Strictly Taboo (‘Life’s a Journey’ nostalgia Link-Up, week 64)
21/05/2013 08:46
Welcome to year two of our weekly series of ‘link-up’ Posts which reflect on life’s journey, old memories and family stories (see below for more info).
Time to recall the booze of yesteryear. Those naughty little dwinkies that led us as teens down the path of unrighteousness.
My earliest memories of buying booze are of standing in the pub opposite the Girls’ Grammar school which I respectfully attended (I had little shame) at the age of 15, facing the barman and wondering what the hell you were supposed to ask for. I believe I may have blurted “Pernod and Black”, having heard someone else ask for one a minute earlier. A regrettable selection that didn’t really improve for some years.
The sweet lick of nostalgia for me really comes when I hear these names…
Cherry B – Oh God.
Thunderbird (makes me feel a bit woozy just saying it).
Taboo & Mirage (nothing that colour should ever be ingested).
Hooch (less said the better, methinks).
And the ultimate drink-related nostalgia – fantasising about being the girl on roller-skates in the Martini ad (who, it turns out was actually a very young Nicolette Sheridan of Desperate Housewives fame – who knew?)
Tell me about your memories. Is there some boozy nostalgia you’d like to share with us? What was your very first drink?…… Join the Linky or leave a comment. Nostalgia come in all shapes and sizes, so make sure you capture yours.
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A selection of other posts from this series:-
Week 2 – Old School Portrait
Week 4 – Bestest Friends
Week 5 – Teenage Crushes
Week 6 – First Movie Memories
Week 9 – Favourite Childhood Books
Week 19 – Becoming a Parent
Week 25 – Old Boyfriends
Week 39 – My home town
The anxious one
19/05/2013 12:50
This is the face of anxiety.
It might not look like it, but we are having a turbulent period of separation issues.
It has been so bad at times that he would not even let his own 25 year old sister babysit for him. Saying goodbye to mum involved sweaty palms and a heart-wrenching “Mummy, my heart is beating really fast”. Hard to hear.
It ranges from following mummy around the house or calling out “I love you”, just to check that mummy is still there, to rejecting invitations to tea with school friends unless his 100 questions about whether we know where they live and vice-versa can be satisfactorily answered before he can be persuaded to venture out.
Sleep has also become an issue, or rather being left alone in the bedroom, is an issue. It was not so 6 months ago.
There are no ‘incidents’ to which we can pinpoint the start of this anxiety. No bereavements, no absences, no serious illness, no trauma. And even though we have parented 3 older children between us, neither of us have experienced this new challenge before.
Perhaps this is mother nature at work? Has my tiny baby reached the point in his evolution at just 6 years old where he is aware that the world is a serious place? Life can be fraught with danger – people die and accidents happen. It breaks my heart to think that my little guy has a mortal fear of losing me or being lost, so perhaps the test is one of endurance for the time being. Maybe it is a passing phase. Let’s hope it passes soon.
Joe’s Letters, WWII: “All the ‘gen’ from home”
17/05/2013 12:42
A bit of background for newcomers
Joe (aka ‘Mac’ to his RAF comrades) was my Uncle, but we never met. His precious letters have come into my possession some near-70 years after they were written. It is my honour to transcribe them, and the poignancy of hindsight about what happened to Joe makes this all the more difficult to write, but all the more important that I do. One letter will be posted to this Blog each and every Friday until they are done.
Please see below for a link to Joe’s full story and the other letters in this series so far.
At the time of this letter, Joe is several months into his RAF experiences and is now at RAF Stradishall in Suffolk, as part of the crew’s final stretch of training before active operations begin.
Letter 62 – 13th September 1944
Letter transcript:
“16 Elmdale…
Weds.
Dear Joseph,
Many thanks for letter and I was glad to see that your parcel had reached you. Your washing had arrived when I got home from work yesterday so it remains to be seen how long it will be catching you up now that you are on the move again.; anyhow I won’t risk an apple tart in it, as if it is as long on the way as the rest of your mail it would be mouldy. I’ll risk it as soon as I get your new address.
