Christmas at Auntie's

Back in Time...

Christmas early Sixties we are all booked for the coach to London to enjoy a Christmas at Auntie's. All piled onto the Coach from Sunderland to Victoria Coach station., And what a journey those days 12 hours in all. That's before the motorway's , they took the minor roads all the way. Pulling up in the station for the long awaited arrival and the excitement seeing Auntie again. Picked up in a fine looking back shiny car, not sure what make is was. As we drove through North London the Christmas trees stood tall all lined up outside all the big buildings they were just beautiful. Twinkling bright coloured lights, as it was dark by this time, a sight I shall never forget.

We reached our destination but not before shouting and pointing out all the trees lit up in the houses, all the way there. Having not seen anything quite like this before well not on this scale. To us it was truly amazing , as we entered Auntie's house she had a beautiful big tree right inside the bay window. This was going to be a Christmas we would never forget, let the fun begin we were all ready.

Snow flurries

Snow flurries today and first thing this Morning the sun was gleaming through the window. That's such a good feeling , it wasn't too cold first thing but has got colder this afternoon. At times such as this I head for the kitchen ,oh go on then have a slice if you dare. Slimming well I did promise myself to go easy but I am such a weak morsel. Well when it comes to chocolate cake covered in Mars bars melted and gently spread over. Crikey...

I picked some Holly from the garden as I see the birds have been eating them at the top of the tree. There's something about Holly that gets you in the Christmas mood. Having said that I was shopping in a large store about the end of October, and guess what they were playing Christmas songs. A tad too early I think , could be to try and get people in the mood to buy., not so good for the staff working there though all day long.

I filled the bird feeders with food this morning what a joy, and I even caught a glimpse of a Woodpecker. He was pretty quick though lovely colours black white and a red bit on his back, which I do believe is a male.

Take care keep warm its going to get colder brrrr , enjoy your day.

Great Auntie

I remember my Auntie with fond memories what a Lady she was. This being my fathers auntie Hilda , so being my favourite Great Auntie. She was a lady with a big heart , they lived in North London and as you know I lived in the Northeast of Eng at this memorable time. Auntie used to visit us on many occasions no matter what the weather, travelling by train from Kings Cross. Her London accent would turn heads as this was an different tone with a slightly higher pitch. Which sounded quite unfamilar in the North East Eng.Her fashion sense was rather flamboyant with her beautiful swinging coats , in a bright colour yellow. I know sounds awful but this lady always manged to look so elegant. Her powdered face and slight red lipstick I will always remember, and that smell of powder. She adored hats and was always wearing a lovely little hat upon that lovely curly haired head.
We would often use a double Decker bus to take us off to town, and these would often confuse her. As she on one occasion mistook the back of the bus for the rear entrance. Auntie we shouted where are you going , o err and she would promptly turn round with her coat swinging with her. As she boarded the bus the passengers would be in fits of laughter. When she spoke in her accent they were completely transfixed by her. Memory's ,these I shall never forget and my wonderful Auntie.

The Peacock

A few years a go we had a regular visitor from the farm next door, a beautiful Peacock. He used to pop over the fence on a regular basis , he was gorgeous. He got used to me after a while and I used to feed him rolled oats , which he used to take from my hand. Every evening just before dusk he would find a tree high enough to roost in. If I was lucky he was sure a sight to see when he took that elegant flight up high in the tree. In the morning down he came and he headed straight home to hence he came. With so much going on next door he found my garden a peaceful place to be , and he often used to sit just outside my back bedroom window in the sun. He would gently turn the soil over in the warm sun and sit in that little hole quite happily , for a few hours. To see him run was quite amusing and I would often see him just running around the Pond, at the top of my garden. Mating season was spectacular as you can imagine , with his fine display of colourful feathers. He would potter about just outside my window as mentioned before, going through the motions. This went on for about two years so the day he no longer was able to visit me I was quite sad.

But don't worry he is quite safe he was taken to a wildlife park near me 3-4 miles away. Where he can still walk around freely and also be amongst other like himself and oh guess what Peahens , so I guess he is much happier in the Long run.

