Sibling Solidarity

Sue on Rob 

'Rob is four years younger than me and my first memory of Rob is him sat in the pram and me trying to feed him a chip made with my plasticine set...

I always tell people we are twins which he finds most annoying as he is four years younger but I always get the reaction of being believed, so I must be ageing well!

You do remember the funniest things from childhood...here are some of my favourite recollections:

• Rob screaming, stood on the bed, as a mouse was in his room
• Him chasing me with a plank of wood trying to knock me off my pony
• Rob as a four-year-old, singing along ‘ ah dee ah dee ah dee’ to all the Songs of Praise hymns on a Sunday night.

It has always fascinated me why my brother crunches boiled sweets as opposed to sucking them, he misses so much flavour?!

As a small boy he also had an obsession with juggling the oranges in the fruit bowl and he never mastered it!

I could not ask for a more supportive and caring brother.

He works hard and the farm is pristine and well run.

We never argue; in fact we made a pact many, many years ago always to support each other in life and to never deceive each other or lie to each other.

This has stood us in good stead through life and made us strong when others try to knock us down!'

Sue as a young girl

Rob on Sue

'My sister is four years older than me and when I was small she always seemed to be indirectly involved with me getting injured!

Sue was pushing me around in her doll’s pram and somehow my finger became trapped where the pram handle connected to the pram which resulted in a trip to the doctors and stitches.

I remember being four years old and going for a walk across the farm; my sister lowered me over a gate into the field and low and behold next minute I was being butted against the gate by a couple of rams and my sister desperately trying to haul me over the gate. I just remember walking home with a mouthful of blood!

My sister is the one with the ‘good ideas’ and is always very positive and enthusiastic. I have to slow her down and get her to think ideas through and the practicalities before charging ahead (if she let’s me get a word in)! 

Her latest good idea has been to plant a vineyard and I am enjoying learning about vines and the wine industry.

As a child her good ideas were to:

• Build dens in willow trees and make me carry tools, wood and nails for what seemed like miles across the fields.
• Build dens high up in the hay barns; how we didn’t fall I’ll never know.
• Make a ghost train in a hen house using an old toy car! Which again involved a lot of nails and wood!

We both always loved cheese and onion crisps and a packet of Rowntrees Fruit Gums as children whilst watching The Banana Splits!

Sue works hard, does every job to the best of her ability and I know she will never let me down and is always there for me.

We never argue, we are a strong team and we cover each other’s backs.'

Rob as a youngster!