23 November 2006

Memories

At last - the very nice man at the computer shop has managed to get everything off my old deceased computer hard drive and I've now loaded 642 photos onto my new computer. I've had fun browsing through them this evening, and decided to add a couple of them to this posting. Niki (Nostalgia at the Stone House) posted some lovely shots of her former shop under the heading 'Memories' and suggested we should all find some memories to share.

Here are some of mine ...

The first is my paternal grandmother long before I knew her of course. What an upright Edwardian figure. By the time I was born she was quite rotund. At least I have the excuse that 'it's in the genes'!!


This is my Dad in the mid 1960s. I was just a few weeks pregnant when he died in 1973. I have wonderful memories of growing up and all the jolly times we shared ... Sunday mornings in the garage being shown how to use hammer and nails, screwdrivers, saws, paintbrushes etc; picnics in the country; learning to drive in my uncle's fields when I was 13; maths homework (how could a bank manager's daughter NOT understand basic arithmetic?). And trying to be quiet during the cricket scores at lunchtime (not easy). Life was always fun (apart from the homework) and I am only sad that my daughter never knew him, although he knew she was on the way.

She's 32 now and getting married next year. I've tried 4 times to load a couple of photos of her, circa 1976, but it looks as if they'll have to wait for another posting as I'm not having much luck. This one is 'early Christmas' 2004 and just a tad worrying. I'm glad to say she seems to have made a full recovery, which is quite a relief!

I took the stickers photo for Mum. She has just agreed a sale of her house and would very much like to take the doors with her. She used to look after Hannah while I was working and they "played stickers" for several years until one or other of them (not sure which) grew out of the sticker phase. There are even more stuck to the end of one of the kitchen wall cupboards. They've been there since the late 70s and it'll seem strange not to see them around any longer.

I hope you've enjoyed my little trip down memory lane. Part of the story may be sad, but the memories will always be there and all being well Mum is coming to live next door. She's nearly 86 (and would be very cross if she knew I'd told you!) and looking forward to moving the 150 miles to be near to us. She's fighting fit, thankfully, still goes into uncontrollable hysterical laughter at the slightest thing, and I think we're going to have fun. It'll be so nice to have her near after 18 years of being so far away. So, fingers crossed that nothing goes wrong with her sale or purchase and roll on the first week in January which is the anticipated completion date.

4 comments:

Clare and Mike said...

Hi Sue, thank you for sharing your family photos and very poignant memories. I'm glad Han recovered - I think another 5 minutes and she may have keeled over backwards! C xx

Anonymous said...

Hi Sue,
Thanks for sharing your memories.
Sounds like you will be creating lots more when your mother moves in next door - she sounds adorable!!

Love the sticker story- it's like those pencil marks on the door frame that we all make as our children grow - you have to paint round them when you redecorate.
Niki.x

savvycityfarmer said...

AAAhhhhh ....the love of family and those generations that we only get a glimpse of....

Anonymous said...

I love the photo of your Grandmother, my Mum has a few photos like this of her Great Grandmother and Grandmother and sisters which I always love to look at when ever I go home to visit. They always look a little erie and distant but I'm so drawn to them, probably because I know they are part of me.I always wish I could jump into the photos and see what it was like back then.