Baby Peacocks mmmm There's a thought.

The picture was taken of him in my garden.

Sloppy Joe (Large Jumper)

For those of you that love to knit, well I most certainly did when I was at the tender age of 13 years old. It was fashion then to have a large out size jumper known then as a sloppy Joe. Fashion I just loved it and wanted to be what shall we say Fashionable or so I thought. I started to knit my precious jumper in a lovely pink , not a vivid pink just a soft pink. I would clank away with the knitting needles after school , hoping to finish this generous garment. So getting neared to finishing was quite exciting. But what happens when you get to the last couple of inches and run out of wool.....I didn't have much pocket money those days Mum tried her best but I think we only got one shilling each. So it was either walk to the store in town and bus back or vice verse.I took to taking the bus to town before closing time. One ball of pink wool was in my possession I was so happy. Except for the long walk home but at that tender age it was nothing was it, 2 miles..
I finished my lovely jumper in no time yippee oh it gave me such a thrill. There it was my sloppy Joe , and before you know it I slipped it over my head. Yikes I said to Mum its too long I can't wear this , I'm going to look such a silly billy. That's how it should look she said and indeed it was long and very sloppy. My sister was mad about it but she was a lousy knitter, so guess who got the job of knitting another one in a bright blue, yes you've guessed me.Oh and her friend from school . After that I didn't knit much well I was 14 years old by that time and I thought it was time to get out into the world , there where better things to do. A few years later I must add I took up chrochet. But thats another story.....

Little Hedgehog

I came across a little hedgehog this morning looking a bit sorry , they should hibernate this time of year she (I'll call her that) looked quite small and completely lost. I know there's a rescue centre near by well 16 miles to be exact. So I gave them a ring and spoke to a very nice lady , she told me to bring her in to the centre keeping her warm and if possible give her some dog or cat food and water. So I found a little shoe box , funny I was clearing out some stuff yesterday and came across this shoe box.... I was about to throw it out you know stand on it and bin it. Anyway as it happens it was the perfect rescue travelling box.So off we went and she was welcomed with open arms , I am so pleased to say. If left to her own devices she would not have survived the night.
Oh Happy days look out you may come across one of these little fellows yourself.
Apart from that its been a fine day here chilly but sunny, enjoy your day. Catch you later ...

Leader of The Band

Garden Fete's I think most of us all at one time been to a Garden Fete. I remember one in particular way back in the early sixties a mere teen or just about. Mum Granny and friends all got dressed up and set out to enjoy a lovely Fete. There where the usual stalls and memorable of all A band was playing on the Grandstand. I gazed across and I there I noticed a very handsome looking lad tall dark with a twinkle in his eye. Sitting at the front playing his trombone wow...I just stood there speachless mum nudged me "you ok" yes Mum I replied. I wore a lovely pink and white dress They used to call them twist dressess because the bottom flaired out , I loved it and my hair was up in a bun. A little while later..
I drifted up towards the drink tent for a (Lemonade I exspect) and a voice behind me said hello how are you, as I spun round knocking my drink in the air. I relized it was him I was just speechless all over again I don't remember the words we shared , but that was the Lovely day the day I fell for the leader of the band...
I do have a photo somwhere but heaven knows where it is if I do find it I will post it here.

Loved playing the Piano

I remember Mum often tickled the Ivories that is the piano keys. We had a little up right in the corner of our living room. Smile though your heart is breaking springs to mind was one of her favourites by Charlie Chaplin. I often sat with her as she showed me a few stroked of the key, but only managed to play chop sticks I think it was called. But I think I got more joy just watching her play. I think it sometimes just took her off to a world of her own. My brother however later on as he got older self taught the guitar. I still tinkle on my key board now and again but it doesn't compare to mums gift ...

Patchy Memory's

Although my childhood is quite patchy and I think we remember the good things as well as some of the bad. In case you are wondering I am trying to piece together the good Memory's of my childhood. I hope you enjoy these little snippets, as gradually I put them slowly together. These of the bits that stay in my heart in memory of my Mum. To be Continued....