You sound as if you had a good day when you went to Cambridge (join the RAF and see the world!), I hope you didn’t let your old college down!! I was interested to hear about Joe Lee’s adventure and glad to know he had pipped the ambulance men.
Joyce went, by appointment, to the hairdresser and had her hair cut properly and now I’m getting used to it I rather like it, to say nothing of being less trouble. Brian has had a nasty poisoned knee, I don’t know whether it was a thorn or a sting, but I have been kept busy with bathing and bread poultices, still now it has broken and I think it will be ok. He’s been a good little kid though. Den is in the midst of footballing – he plays for the Y.M.C.A. – and of course takes every chance to get in a bit of practice. You didn’t say what you had done about your bike, so I’ve taken it for granted that you have it with you.
There is nothing more of interest at the moment. I’m still wondering what job I shall get when all this is finished. Buster was over this weekend. I didn’t see him to speak to, but he is still in RAF uniform. Percy Jones went back yesterday and he is expecting to go abroad to finish his training.
So I’ll finish now so that I can go home and get your ironing done and your parcel ready.
Cheerio and God bless
Love from
Mother and ‘nibs’ xxxx“
A mother knows her son, that’s for sure. He needs washing and food. I love that Olive was baking apple pies from her rations and sending them to Joseph for demolition! The most poignant part of this letter for me? Hearing my own, now elderly father being talked about as a little boy with a sore knee….wonderful.
To read more about Joe’s letters please follow this link. There you will find the full selection of letters to date, as well as more information about his fascinating yet ultimately tragic story.
He was our family hero. He IS our family hero. If I knew how to complete an effective RAF salute, I would salute you now, Joe. Long may your memory live in our family stories. I hope to post a new letter from Joe’s correspondence with his Mother here every Friday until they’re done. It will be a turbulent and heart-wrenching journey. Subscribe to the Blog to make sure you don’t miss any of it.
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Old Game, New Rules (‘Life’s a Journey’ nostalgia Link-Up, week 63)
14/05/2013 07:30
Welcome to year two of our weekly series of ‘link-up’ Posts which reflect on life’s journey, old memories and family stories (see below for more info).
Wow. Not only are the policemen looking closer and closer to the age of my children, but they’ve gone and changed bloody Monopoly!
I realise this is old news, but since we only recently acquired the ‘Electronic’ version of this ancient family favourite, it’s taken me a while to truly catch up. Even the box gave me a double-take…since when did you need to buy BATTERIES to play a board game, eh?!
Where the buggery is the iron?
Why the hell do I need chip and pin to be ripped off by my own offspring?
What happened to that lovely pastel-coloured fake cash that my big brother used to stash underneath his side of the board, to be retrieved at the moment we all though he was broke?
And another thing…I know there has been some inflation since 1975, but apparently the reward for ‘passing GO’ has risen by some 1,000,000% in the intervening years.
Mind you, cor blimey guvnor and all that, some things don’t change. I still got fleeced when I landed on Mayfair.
Tell me about your memories. What’s changed since you were a kid? Is ‘new’ necessarily ‘better’?…… Join the Linky or leave a comment. Nostalgia come in all shapes and sizes, so make sure you capture yours.
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A selection of other posts from this series:-
Week 2 – Old School Portrait
Week 4 – Bestest Friends
Week 5 – Teenage Crushes
Week 6 – First Movie Memories
Week 9 – Favourite Childhood Books
Week 19 – Becoming a Parent
Week 25 – Old Boyfriends
Week 39 – My home town
Joe’s Letters, WWII: “A ‘Prang’”
10/05/2013 09:18
A bit of background for newcomers
Joe (aka ‘Mac’ to his RAF comrades) was my Uncle, but we never met. His precious letters have come into my possession some near-70 years after they were written. It is my honour to transcribe them, and the poignancy of hindsight about what happened to Joe makes this all the more difficult to write, but all the more important that I do. One letter will be posted to this Blog each and every Friday until they are done.
