My wife, my daughter, and my son.

My son! Nothing special for most people probably but I look back at where I was at his age and how I was a complete **** bell end. He’s just finished he GCSE’s and will probably come out with mostly 7’s maybe an 8 but nothing lower than a 6. Every alwalys tells me how polite he is, and how it’s great as he;ll have an actual conversation with adults whereas lots of kids don’t seem to engage them.

He had a wobble about maths, but got his head down and put the effort in and hopefully he gets the 7 he needs to get into the college he wants to go to for A level Maths, Physics and Photography.

It brings tear to my eye thinking of how different he is to when I was his age. He’s not dull either, has a good SOH and loves sport and just being outdoors. Actually maybe I should be proud of my wife and I as well!!

Daughter as well, but she has 3 years left at high school!

I kow you won’t read this but, GO ED, You’re amazing!

Nice! But what’s his name? So small on the book covers that you can’t read it!

Good point! It’s Andy Seed

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Here he is on the  Blue Peter awards

Introduction to the Blue Peter Book Awards programme

desperatebicycleFull Member
Today it’s my brother.
Nice! But what’s his name? So small on the book covers that you can’t read it!

Ah yes – his name is ANDY SEED. I wasn’t actually sure if we were allowed to promote on STW, but as you’ve asked.

Whoops nbt beat me to it.

My brother. He has [after the treatment for a meningioma] uncontrolled epilepsy, and has had it for 20 years now. Despite this being pretty debilitating, he still manages to live alone, and look after himself. Yeah he may get into the odd spot of bother on the buses or in town when he has a seizure, but for the most part he lives a normal life. Stubbornly.

My lad’s a touch old for the books now, but congrats to Andy Seed 😀

“Do the schools do the full course?”

Yes, my daughter picked up a silver medal a few years ago.

My dad – he’s 97 this year, very independent.

My daughter and my son very different people,  Mrs Gordimhor and my two stepsons very proud of them all

It’s a nice question to think about – still thinking!

Thanks @Bunnyhop!

gnusmus simply for being able to keep on buggering on despite misfortune that would sink many folk

My wife, she is a consultant therapeutic radiographer specialising in breast cancer, she managed to finish her Msc during COVID and organised her cancer wards response to COVID, she made her way to consultant without having a doctorate, despite working an 60-70 hour for NHS, she now is also seconded to NHS England and lecturing with them and now taken on a third role with local Uni to lecture there to, plus she has just had her first scientific paper in Radiography journal.

Any daughter, 14 now and been Type 1 diabetic since 4 years of age, doesn’t let her stop her doing anything, and I started volunteering with her schools DofE to help them with her, and having been on 4 weekends now, proud to watch her take charge and lead her group and watch her interact with her friends, she has an old head on young shoulders…

I do love reading these feel good posts on here among the usual doom and gloom.

Easy to forget thst so many of us have so much to be proud of, for doing amazing things whatever level that amazing is for that person.

Absurdly proud of Grandson No1 (in blue). Failed to have any kids of my own, but Stepson No1 produced this liddle guy eight years ago, and he calls me Grandad. Last August he joined a local Under 8s football team and I’ve watched him play (almost) every match since. To see his enthusiasm and ability develop over just one season has been a privilege. I’m obviously biased but he’s morphed into a skilful wingback with an oh-so-sweet left foot. Huge lump in my throat last weekend when his team won a tournament.

Eldest has just completed GCSEs. He went into high school diagnosed with quite bad dyslexia and struggled with Maths too. This is a big (400+ per year) sausage factory of a school where those needing extra help can fall between the cracks. Mix of teachers from awful to pretty good. I gave him a little bit of maths help early on and then he just seemed to click and raced ahead on his own. He doesn’t seem to be what you’d call academic but he’s put the hours and effort in revising.

Waiting to see the results, but whatever they are I’ll be proud. He’s got no idea what he wants to do in life so it’s just one foot in front of the other I guess…

My son. Because every day is hard in some way or another, and sometimes just getting up and going out to college is hard. Sometimes he doesn’t manage it, and because I’m his dad i have to get annoyed (in the right way). He’s about to finish 6th form and is taking a year off, hopefully working but also to finish some medical treatment he needs.

When he performs though…. he comes to life. Just thinking about watching him hold a whole audience in the palm of his hand makes me well up. This obvs isn’t him but he sang this at his college graduation performance. Just him on a stage in front of everyone. Aaarghhh, pass the tissues.

Immensely proud of my daughter too but I’m not diluting this post because it’s too important to me.

He won’t read this but my boy, you are my hero.

First up, I’m proud of bunny hop for ‘listening’ and promoting some consumerism 👍

Top prize goes to papa, he managed 1’s and 2’s on the commode yesterday.. after weeks of seemingly forgetting what it was for. 🥳

As per others, my wife and kids.

About 12 years ago my wife was diagnosed with MS, relapsing-remitting first and then primary-progressive which means that she mainly uses a wheelchair now apart from when she’s stumbling around the house. Meant she had to take ill health retirement from a job she loved… if that were me I’d not leave the house and wallow in self pity but she’s not let it stop her at all. She’s out all the time (just stumbled in from her Friday morning art class) and is more busy now than when she worked full time and a large part of that is working with and helping others who have MS. She’s an inspiration to me – I should tell her more often.

