My Family - the McBains
Dad has been tracing back the family tree - Pops family all came from aberdeen, but it's possible that his great, great, great, great grandfather came from boat of garten. They all seem to have been musical and were involved with the sea. Except pops dad who was in the police! Grannys family all came from Caithness and were farmers and fishermen. Sorry this page is a bit of a mess at the moment. I'm trying to give everyone their own page, but it's taking a while to separate them all out. DadMy dad was born in Lochinver on October 14th 1965. Dad was a late arrival with all his brothers and sisters at least 7 years older than him. Dad was born in 1 bayview terrace, but when he was 5 the family moved to Ardglas on the other side of the bay. Granny says that when Ardglas was being built, my dad went to visit the builders. This meant (age 4) walking a mile, over the river and up the hill. She says the whole family were frantic that he was missing. Growing up Dad always had cats as pets. First Susan (a boy - and a wildcat), then Sooty, Geronimo and finally Triggar. Susan was a wildcat and had wildcat markings, Sooty and Triggar were black - Sooty had long hair and Pop called him sooner (as he would sooner poo in the house than outside). Geronimo was Triggars mum and was golden with a white tummy and black stripes. Dad always cycled to school. He used to hide his bike behind culag bridge and then walk up the river. He never told granny, but walking up the river meant hopping from stone to stone. When he was seven, Dad broke his leg after an accident in the playground and was off school for ages. He then went to high school in Golspie and college in Edinburgh - because thats where Hibs play. My dad is tone deaf, but loves music. He used to go and see bands every week in Edinburgh. Dad has worked in lots of places - first of all as a computer programmer, then a data analyst, a project manager, a trainer and a training manager. My dad is quite shy, but when he gets an audience, he really likes it. My dad and mum married in 2001 in South Africa - he says because it was cheaper over there. He was married before, but doesn't talk about that. Mum and Dad met through a mutual friend and are best buddies as well as husband and wife. Mum and Dad had 3 babies. Leah, Xavier and Dominic. Dominic and Xavier were twins, but sadly Dominic died a day after being born. Pop has gone to look after Dominic for us. I miss them both.
GrannyMy granny was born in 1932 in Caithness, which is just about as far north as you can get. Granny came to Lochinver in 1950 to work in the hotel with her brother and her sister. Even though there was a big fire, Granny stayed in Lochinver. Granny is also part of a big family. There was Sandy, John, James, Walter, Betty, Mary-Anne, Bill, Andrew and Granny. Grannys family lived all over the place, but most of them went back to Caithness in the end. When Pop was at sea, Granny started running a guest house and she eventually rented out nine rooms. Even when she retired, Granny still kept on renting out a couple of rooms to keep herself busy. She's always busy and she could clean for the country. Granny loves to travel and Dad saw loads of places when he was little when he went on holiday with granny and pop. Pop just liked warm places.
Granny loves kids - which is a good thing, because I can be a handful. There's always kids in pop and grannys house - and triggar.
RingoMy uncle Ringo died when I was little and I really miss him. He used to have a big bushy beard and tickle me with it. Uncle Ringo was sometimes very naughty, but he was always funny. When he was in hospital I have him some huge cuddles. Dad promises to tell me some stories about Ringo when I am bigger. He says that Ringo could always tell better ones, but that he added a little bit every time he told it. Dad's not very sure whether Ringo had more cars or girl friends, but he thinks he had more of both than he had dinners. Ringo used to catch fish (sometimes when he wasn't supposed to). Ringo was also a bouncer, and a fishmonger and a fisherman and ...he did loads of stuff. More than most people will ever dream of, but most of all, he was a storyteller. He could keep the whole place laughing with his stories. Miss you uncle Ringo.
Alistair, Catriona and TailsUncle Alistair works on oil rigs, so sometimes we don't see or hear from him for ages. He's working in a place called Angola at the moment, which dad says is near South Africa. Thats where my mum and dad got married. Uncle Alistair pilots remote controlled submarines. I think it's a little like playing computer games without the crashes. He lives in Dumfries with Aunt Catriona and my cousin Tails. Aunt Catriona used to work in a prison and then she became a lawyer to stop people going there. Now she teaches, but I think prisoners would be easier than schoolkids. Taylor has a little dog called Scrappy. I think Kimber brought home something that looked like Scrappy last night - that's what dad said anyway. Taylor hates having her phot taken, but I think she'll like this one of her in a Hibs scarf.
Vida, Jim, and James
Aunt Vida lives just down the road from us and my favourite game is opening and shutting the door when she comes to visit. Sometimes
she has to wait for 5 minutes before I let her in. Aunt Vida has arthritis, which she got after an accident when she
was little. She plays cards now. Here's a picture of him in a silly hat! 
Aunt Angie, John, Jamie, Darren and Lauren
Aunt Angie does lots of jobs. She's a fireman and she looks after old people and - lots of stuff. Lauren is my buddy. 
Darren is Laurens big brother and he kisses all the girls - at least that's what they tell me Jamie is making sure uncle Ringo behaves himself John is Bob the Builder and he lives near Oxford
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