Please see below for a link to Joe’s full story and the other letters in this series so far.
At the time of this letter, Joe is several months into his RAF experiences and has just moved to RAF Stradishall in Suffolk, as part of the crew’s final stretch of training before active operations begin.
Letter 61 – 11th September 1944
Letter transcript:
“Stalag 1 3/4
Concentration Camp.
Saturday night.
Hello Mon,
Well, I’ve just come back from Cambridge, having spent a decent day off. We slept at the YMCA hotel last night. A damned good place too. SHEETS in the beds! Blimey! It seems ages since I slept in ‘em! On the morning we all went to a friend of the skipper’s house. A Mrs and Mrs Webster. We had a chicken dinner there too! They’re nice people, we all went on the afternoon to the pictures in the town. NINE of us! The picture was called ‘It Happened One Sunday. Although an English film it was damned good. I have never seen or heard of any of the actors in it. The film takes place in a town called Liverpool! A port from what I could make out! If it comes round our way, go and see it (if you get the chance to) – I think you will like it. The language gets a bit rich here and there but is not overdone.
I got your parcel the other day with the jersey in and letters. Gosh! I thought I’d had it swiped! When I got back tonight I went and got your other parcel! I din’t even KNOW I was a collar short!! It strikes me I shall discover something else missing soon! Keep hunting!! I am very grateful for the envelopes Mom. Thanks. I ran out a day or so ago.
I read Joe Lee’s letter and as usual got a good laugh. But further on I didn’t laugh so much. About a fortnight ago Joe was in a pretty good ‘prang’ but with a stroke of luck he and the rest of his crew got away without a scratch. The engines both cut out and after scooting across country at what we call ‘nought feet’ they came to a ‘drome but had to land across the runway as they hadn’t enough height. to make a circuit and come in properly. Joe says they went through the hedge on the perimeter of the ‘drome. This broke the starboard under carriage. The plane then swung round on its belly smashing the other wheel and fetching the starboard wing off! What fun!! He said that the ambulance driver was sulking for days after his disappointment at not getting his hands on a few charred remains. A ‘pretty’ thought, what?!
By the way Mom I guess by now you will have got my washing. Could I have it for Thursday please? Or is that a bit too soon? We leave here on Friday I believe. I DO know where we’re going but daren’t write it yet. I will give you a hint though! We won’t be out of Suffolk unfortunately! Oh! By the by, could you send on my other shoes please, the mended ‘uns? These new efforts have gone through the first leather already with so much marching. Hold tight Mom! here’s another want! How’s the ‘apple pie by post’ situation?! I get peckish at night here, as I have said before, FOOD is one of the great unknown quantities at this dump. “Don’t forget the liver”(?)!
Well I have thunked and thunked but can’t finck of nuffinck else! Till the next time Toodle and God Bless. Don’t cut our Joyce’s ‘air too short our Mom!!
Lots of Luv
Joe xxxx
P.T.O Important…..
….”Ever been ‘ad?!” ”
Still very much enjoying life at Stradishall if the the address is anything to go by!! The tone of this letter puts Joe is very good spirits indeed. Lots of kidding and family chat in his native Brummie ‘dialect’. I am guessing that the forthcoming move away from ‘Stalag 1 and 3 quarters’ is seen as very good news!
The news that his best pal, Joe Lee has been in a very bad crash must have hot sharply home. His concern is clear, although his appetite still seems strong!
To read more about Joe’s letters please follow this link. There you will find the full selection of letters to date, as well as more information about his fascinating yet ultimately tragic story.
He was our family hero. He IS our family hero. If I knew how to complete an effective RAF salute, I would salute you now, Joe. Long may your memory live in our family stories. I hope to post a new letter from Joe’s correspondence with his Mother here every Friday until they’re done. It will be a turbulent and heart-wrenching journey. Subscribe to the Blog to make sure you don’t miss any of it.
If you enjoyed this post, please share it using the buttons below!
