Having walked this morning from El Cuervo to Lebrija, almost half the distance to our destination for the day, we have decided to spend the rest of the day here. Ana Maria has a blister which has taken a turn for the worse and we feel it would be wise to give it a bit more time to heal before we move on, hopefully tomorrow.
Today I would like to talk about my younger sister Yvonne. It is her birthday today. When my mother, who lived in Gibraltar, was taken ill with a form of Alzheimer’s many years ago, Yvonne, who was living in London at the time, put her career on hold to go and look after her. Yvonne was chief buyer for the Janet Raeger brand in the UK. Some years later, when my father was also taken ill and my mother’s health had deteriorated further, Yvonne felt she could no longer cope on her own. My other sister Carmen, herself a very successful actress and singer, also abandoned her career to go and help her. Carmen, a former Miss Gibraltar, has starred in many TV shows including Dr Who in the UK and was one of the lead singers in the Buddy Holly production when it first opened in London.
Both my parents died in 2000. Unquestionably they enjoyed the best quality of life possible thanks to the love and care given to them by Carmen and Yvonne. Yvonne bore the brunt of the care and it has taken its toll on her. She has not been well these past few years. I have never been able to express to her how grateful I am that she was able to look after Mum and Dad in a way that I never could. I owe her and Carmen both, a debt I can never hope to repay.
For now it would be good if anyone who reads this blog would phone Yvonne to wish her a happy birthday. Her No. Is 00(350)20074083.
Robert & Ana Maria – On the Camino de Santiago in Lebrija.
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