All (I hope!) parents think their kids are epic and I’m no exception for loads of reasons. Proud my youngest in 12 months has gone from barely being able to swim to being promoted to the top gold class at his swimming lessons this week. Proud my eldest just smashes through life, taking it all in his stride with no stress but excels in everything he does.

I’m also dead proud of loads of other people for various reasons and I should probably tell them. From stuff some of my closest mates have done to family to colleagues.

My whole family tbh

My mum has retired from international badminton this year at 69, she didn’t want to be one of those doddery old women on court, so took up golf last year.  She won the womens club champs this year.

My wife has just been put up for promotion, done all the training that’s needed for her CIPS professional development thing.

Youngest is living his best life, middle one has been coming out of his shell and started racing BMX and the eldest has gone through some tough bits the last couple of years and is starting to find her tribe

My wife.
She should have died a dozen times before her heart transplant.
But now she’s 10 times stronger.
She’s a speech therapist who has changed the lives of children in less well off areas around Hobart.
Since covid she has been working from home and now services schools all over Tasmania who wouldn’t get a regular speech therapist through telehealth.
In the mean time, she’s on call to council heart transplant recipients & those who have been added to the waiting list.

My sister.

Was the youngest ever head of an organ tissue matching lab in the country and the first woman doing the job in the world. Now runs about 6 of them. If you or a relative has an organ transplant in the south of England there is a fair chance she’s had something to do with it. Has done some amazing things with stem cell research to combat organ rejection and working towards a blood type matching free transplant world and also not having to spend the rest of your days on immunosuppressants post operation. Was involved in antibody research during covid and now is on various government advisory groups. I suspect a gong of some form maybe coming very soon.

Currently is in despair with the fallout of the London hospital ransomware attack and the real world damage it has done to exceptionally ill people and the number of people who have died because of it 🙁

Still finds time to be an amazing mum.

Ohh, another for me – my brother-in-law and his wife, who were both senior members of the James Webb Space Telescope team (she was Observatory Alignment Thread Lead and Deputy Director for Vehicle Engineering).

Lot’s of people for lots of things.

Including myself for finally doing something about it.

So much talent around STW its heartening.

Another reason I’m proud of my brother is that he goes into schools and promotes reading, especially for young boys. He’s an ex teacher but loves being around children and making learning fun. A lot of his books are educational (with commissions from The RSPB and The British Museum). Often these visits are accompanied by various things he’s made, one being a life sized sarcophagus and a Galleon sailing ship, all made from cardboard.

He’s also been on the local news and radio a few times and once came second on Bullseye, narrowly missing out on winning a speed boat :O)

and once came second on Bullseye, narrowly missing out on winning a speed boat

/thread

the whole family!

mrs G double world champion Quadrathlon ( masters) ,WW rafting slalom (silver overall 4 events) Maths teacher being the hardest/worst of the lot!

Eldest Teaching assistant she was a nightmare at school herself also fantastic mum to 2 great kids

Middle  just got outstanding new teacher of the year at work ( we tried to talk her out of going into teaching but …)

played for winning Yorkshire Ladies team at Twickenham

Youngest  just joined Yorkshire Ambulance service on an apprenticeship target to be paramedic.

whilst I am a lazy old git that will pootle about on a bike occasionally( not proud of that)

My best mate Walshy. We’ve been best mates for 49 years after we started primary school together.

He was (is) a Royal Navy medic who went out to Sierra Leone during the Ebola crisis. He worked 12-14 hour days, literally every day for 8 months

He witnessed unspeakable horrors but saved countless lives and contained an epidemic.

He came and stayed with me when he got back and it completely ****ed him up. He’s still dealing with the PTSD. Watching loads of people die isn’t much fun. Who knew?

He said about it “at least in Iraq you knew who was trying to kill you and could shoot back at the ****ers, but this… “

I’m so proud of him and i do tell him that occasionally but then have to remind him that that doesn’t mean I don’t also think he’s a ****. 😂

my son.

became a dad at 16. didnt work out with grandaughters mother. but he has Ella every single weekend and has done so for the last 16 years. she has aspergers. so it is no easy task.

also 5 years ago he started a relationship with a lady who was the Ex wife to his rugby captain. it all went down ok, until Martin ( rugby captain ) commited suicide.

my lad had already asked his now wife to marry him, which she did. he has since adopted Martins daughter. and also my son and daughter inlaw have a daughter of their own now.

so he now has 3 daughters to look after.

i could never have done what he has.  and he is just a cracking nice, happy decent bloke too.

Myself. Week 6 , run 3. 25 minutes non stop. A couple of weeks back 8 minutes felt impossible.
And a huge thank you to someone on here who talked about piriformas stretching.
This has meant for the first time ever ( touch wood) I’ve down couch to 5k without doing myself a mischief.

My Niece.

She just entered her first Ironman in Austria last weekend, smashed it and came 2nd in the 18-24 category.

She’s nails 🙂👌

My neice, because despite having two of the most useless parents in the world she has grown up into a kind, beautiful and ambitious young woman. I’m a very proud uncle.

Do the schools do the full course?

Yep, watching the crews get to opposite Fulham’s grounds at race pace  and then accelerate for the finish was just brilliant. Having gone to everyone one of their races apart from the first I am in awe at the commitment of the kids and the coaches.

Love the stories everyone.