Julie, Ben and I drove down to Bournemouth on Friday to join my elder brother Ken in marking his 84th birthday. He was born in February 1940 and has been an influential jazz musician for the last sixty years, in addition to his work as a respected chiropodist.
The three of us checked into the Village Hotel near Christchurch on Friday lunchtime, where we took full advantage of the superb pool and gym facilities on site. In the evening we drove over to Southbourne for a superb Italian meal at Villa Toscana.
The following morning found us in Westbourne, where I lived from 1969 to 1973, to meet Julie’s godfather Trevor and his wife Lynn at the Circa Lounge. It also gave us the chance to drop into the landmark music shop of Don Strike in the wonderful arcade.
In the afternoon we met up with one of my oldest friends, Lisa Sams, with her husband and Air Corps helicopter pilot David (MBE). David kindly offered to introduce Ben to colleagues during the summer, with the aim of showing the range of employment options available in the service.
In the evening we could be found in Westover Road at Central Bowl where we had great fun trying to outscore each other! On Sunday Ken’s wife Debbie had booked a table at Christchurch Sailing Club, which offered striking views over the Harbour. We certainly dined well during this trip.
Happy birthday brother, see you again soon!
The photo shows KA, Ken and Ben at Central Bowl on Saturday night.
