Friday, June 12, 2026

The renewal

Oscar was born on the tenth of this month in Newcastle upon Tyne, and will be known by the name Oz. If you'd like to tell me the correct title for him in relation to my late partner Ray, please do so. He is Ray's sister's great grandson, the child of Ray's great nephew who visited Australia with his partner and stayed with us a few years ago. Daddy, the great nephew, is one handsome and lithe dude, and clearly fertile (Stop your thoughts right there Andrew, quite inappropriate).

As we oldies become fading history, I wonder if Oscar will ever be curious about his ancestor Ray and his Australian partner.

Ray had an aunt who at a youngish age married and moved to Sascet,Sasquesti, Seschesuwan, that province in Canada. She had children, who are Ray's cousins, but he was never curious about them. Ray was very much a person who wasn't interested in the past or history. He liked to look to the future, until the day came for him that there wasn't one.

Copy, paste, Saskatchewan.

17 comments:

  1. I think Oz would be the great great nephew of Ray. I have been thinking about my family tree and also pondering correct titles for extended family.
    Regarding Saskatchewan, you brought back a memory from 50 years ago. I was travelling in Asia and met a man from Moose Jaw Saskatchewan. I rudely laughed because I thought he was making it up !! Residents of Moose Jaw are know as Moose Javians,

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  2. So many bittersweet memories. Hugs, my dear.

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  3. I'm clueless myself, but maybe great-great nephew? Oscar is a nice name. My own great-grand daughter was three months old on June 10th.

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  4. I like family lineages. I have an enormous bundle of cousins on my maternal side and we try and figure out now and again how my siblings and my grandchildren fit into it. Us cousins are fairly close, and were very close as children. I give up after we hit "fourth cousin to****" and there is the "cousin removed" stuff, which brain bursts.
    XO
    WWW

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  5. I wouldn't say Ray is Oscar's ancestor. Just as I demur when I read of Jane Austen's descendants (which I do sometimes because my father's cousin was a descendant of one of her brothers).

    Over time, families drift apart. With emigration they scatter. Just think of the standard English plot device of writing a character out by sending them to Australia. Magwitch in "Great Expectations" is an exception to this rule.

    As for Oscar, it will depend on his parents. My own parents were, to me, surprisingly insouciant about passing on such family information.



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  6. Like Ray, I have taken a minimal interest in family history but I do have extended family who I never know the correct term for.
    I also have a handsome in-law but keep that between us!
    I am sure little Oz will be a joy 😊

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  7. Well I get confused by relationships within families so I shall just wish Oz a happy and long life.

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  8. PS: however "inappropriate," surely speculation on your part as to the great nephew's fertility is just irrelevant/non-applicable.

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    1. Don't pretend to not understand the fantasy of having fun with a fertile daddy.

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  9. Memories there Andrew, and the name is a good one.
    Many people are not interested in the family tree, some get interested when they are older - so who knows.

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    1. That is the key Margaret, when they are older, exactly like me.

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  10. Great-great nephew I think. This summer I am going to go visit my sister, her two sons - my nephews - and the oldest son's two son's - my great nephews. Next winter I should do a friends and family visit to Florida, or people are all going to be dead before I ever see them again. The conversations are not nearly as fun at funerals.

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  11. I hope young Oscar will always be curious and want to know about his family. June 10th was my late sister's birthday.

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  12. Great nephew once removed? I dunno. But long life to him and great wishes for his future anyway. I have little interest in genealogy, more interested in now and what's next, so I'm not good on family relationship names.

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  13. Never ignore cousins, aunts and uncles overseas. Whenever you are travelling, and cannot afford expensive hotels, Aunt Bessie in Winnipeg will put you up for a night or two. Of course you have to take Bessie and Harold out for dinner to thank them for their hospitality.

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  14. I have a great niece and nephew. I won't be alive by the time they're married and have kids. But if I was, those kids would be great great nieces and nephews. I think. When we were children, our parents decided to lug us across Canada to Expo 67 in Montreal. It was a spectacle. We took a train. Saskatchewan seemed endless and flat I remember. I think.

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  15. I think he would be a great great nephew too. It is like trying to figure out 2nd cousin twice removed, Andrew.

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The renewal

Oscar was born on the tenth of this month in Newcastle upon Tyne, and will be known by the name Oz. If you'd like to tell me the correct...