This is the story of my life so far: 68 years and counting.
Prequel: A Brief History of my Family in France
The story starts here
Previous episode: Part 68
Back to Brest
In October 1982, we moved back to France from Halifax. We had furniture that we had bought in Halifax, so there was more stuff to move.
I was now a lieutenant-commander, as I had been promoted while I was in Halifax.
I had been posted on the fourth corvette of the Georges Leygues class: the Jean de Vienne, as the "Chef du Groupement Operations" (CGO, Operation Group Leader).
Corvette Jean de Vienne
source
The Jean de Vienne was also a new ship that was ready to start trials at sea. So, the "operations" I was going to lead were, in fact, the trials at sea.
Making peace with my parents
My parents, mostly my father, were not yet ready to acknowledge Geneviève as my wife. In the family news that my father distributed every two weeks, her name has not yet been mentioned.
In fact, when Geneviève and myself went to New York City, my father indicated in the family news that "Vincent and a small group of friends have traveled to New York". After I received this family news, for some times I was jokingly calling Geneviève "my small group".
As it was inevitable that we would meet in some family event, for example, the wedding of my brother Bruno less than two months after our return to France, we had to find a way to reconcile, without loss of face for my father.
As he insisted that I was at fault because we had slept together before the wedding, we negotiate the terms of a letter that I wrote to him, where I said that I was wrong to have done so. My father photocopied the letter and sent a copy to each of my brothers and sisters.
And this is how we were able to be reconciled with my parents.
I suspect that it was my mother that push my father to act so that we would no longer be estranged.
In the family news, the name of Geneviève started to appear. Some historian that will read this family news a long time from now, if they don't know the real story, will wonder how this Geneviève suddenly appears!
As I had saved a lot of money while in Halifax, we decided to buy an apartment in Brest.
Continue to Part 70
If you like this story, please consider following me @vcelier
Summary
Part 1 - Part 2 - Part 3 - Part 4 - Part 5 - Part 6 - Part 7
Part 8 - Part 9 - Part 10 Part 11 - Part 12 - Part 13 - Part 14
Part 15 - Part 16 - Part 17 - Part 18 - Part 19 - Part 20 - Part 21
Part 22 - Part 23 - Part 24 - Part 25 - Part 26 - Part 27 - Part 28
Part 29 - Part 30 - Part 31 - Part 32 - Part 33 - Part 34 - Part 35
Part 36 - Part 37 - Part 38 - Part 39 - Part 40 - Part 41 - Part 42
Part 43 - Part 44 - Part 45 - Part 46 - Part 47 - Part 48 - Part 49
Part 50 - Part 51 - Part 52 - Part 53 - Part 54 - Part 55 - Part 56
Part 57 - Part 58 - Part 59 - Part 60 - Part 61 - Part 62 - Part 63
Part 64 - Part 65 - Part 66 - Part 67 - Part 68
lol!
I’ve gone through the whole not being accepted thing. I dated a Greek girl for many years and because I was not Greek myself they did not accept that I was dating their daughter. As a result I never got ever be a part of her life fully. It resulted in our eventual break up. Not easy when family isn’t supportive.
Families are unique in their interpersonal relationships that in most cases, an outsider reading the family story may get confused. However, whatever the case family comes first and for me nothing can replace family. Still enjoying the series, thanks for carrying us along.
Your life story is nice...Sir after reading this part, i have a question.
You wanted to buy an apartment ..
Did you buy the apartment..@vcelier?
Yes so am waiting to see how Geneviève will suddenly appears!
Geneviève a phenomenal wife
Military duty always pays a huge effort from military personnel to leave away their homes.
It requires somebody to sacrifice enough time from his personal life far from family and friends.
Good life story
amazing story :) @vcelier
Great life story
Thank you for sharing
Lol, this just seems so petty an ridiculous. Your relationship with your father must have been important for you to be okay with this.
Llegó el momento de la reconciliación y el perdón, espero que despues todo haya marchado bien, seguiré leyendo su interesante historia de vida. Saludos buen amigo!
Hello, it is amazing to see someone in your age here on Steemit :)
I have read first 10 parts so far and I must say that you have a great memory (you described your childhood garden really in detail).
I hope that one day in the future I will be able to write my story too :)
Nice