Life through a lens - Tribute Tuesday, My sister Rachel

This weeks Tribute Tuesday is to my sister Rachel, Wacky Wachel, which is funny in a way because she is due to fly home from Germany for Christmas today too.

What can I say about Rache?

When Daz and I got married Rachel was one of our bridesmaids but apart from performing that duty we also put her to good use by playing the flute (and I think even singing) in the church at our wedding, she performed Ava Maria and it was the most beautiful thing. She was nervous as hell but on the day she didn't let us down.

When pregnant with Callum one night (about 2pm in the morning!!) our phone went. It was Rachel. "Sis I've been up London all night with my friends and I got to Romford but I didn't realise the bus doesn't go any further... and I haven't any money. Can I come stay at yours please?" See Rachel doesn't really think things through. lol. Anyhow what was a sister to do? So in traipses Rachel, drunk as anything and all talkative. "Rache, it's a weekday I've got to work tomorrow, plus ermm you know... pregnant... need sleep?" Rachel then proceeds to talk to my bump "Hello in there, I'm your Aunty Wacky Wachel. We're going to have so much fun." She then bizarrely asks me what we'd do if we had one of those babies that was both sexes (her exact words!), ermm you mean a hermaphrodite sis? Anyhow that comment must have really played on my mind (and the answer is obvious, we'd love it the same as any other child of ours) as from that night on I had constant dreams about it and then... well that's probably more embarrassing to me...

Oh ok... when Callum was born it all sort of went a bit wrong and ended up with me having to have an emergency c-section and Callum put into special care. It was 13 hours before I got to see my son for the first time. Anyway Daz went down to Special Care to check on Callum and they took some photos of him so that when I came too Daz had something to show me. Back up to the recovery room goes Daz to check on me and wait for me to come to which I do. He tells me that we have a beautiful baby boy. Now this is where most people would say "Is he ok, five fingers, toes etc?" isn't it? What do I ask? And I'm totally blaming you for this Rachel!!! I say "Has he got a big willy?" Yes, that's the first question I asked about my son.... I was on morphine if that excuses anything.

Show us those muscles!!!

When she was younger she had this wobbly tooth that refused to come out. You know the type, the one that bends right back and forth but just stays in. Well we dealt with that... and yes our own Mother let us. You know that trick they say about tying a bit of cotton/string around the tooth and the other end to a door handle and slamming the door shut... and out flies the tooth. Yep we did that. Actually I think Mum even held Rachel down. lol. Anyway it worked and out flew the tooth.


I remember when Rachel was born she had to have her hips in plaster (she was a breach birth baby), I always remember her sitting on that old sofa of Mum and Dad's in her plaster legs. I think I even have a photo somewhere of her like that.


One year we had a family holiday to Bognor Regis, we stayed in my Dad's business partner's caravan (and god did we break things). I don't remember the name but nearby there was a sort of theme park. You know some of them have one of those outdoor theatre places for the kids, normally clowns put on a show? They had one at this place and somehow Rachel ended up being called down to sing... (was it Happy Birthday?) I think they heard her singing... well more like shouting in Timbuktu. It wasn't until years later that she developed her beautiful singing voice.


On one of my birthdays being out shopping with Daz and my mobile going off. It was Rachel all the way from Japan, she got the whole bar she was drinking in at the time to sing Happy Birthday down the phone to me... in Japanese and broken English. lol.

Even though I haven't seen much of Rachel over the last few years due to her living in Japan for five of those years and this year living in Germany she's always been a fun sister to have around. She can drive you crazy with her forgetfulness but she can also give you hours of entertainment. Love you sis.

Like Mother like Daughter... actually most of us in my family like a good old drink.... it's the Irish in us.