Welcome back to Lujon Rael Portfolio this month.
We aim to please our viewers and friends, but must start this month off with some sad news of the passing of a dear Uncle. Ly Va Sinh (or Uncle as we affectionately refereed to him) passed away earlier this month with his family by his bedside when the end finally came. Originally from North Vietnam, he came with all of his family to the UK via Hong Kong back in the late 1970's. Which was no mean feet on a boat as they did then. Anyone old enough to remember the late 1970' and early 1980's would be aware of the 'Boat People' fleeing to safety back then. My wife included on that same boat as Uncle.
He was the mayor of his town in Vietnam and was always welcoming to Amy and myself whenever we would be in his house. Uncle had a warm smile that lit up his face when he was pleased about something and he also possessed a good sense of humour. I can remember once Uncle offering me some Chinese Rice Wine. I knocked the whole glass down straight and he paused to see my reaction. It was like having a red hot poker in your throat and Uncle thought it was so amusing to watch me flap my arms about like a demented chicken in a clumsy attempt to cool my mouth down. On another occasion Uncle laughed enthusiastically when I put some orange peel in my mouth cut to make them look like monkeys teeth. So what I am saying here is that Uncle was a very good and loving man. He leaves behind a very large extended family of several generations and all of whom love him and miss him. But he is with his beloved late wife and in a much better place now I believe. And in no more pain. The martial arts star Bruce Lee once said 'To reach true immortality, you must first lead a life worth remembering.' I think that applies here and it is no glib statement to say that Amy and I will both miss him. But we will remember him … and so I would like to dedicate this months blog to the memory of Uncle Ly Va Sinh.
For Uncle and the Ly family ... the love of the loved ... Safe journey home x
In other business, I had a great shoot this last month with Marie Jean Saxton at the Boardroom Studio in Derby, that went well. The results of which can be seen below, I am at loggerheads with Clinic 8 of my local Hospital again as they called me in for an appointment at 9am Sunday morning, only to be told they had cancelled it weeks ago and had not got around to telling me. They had also booked me in for an appointment today to have dye washed through my veins. Something I did not know about as nobody discussed it with me. This appointment was then cancelled later that day in a phone call from the hospital. They apologised as it was a mistake and they did not infact need to do this invasive procedure. Which was just as well. Because after yesterdays debacle, I had already made up my mind I was not going to turn up anyway, so there !
Clinic 8, a place where dreams do come true !
Hope you enjoy this months blog.