Mono Monday # 3 ~ 1964.

The # 1 hit song in February 1964 in both Australia and the USA was "I Want to Hold Your Hand" by the Beatles, and in the UK, "Needles and Pins" by The Searchers. And just by coincidence, the 10th of February, 1964, was also a Monday.

"Monday's child is fair of face", or so the old rhyme goes, and to me, the baby in the photo above, originally taken in 1964, and born on this day 50 years ago, has always been fair of face. And he holds a very special place in my heart.

I don't remember the day he was born, I was too young, and try as I have over the years, all I can remember about this time in my life was my mother telling me that we "have to save our pennies for the new baby", so I did. And one day when I was shopping in Penrith with my mum, as she stood at the counter in the delicatessen placing her order, I spotted a big jar of pennies, high above me on the counter. "So this is where we buy the baby when we've saved enough pennies!" my young mind thought.

I last spoke to him at Christmas time when he phoned. "It's your cousin Jeff!" he told me....."No, It's my nephew Jeff!" I corrected him. "Oh whatever, I'm pi**ed!" he told me. A bit too much "Christmas" perhaps, and knowing my nephew, no doubt he will enjoy a bit too much "birthday" today as well, being the fun-loving man he is.

Today he turns 50. Today it is 50 years ago that I became an auntie for the first time. Today, he is on a cruise somewhere around the Pacific Islands with his wife, celebrating.

Holding her young baby boy in the photo is my eldest sister, Annette. She's been gone now for six years and Jeff's grandma for 20 years, but they both loved him dearly. Maybe today, they will send him some "pennies from heaven", as their way of letting him know they are thinking of him, as I know they will be.

Happy 50th Birthday Jeff. xxxxxx