Pretty Pink Dress

Oh how exciting a party at school Mum managed I don't know how to buy me the prettiest pink dress I have ever seen. It had little flowers with little diamonds in the centre of each flower. Mum put a pink ribbon in my hair but it kept slipping off you know that silky ribbon especially when my hair was poker straight. I think Mum was proud that day she had a twinkle in her eye that I shall never forget. So off I went to school ( 8-9 yrs old) I did feel like a little princess, thank you Mum. Curly hair was my dream as mum had a lovely head of wavy hair, people used to ask her if it was natural, well of course it was so pretty. And with that red lipstick or just a hint, it used to bring out those lovely blue eyes.

The North East England

Born in the North East 1949 (Eng) an older sister and a younger brother. Mum was of a delicate nature but father quite the opposite. This is more about my mum , father ruled the household with a firm and strict hand.
Mum was a lovely quiet sort of lady she loved the great outdoors, this is where I think I got it from. We lived in a little two up two down house in a Crescent , semi detached so the neighbours were often chatting over their fences or walls. Our garden was really pretty I remember lots of flowers bushes and a little bench at the bottom of the garden. Mum certainly had green fingers. Her favourite flowers was Virginia Stock a pretty little flower that gave lots of colour to the boarders around the garden.
Mum just loved cats we had a pretty little ginger cat , well not so little quite big really. As I said prevously he used to wait on the fence for his fish scraps.
Father worked as a radio/tv engineer so when he was out working the house was a happy house.
Mum cooked pies in the kitchen my favourite being mince and onion, which for some reason (I thought then) she put a cup in the centre and then covered it with pastry. I loved watching her doing this it is to this day my favourite savoury pie...... To be Continued.

Joy Mum's Home

Mum is home again what a joy that brought to my brother and I , with her happy laughter.
Our little house was to me larger than life although in reality was quite small. It's funny how everything looks and seems much larger when you are a child. Our garden overlooked a wide open space a bank with grass either side and a long large path which led down to a small bridge. My brother and I had a three wheeled cycle he used to sit on the seat while I sat on the back. and down we went full steam ahead , yelling excitedly . Mum used to wave over the fence at us be careful but we didn't hear. Tea time she used to yell our names out loud over the back garden fence.
Across the road there where little shops , groceries chemist , news agents, bread shop , that's where mum used to give a special treat after school a lovely yummy cake.
At the time we owned a very large a lovable ginger cat , he used to stay on the opposite side of the road while we went to the shops, the fish and chip shop gave us scraps of fish for him he loved them. Worth waiting for I think , and back home he would trot behind us. .... To be Continued.

The Day I arrived in my new home

I sat by the fireside warming my cold little hands , and crunched on a ginger snap biscuit. This is my first memory just five years old where I lived before this moment was a complete mystery to me. My school where to start the following Monday week. My brother was only 4 years old so I was on my own once mum dropped me off so to speak.
As time passed by seems so slow at this tender age, my little brother used to accompany me. As by now I was well on my way to being 7 years old.
I have a distant memory of a lovely Christmas panto at this school, I was on stage acting out the part as a fairy. Did I have many friends I can't recall at this moment in time anyone specific.
It wasn't till I was about 7 or 8 I missed the presence of my mother . All I knew was she was there one minute and gone the next. It seems she went away and then came back on a regular basis. I later found out she was at the hospital suffering from a break down.
Mum had two brothers who lived near by , and I used to cycle up there to visit my gran.
Once mum was home things were happier and I used to hear her laugh a lot, and then now and again not so much... A different story un folds to be continued...

Just arrived after searching for a new place to blog. Many friends are here and hoping to find them. I quite like this place and hope I will settle in quickly although it may take me time with all these new features.

I have met a lot of wonderful friends over the two years I have been blogging , they mean a lot and have mostly enjoyed their writing. So I hope I can take a different journey now , here's to a new adventure.