Childhood Birthday Parties (‘Life’s a Journey’ nostalgia Link-Up, week 62)
07/05/2013 13:55
Welcome to year two of our weekly series of ‘link-up’ Posts which reflect on life’s journey, old memories and family stories (see below for more info).
Regrettably, there is another birthday looming for yours truly.
Whilst I’ve noticed with resigned disappointment that the number of birthday cards has declined in negative correlation with the number of years I have gained, I still have the same kernel of excitement inside when a birthday is anticipated.
Funny isn’t it, how that little childhood butterfly of expectation never really leaves you? Sadly, with age, the presents do tend to dry up faster than the reservoirs in 1976 when one of these photos was taken..
My childhood birthday ‘teas’ were invariably at home. There was no ball pool or bouncy castle in those days. No laser shooting or quad racing for me. There was just me, half a dozen polite little girls and our rickety garden swing.
I was a child of the 70s. There were no mini pizzas; no McDonalds; no caterpillar cakes. Just triangular sandwiches (Mum only broke out the triangles for birthdays) and jelly & ice cream.
The several polite little girls were almost certainly dressed in full length skirts (this was de rigueur in the mid 70s of course) and white knee length socks (the ones with the ‘holey’ patterns) inside shiny patent leather buckle-up shoes. As you can see, The Dress was even forced to make repeat appearances more than one year in a row.
My memories of these parties are filled with Blind Man’s Buff, Pass the Parcel and Musical Statues. If you were light enough, you would be subjected to ‘The Bumps’ – a primitive tradition involving being picked up by your hands and feet and thrown repeatedly into the air, the number of ‘repeats’ always corresponding to the number of years of age you were.
All parties ended with the ageless rituals of blowing out the candles and tearing open those presents. Mothers all over the world are now tutting at the thought of picking up all the bloody paper, or, if anything like my Queen of Thrift mother, sorting out which bits can be salvaged, folded and re-used at future birthday events. A sign of the times in its own right…
The only saving grace about getting old? No one has the stamina for 46 ‘Bumps’.
Tell me about your memories. What can you recall about your childhood birthdays?…… Join the Linky or leave a comment. Nostalgia come in all shapes and sizes, so make sure you capture yours.
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If you enjoyed this post, please share it using the buttons below! ———————————————————————–
A selection of other posts from this series:-
Week 2 – Old School Portrait
Week 4 – Bestest Friends
Week 5 – Teenage Crushes
Week 6 – First Movie Memories
Week 9 – Favourite Childhood Books
Week 19 – Becoming a Parent
Week 25 – Old Boyfriends
Week 39 – My home town
Joe’s Letters, WWII: “Is the war nearly over?”
03/05/2013 11:51
A bit of background for newcomers
Joe (aka ‘Mac’ to his RAF comrades) was my Uncle, but we never met. His precious letters have come into my possession some near-70 years after they were written. It is my honour to transcribe them, and the poignancy of hindsight about what happened to Joe makes this all the more difficult to write, but all the more important that I do. One letter will be posted to this Blog each and every Friday until they are done.
Please see below for a link to Joe’s full story and the other letters in this series so far.
At the time of this letter, Joe is several months into his RAF experiences and has just moved to RAF Stradishall in Suffolk, as part of the crew’s final stretch of training before active operations begin.
Letter 60 – 10th September 1944
Letter transcript:
“16 Elmdale…..
Thursday.
Dear Jo ‘Enery,
Many thanks for letter (no.2) received yesterday, and I hope by now that you have received your parcel. Joyce forgot to register it, but perhaps it will be ok for once.
Well, do you like your new ‘dump’ any better now? Or is it worse than ever? It doesn’t sound very cheerful, especially if the weather is as bad there as it is here, for it is cold and wet like November today.
Listening to the wireless today sounds as if we haven’t got to wait much longer for the end of the war – with Germany – at any rate. It will be worth something to have the black-out lifted, for I hate getting about in the dark. It also sounds as if I shall have to be looking for another job soon, although I’ve been promised that I shall be kept on as long as possible, there is only 3 of us left as it is.
