Rob's was first and foremost a family man and he cared very deeply for every single member of his extended family keeping us up to date on their latest news on a regular basis. He was clearly very proud of all their abilities and their achievements.
Our regular Wednesday Walks featured high on his list of the important things he enjoyed in life. In fact he enjoyed these so much that he quite frequently repeated one of his sayings:
"Nobody has the right to have this much fun"
or alternatively "Nobody has the right to enjoy themselves this much"
He had a habit of repeating other statements that also became part of the regular banter:
"I'm just having a small bowl of consommée for lunch." This was never actually acted upon!
"I'm a honed athlete."
And when "in the barrel" as he so eloquently put it:
"That's completely destroyed my self confidence. I was just building it up again but that's really knocked me
back."
He was also quite fond of asking if pub staff needed a translator so they could understand Ray's Geordie accent.
Over the years we have completed a few hundred walks and covered a few thousand miles on tracks around Dorset and Hampshire. Sometimes we have had some quite serious discussions. If the country had been run our way there's no doubt it would have been a much better place today. Not that we always agreed of course. On less serious matters the banter flowed freely and it was not always very kind. Outsiders would not have realised that it was never, ever intended to hurt and was always just part of the fun. Rob's occasional protestations that he felt deeply wounded always bought a smile. No doubt the banter will continue but one of the masters of the art will be sorely missed.
So here are a few pictures that record some of the great times we have had together with Rob. Hopefully they give some idea of the fun and enjoyment we have all had on our weekly walks.
You really can't enjoy yourself much more than that when out for a walk with your mates.