A title needed for synopsis

In the aftermath of World War Two, survivors of the war ravaged countries of The Soviet Union began the long journey in the hope of getting their lives back to some kind of normality. One such person was Viktor Kodes, together with his compatriot Boris Leshev, they offered their services to one of the many post-war gangs running contraband across borders to those in the need of food and medicines.

Little did Viktor know however was that the KGB were hunting for Boris and his wife Olga, both of whom were wanted for, amongst other crimes against the State, the murder of a Soviet soldier in the Latvian capital of Riga. In their attempt to get Boris to freedom three members of the Forest Brothers gang were caught and murdered, Boris himself was then brutally tortured before being killed.

Three more KGB agents were then deployed to hunt down Olga and any of her accomplices with the intention of arresting and torturing them before their executions. Viktor killed all three before they could arrest Olga, an action that forced himself, Olga, and their respective children, Alana and Sergio, to flee the country with the aid of the infamous Forest Brothers

Their journey would take them through Lithuania and Poland to Gdansk where they would then board a ship, which would then take them to England. A journey fraught with danger saw Olga killed and Viktor murdered by a hired assassin before they could flee to freedom.

Sergio and Alana, without their parents, finally reached England and after going through the British Asylum procedure, they were able to settle down to the English way of life. The young Latvians eventually married and had a child of their own. Little did they know that their past was closing in on them.

My 70th Birthday...... +2

 ......A very short history of my life +3. (I originally wrote this for my 70th birthday, but now edited for my 73rd)

Yep, three score years and ten, plus another three now, I made it! When I think back to what a journey it was to get here I reckon I was lucky 'cos it hasn't been too bad, yea, we all have our ups and downs but there weren't too many bad bits, I always managed to sidestep or body swerve any kind of trouble (maybe that's just another way of saying I didn't get caught), I've smoked a lot of fags, downed many a pint and back in the dark distant past I may have popped a few pills and smoked some dope but now, apart from the occasional pint, everything else has been kicked into touch in pursuit of a healthier lifestyle. Except for food, I do like my food!

Hobbies and stuff

Believe it or not, when I was younger I was quite a shy lad (still am) and maybe could've done so much more with my life than I did had I not been, but I did achieve a few things along the way despite that.
I've always enjoyed the arty farty stuff, painting, drawing, dancing (oh yes! I used to trip the ol' light fantastic once) photography, music (I play guitar to a reasonable standard), and writing (I've got three books on Kindle).
Anything sporty I've always liked, I played football but not that high a standard just Sunday morning parks footie, I've done a few half marathons, some 10k's, and a fifteen miler, and frequented a few gyms over the years I even helped to run a weight training class when I was in my early 20's. Blimey! No wonder my joints are knackered! (yea, take note all you gym freaks out there)

Vocations

I left school in 1964 with no qualifications (except for one-third of an A level, but that's another story) and became a butcher, which lasted until 1982 when the trade went into a recession, a shame 'cos I really liked the job, but in today's vegan culture I would be no doubt be frowned upon. 

With a newly acquired mortgage and a new baby I needed to find a better-paying job, so I became a milkman (remember them?). At first, it was an easy job, up early home early, and a reasonable wage, first with the Co-Op then with Unigate. The Co-op then began to put up their rounds for franchises, so I returned to the Co-Op and bought one. That lasted for four years and I made a lot of money but it was hard work in retrospect, it was probably part instrumental in breaking up my marriage (that is also another story). I was now entering one of the low periods of my life and needed some job stability, to pay off a few debts if nothing else, so I joined London Transport as a bus driver and that's how I finished my working life, eighteen years on the mean streets of South London and two years in the Southampton area. I also worked on landscape gardening for a few months in the summer of 1971 just before I got married. Plus the odd part-time job here and there was my vocational history.

Relationships

In July of 1971, I was married to Sue the marriage lasted until 1989 when we were divorced, but we still managed to produce a couple of kids though. Before moving here to Gosport I had a long-term relationship, which lasted till 2004. In 2005 whilst off work waiting to go into hospital I met the lady on a dating site who eventually convinced me to leave The Smoke and move to Lee on the Solent and live with her, which I did but unfortunately, that didn't last long, a year I think, before we split up but I decided to stay in sunny Hampshire and seek my fortune here. That was 2007 and after a few failed short-term relationships I met Dawny, it took a few years but I'd finally found my soul mate and I have never been happier. (Anyway, I couldn't continue being a naughty boy, it was wearing me out 😉)

Family

All in all, I haven't had a bad life, I survived all the bad bits, and I almost, but not quite, feel at peace with myself (mental health gets in the way). Unfortunately, over the years, I lost four family members, 1995 my Mum passed away, in 2016 my sister Sandy died, and in 2019 I lost my Dad, the fourth was my twin sister Yvonne who succumbed to breast cancer in 2004 I took that the hardest needing ten sessions of counseling before I really came to terms with it. It's sad that she didn't make this journey with me, she's now on another journey of her own with Mum, Dad, and Sandy to keep her company (I bet that's a real hoot!), but there are times when I feel she's still here with me.
A broken relationship, being diagnosed with arthritis, and losing my twin sister, all in all, 2004 was not a very good year!

My son David and daughter Sarah both have their own families now and are pursuing their own paths in this hectic world, bringing up my six grandchildren between them (four for Sarah and two for Dave). Now there's just me, Mandy and Trey left of our little tribe.

Health

Over the years my general health hasn't been too bad but the onset of middle age brings its own problems, it's like my body is getting its revenge for everything I've put it through. 

Three hip replacements, a knee replacement, and an operation on my right shoulder plus worn discs in my back (believe me airport security is a nightmare) brought me early retirement not that I was complaining. A decent company pension and my savings saw me through till I reached state pension age, I've slowed down a tad but still manage to get out and about, mainly thanks to Dawny and a plethora of walking aids. Apart from that my general health aint too bad so, hopefully, I can manage a few more years on this mortal Earth (my old man made it to 94 so there's hope for me yet)

If you've got this far without nodding off thanks for reading this very short summary of my life, obviously there's a whole lot more I could write but how long have you got? More to the point how much can I remember? No doubt there are some of you out there who have a few stories if so, let's hear them.

Thanks to all of you, new friends, and old,  who are still putting up with me and continuing to enrich my life even more.

Bless you all.