Lewis Cottington

Those inevitable anniversaries

As many of you who visit this site (and of course this page) are aware, tomorrow is Lewis’s birthday. This is not a time to be down or mournful because in his own words “I can’t be doing with a lot of miserable, sour faced b*****ds hanging around on my day.”

Anniversaries are never simple experiences, are they?

I’m probably pointing out the obvious when I make the observation that as a self confessed ‘IT illiterate’ Lou would almost certainly have never visited such a web site in life. So I’m pretty sure he’d share my sense of irony with a chuckle that people are now paying tribute to him on one. I can draw a direct parallel with handing his brother Pete a load of holiday snaps, 10 years after he went blind.

Even if he’d got past the concept of a keyboard that doesn’t respond to swearing and threats to it’s manhood, he would be the first to acknowledge the far sadder and more poignant losses to be found here.

It’s much more likely he’d search for people he knew and put his own versions of their lives on the tributes section… so it’s just as well he never mastered the internet!

For this reason as much as any I want to put something here for those us he’s left behind.

In youth or perhaps I should say ‘health’ Dad was an adventurer, not always through choice, but he had an apparent knack of finding and courting controversy. Needless to say when a man who never knew the meaning of the word “boring” is suddenly not around, he leaves a huge space in all our lives.

I know, because he often told me that he’d put way too much emotional energy into making sense of what he’d done and what had happened. With declining health the nature of being stuck in a more calm life style you’re inevitably left with a lot of time, silence and memories, which as an idiosyncrasy of old age really “got on his bloody tits!”

He truly delighted in his friends and would much rather focus on their problems than his own. Sometimes in an act of pure charity he’d even be the instigator. If you don’t believe me, ask the cat.

I remember recently he’d half a mind to try and look up the U-Boat Captain that torpedoed his father-in-law in 1940, but as I said before he never got the hang of the internet.

So we are left with thinking what can we do or say that might meet with his approval on his birthday.

Truly for me it’s a lot easier than for many, I have his grand daughter to remind me. She’s always saying granddad can see me so I better do it properly. Dancing, singing, writing, you name it, it has to pass granddad's critique.

For the rest of us, we need to eat curry or Italian, drink and simply say his name and then perhaps talk about how daft he’d have looked strapped into a Stannah Stair Lift with a Sky+ Sat dish fitted.

Next to all of ‘you’ Lou loved laughing… so to all who like us in Amsterdam miss him so much, no sadness, no tears.


Love


Mark, Asha and Mashie
xxxxxxxxxxx

Mark Cottington (Son)

November 12, 2008

Have A Good Weekend Everyone


Gone are the days we used to share,
But in our hearts you are always there,
The gates of memory will never close,
We miss you more than anyone knows,
With tender love and deep regret,
We who love you will never forget.

Gone is the face we loved so dear
Silent is the voice we loved to hear.
Too far away for sight or speech,
But not too far for love to reach,
Sweet to remember them once here,
Who, though absent, is just as dear.

In all the world we shall not find
A heart so wonderfully kind,
So soft a voice, so sweet a smile,
Inspiration worthwhile;
A sympathy so sure, so deep
A love so beautiful to keep.



Thoughts Today Memories Forever
Angela(Christopher-John Rowe)Mum

Marie-Angela Rowe

October 31, 2008

Hi Dad

Hi Dad, Hope you are ok. Seems so strange today having Grandads party without you being there with us. Just isn't the same without you. Louise mentioned she's going to find it hard as she has no one to fight over the triffle with. ha. We miss you so much and know a part of you will be there with us. Also seems wierd writing to yu like this but in a way feel that you can hear me. I Love you and miss you so much Dad.
Speak to you soon,
Your Lissy. xxxxx

Lissy (Daughter)

August 9, 2008

hello you two

hi lou haw are you today is my mum with you im sure she is hope you are both happy where you are i know one thing that your family miss you lots. will you look after mum for me like you did i know you will tell her i miss her and send her all my love and bigs HUGS to you both you take care lou and watch over your family god bless you xx xx xx

Jane Camilleri (Family Friend)

August 8, 2008

Dad, you are forever in My heart

Dad, It has been nearly 2 months since you left and It still doesn't seem real. I miss our little chats and sitting on your knee to have a cuddle when I'm feeling down. There are so many things going on in my life that I wish I could share with you, but know you are there somewhere watching over me and that you now know the answer to the big question! I hope you and your Brother Peter are behaving and I hope to visit you in my dreams. I miss you dad and will hold you close to my heart forever.
Love Always
Your Lissy J. xxxxx

Lissy (Daughter)

August 6, 2008