@NoBoDe I have always wanted siblings, my cousins had to 'do' instead. Had 3 favourite boy cousins and one favourite girl cousins - 1 girl and 1 boy cousin are still alive and they are going strong, but are living in Germany; I even gave a precious heirloom from my mother to my girl cousin and she really appreciated it - has still got it - nothing big, just a set of ancient mocca cups and saucers - she had always admired it and I remembered it when i wen over to deal with my mother's small estate after her death. But then I was unable to bring much with me to Australia - my girls had fun with their grandmother's clothes, which were from good material but at least a size 20, when they were most likely just 8 or 10 - but it was fun draping them around their bodies and turning them into something new.
The year before that I had been to Europe because Mum was ill, and it was the coldest winter in living memory (1981?) - it was minus 7 - 10 in Vienna and I remember running from one large shop or shopping mall to the next, or a church to get away from the cold. Mum was in hospital and wanted to know what I had bought from the money gift she had given me. I finished up getting a white fox stole ('stola'?) with head and fake blue glass eyes, and paws hanging down - it looked lovely, but the guy from Australian customs had a shock when he reached into a bag and grabbed an animal paw. I was allowed to keep it, as I was able to show him the invoice, which showed country of origin.
Sorry for your sadness re siblings - forgiving is important! and you are good at that! Taurisk