Freda showed me an article in the Despatch about a prisoners of war football team and her hubby was named as the captain, was she thrilled! It certainly shows that he is fairly fit.
I presume Jean has got your new address by now as this letter came on Tuesday and is the last, I sent all the others in your parcel. She also wrote to thank me for having her here.
Remember us to Joe Lee when you write back and tell him he won’t be able to tug Joyce’s plaits as she is having it cut tomorrow, but he will still be welcome at our ‘umble ‘ome’!
I caught sight of Percy Jones today, he has managed to keep in RAF uniform complete with white in hat, unlike poor old “Buster”.
Well son, things are much the same as ever here, day off tomorrow and week-end next week, after that who knows.
So good night and God bless you.
Love from Mom and Kids.
xxxx”
So interesting to read the public’s view of the war’s progress and the limited means by which they were able to learn about what was going on. The reliance on the ‘wireless’ for news was critical, and here we are, in September 1944, hearing Olive say that she thinks it will be over soon, still several months away from the end. Imagine the look on Freda’s (a neighbour I think) face when she read in the paper that her prisoner of war husband was captain of a football team in a prison camp somewhere! What a thrill to know that he was out there somewhere, fit and well.
To read more about Joe’s letters please follow this link. There you will find the full selection of letters to date, as well as more information about his fascinating yet ultimately tragic story.
He was our family hero. He IS our family hero. If I knew how to complete an effective RAF salute, I would salute you now, Joe. Long may your memory live in our family stories. I hope to post a new letter from Joe’s correspondence with his Mother here every Friday until they’re done. It will be a turbulent and heart-wrenching journey. Subscribe to the Blog to make sure you don’t miss any of it.
If you enjoyed this post, please share it using the buttons below!
Growing up with cigarettes (‘Life’s a Journey’ nostalgia Link-Up, week 61)
30/04/2013 09:16
Welcome to year two of our weekly series of ‘link-up’ Posts which reflect on life’s journey, old memories and family stories (see below for more info).
Sometimes the world just passes us by and we don’t even notice it changing. But there are certain things that illustrate that the years have flown by faster than Marty McFly in a DeLorean. Smoking is one of them.
I grew up in a family of smokers, as did most kids of the 60s and earlier. THIS is one of the abiding memories of my childhood. I used to love pushing it down and watching it rebound on its little spring as it snapped at the bits of rubbish I fed it with. 
My elders smoked in the car, in the house, in the office, in the pub. Dad even had me stuffing his pipe with gloriously sweet smelling tobacco as a wee girl. The average UK home of the 70s was furnished with slightly yellow-tinged wallpaper and a selection of ash-catching objets d’art such as this. My, how times have changed!
Airlines believed that restricting smoking to the last few rows of the plane was enough to preserve the health and comfort of all passengers, and there wasn’t a bus in the land without a chewing gum and nub end crammed ashtray in the arm of the seat.
I had no reason to think that this was any different to any other household, nor that I might be suffering as a result of it. But somehow I still knew it was unhealthy, so thankfully I never took up the habit. Don’t get me wrong, I flirted with the odd Marlboro menthol, but I never got the knack of inhaling, and couldn’t bring myself to smoke in front of my parents, so took my lack of commitment as a sign that it wasn’t meant to be, and never bothered again. This is the closest I came.
My youthful lungs appear to have survived the years of parental abuse. Sadly, some of the elders did not fair so well. Perhaps we should be grateful that our dentists aren’t still recommending these…
Did you or your family smoke when you were growing up? Tell me about your memories…… Join the Linky or leave a comment. Nostalgia come in all shapes and sizes, so make sure you capture yours.
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If you enjoyed this post, please share it using the buttons below! ———————————————————————–
A selection of other posts from this series:-
Week 2 – Old School Portrait
Week 4 – Bestest Friends
Week 5 – Teenage Crushes
Week 6 – First Movie Memories
Week 9 – Favourite Childhood Books
Week 19 – Becoming a Parent
Week 25 – Old Boyfriends
Week 39 – My home town
