Thinking About My Extremely Handsome Son.

My extremely handsome son George is, as far as I can tell anyway, enjoying university life. He likes his new digs and flat mates. He loves Liverpool the home of his grandfather and great grandfather, and he loves his beloved Everton football club. His great grandfather - on his mothers side - was one of the founders of the club. George's grandmother recently gifted him some shares in the club. Golden shares they are called. These shares have been in the family since the very beginning. Everton is not a rich club so they aren't worth a fortune. Even if they were I doubt if they will ever be sold.

I don't have a reason for telling you about Everton. It just popped into my mind, so as is my way, I wrote it down. That's what I do. Write down thoughts as they occur to me. Sometimes it leads to exciting writing. Sometimes it doesn't.


EHS George had an exam today. He thinks he did all right with it. I am sure he did. He spends a lot of time in the library looking things up and revising. He is a good lad. Not one for doing the usual freshers things such as partying and drinking. That's not his style at all. He has been to a couple of parties, but he tells me he left them early. He doesn't touch alcohol at all. Tried it and didn't like the taste. He doesn't drink tea or coffee either. Never has. I know he has the occasional Coca cola, but all he really drinks is water. He has made a couple of good friends who seem to be of the same mindset as himself. I suppose if you take sport seriously it is not a surprising way to be.

Wednesday and Saturday he gets on the train and goes to do a martial art. I am not sure what type. I know it is a Japanese one. Something to do with turning an aggressor's attack back on himself. If EHS keeps on going to the classes I had better watch my step.

Sometimes he feels homesick, but as I remind him, he can get on the train home whenever he wants. It isn't as though he is a prisoner in Liverpool. Actually he can, if the trains run on time, be back home in just a few minutes over four hours. This reminder is enough to calm his home sickness.

He has actually been home a few times since he started at uni. I think he likes to make sure things are still the same here. He is not a lad who likes change too much. In fact he doesn't like things to change at all, and I understand this. There is such comfort in familiar things. I think I will mention OCD here. He has it mildly. Another reason I am so proud that he took the chance to do his course so far from home.

I didn't tell him that Sadie the German Shepherd had died until his last trip home. Tricia and I both thought it best not to. He would have been very upset and we couldn't bear the thought of him being sad and far from home. It was awful keeping it from him. He phones me every night and knowing that Sadie was poorly he would always ask after her. I have never lied to him before, and would quickly change the subject. Hiding my grief was difficult but somehow I managed it. I told him as soon as he got back. Apologised for the deceit. Of course he understood my reasons, and took the whole thing really well. In fact he was more concerned about me than anything. I sometimes forget that he is not a boy anymore. He is a young man. A strong young man.

At those times when I get to worrying about him too much, I remind myself that I was far younger when I went off to sea as a merchant seaman. It's life. One just has to get on with it. That is it and all about it, as they say.

It is a sports science degree he is doing. At first he was a little dismayed, as were quite a few of his peers, to discover that this involved more science than actual sport. But I think he has got to grips with it now, and is getting stuck into it.

He is also looking into joining a football team in Liverpool. I hope he finds one he likes. He loves to play football and is a really good player.

It is half past midnight. I am tired now. Good night and God bless.