My brother Andrew...

I am the oldest of 7 children.... but the only one I grew up with, is my brother Andrew.
As he got got older, he was Andy to everyone, but not to me... to me, he was always Andrew.

Growing up with Andrew is one I wouldn't change.   I remember when he would be out and my parents were also out... I would put his electric blanket on for him, so the bed would be warm when he got home. Scotland can be cold and damp, so a nice warm bed is a treat :)

I remember a stage he went through... he would wear a long black coat, and I cant remember if it was a red flower, or a red hankie he had on it.... I think it had something to do with the movie Godfather... he and his friends all wore that same style.

I left home at 18 years old, and didn't really see much of Andrew after that.   He joined The Argyll's
, I have a picture somewhere, I'll have to see if I can find it, and add it at a later date.
My dad told me that he had been posted in a couple of places... one of them in Northern Ireland with all the trouble they had going on there with the IRA...I think one of the last places he had been in was Germany.  Andrew was one that never told on anyone, even if it got himself in trouble.... in my dad's words... there had been some trouble with a " Freulein ".. I'm sure that I didn't spell that right.. but a " woman " there... it involved one of Andrew's friends... Andrew took the blame.... Don't get me wrong... he could be a wee beggar when he wanted to be, my dad told me that they discharged him... told him that they have enough wars going on, they don't need him starting one more.. hehe
I loved ( love ) my brother...
He eventually met and married Katrina... they had a family ( 4 children ) Donnamarie, Louise, Andrew and Emma..

This is my dad , Andrew and Katrina.....
I always knew Andrew loved me.. but of course, he didn't express it too often.  Anyway, one day in August 1993, he called me out of the blue, just to tell me he loved me... just a few days later, my brother and his children were in a house fire, where he and his 5 year old daughter Emma were killed.
My Sister in Law let me pick out the casket for my brother... the whole experience was extremely difficult...  I have pictures I want to add here, but will do it later..
My dad had passed away 5 years earlier... I suddenly felt like an orphan... alone...  I knew that wasn't true, but sometimes we cant help the feelings we have.
I still miss him... I love him, but I think he knows that..