COLIN, My number #1 Son

Finding a picture of my favourite and only son proved a little difficult, the ones I had were all with family and his two favourite nieces! This picture was taken in Tofino last year on a family holiday. He is named after my big brother Colin and the name is also derived from Nikolaus, which was his maternal great grandfathers name.

Colin was a serious child from the beginning, as long as he had food, juice and treated to cake, he was a happy little soul, but always had a contemplative look.
His first professional photo was a challenge to the photographer who finally said, "this is one serious little boy, can I take it without him smiling?" I was never sure, was he really deep in thought or was he just day-dreaming?

Actually he has an infectious laugh and can be the life of the party, but it takes some doing! I wish I could post the picture of him a foot off the ground doing his famous "Rasputin" Ukrainian Dancing (at which he excels), at a charity benefit for the College of Naturopathic Medicine in Toronto, a year or so back, it was so good, they made him repeat the performance, which almost killed him!!!

Colin spent most summers in England with his grandparents, sometimes with his big sister and many times without. He preferred the latter as he was spoilt rotten. Apart from his grandparents, there were the doting Aunties who just couldn't wait to get their hands on this serious little boy to make him laugh. This worked with trips to zoos, playgrounds, beaches and the inevitable sweet shops found as frequently as the English Pub in the UK. Grandad and Nanna Peta rented a beach hut for them for a couple of summers and sent him sailboarding in Poole, the largest natural harbour in the world. Very shallow and perfect for the sport.

He loved animals from an early age, participated in soccer for a while, spent quite a long time in Beavers and Cubs, but excelled when he went into Sea Cadets and found that he had quite the ability to teach as well as learn. He spent almost 7 years with Cadets, we were so very proud of him as he worked his way to the top, winning all kinds of awards.

Colin went one summer to Holland on a Cadet exchange and related his experiences on a postcard home....he had been "sailing on the Royal Yacht, (without Queen Beatrix though) touring the marijuana shops and red light district of Amsterdam and managing some Cadet sailing on the Atlantic as well!!" Interesting postcard, I didn't faint when reading it, but was definitely a bit dizzy!

He worked summers at a lumber mill, stacked shelves at Overwaitea, and spent one summer with his girlfriend of three years working for Forestry, these jobs saw him through a Science Degree and then a lens making job at Lenscrafters. helped a little as he went on to Naturopathic College. He is now a Doctor living in Toronto doing a 2 year residency with the same College, it is a diverse but demanding job, but he also managed to start up a practice outside of the college one day a week.

He studied 9 years and coped with my heart attacks, back operations and the only, but fatal illness of his Father and the deaths of his grandparents. A very, very tough time for such a serious kid. His father had absolutely no fear whatsoever that he wouldn't graduate, he just knew he would do it and he sure did, graduating last year.

Last year in between exams and grad he, his 6 month pregnant sister, her husband and their 2 year old daughter and myself went to Europe to retrace where their Father and I met and to visit Uncle David, now a widower and then friends and a godmother in Germany and Switzerland. They saw the vineyard where we met and the town where we got engaged etc...they were also welcomed with open arms by their Fathers' "german family" who rented an apartment on their vineyard to their Dad. They got to drink a lot of wine, learn how it was made, and to meet their children and grandchildren. It was a great four weeks touring five countries.

Colin was fascinated by the history, scenery, high alpine roads and the architecture of Europe. One day he was standing on very old, worn steps, I believe it was in Salzburg, Austria and was deep in thought...it was the year of Mozarts 150th birthday and his music was wafting down the alleyway from a student playing a piano in a courtyard...I asked what he was thinking and he said "just think of all the humanity that has walked down these steps over hundreds of years, wearing these steps down and now I add my footsteps to them" it moved him and I knew he loved Europe as I do, he even looked at the possibilities of working there, so who knows what the future holds for him.

As parents we were very lucky that through his teenage years he didn't seem to want to venture too far, or party too hard, but was more set on a career....now he is a fully fledged Naturopathic Doctor. Seems so strange to call him Dr.

He is planning on doing a lot more travelling, but first he is establishing himself in the working world, and he is slowly getting out of student mode and spending a little more on groceries these days!

So this is my son, he lives alone, no serious girlfriend, but is thinking of sharing his apartment soon - with a cat! I am one lucky Mummy to have such a great kid, love you.

Now, my next post should be his namesake, my brother Colin.............stay tuned!