I was 12 when we moved to Norfolk, the first time. I couldn't walk to school, like I did in London, as it was 6 miles away in the town of Downham Market. I had to walk about half a mile to catch the bus each morning, and then, once in Downham, about half a mile, again, from the bus station to the school at Ryston End.
As anyone who ever read a girl's school book by Enid Blyton or any of the other writers of schoolgirl stories, back then, knows - there's always a foursome of girls that are friends and doing things together. In my case, my foursome consisted of Alison, Dawn, Lynne and myself.
Alison was a year younger than us, but the smartest kid in the class, and probably the most sensible! She and her sister bussed in from Watlington, their parents both being teachers; Dawn bussed in from RAF Marham, she was tall and always had lots to tell us; Lynne had an infectious giggle, big brown eyes,dark brown hair cut in a pageboy, a budgie named Jolie, and was an avid Spurs fan! Then there was me, the ginger one.
That first year I was there, we were in form 2P. Our teacher was Mr Frost, definitely one of the favourite teachers, he had a good sense of humour and was quite young. Our classroom was the Biology Lab (he was also the Biology teacher) and that year we watched as chickens incubated and hatched (one found a home with me, mice were raised (yes one of those came home too, I named him Ching), stick insects crawled up branches under glass (they gave me the heebie jeebies) and a myriad of other insect and animal related things went on.
There were other memorable teachers too. Miss Johnson, who for some reason was also known as Blossom, or Bloss for short, but never to her face. She was the girls' PE and sports teacher, and every year would take some on a trip to Wimbledon. I hated tennis. Hated playing it and could never understand the flurry of activity, by some, to get their name on the list to go. I lost my love of sports in high school. I remember, while playing hockey, Bloss always yelling at me that my stick mustn't go above my shoulder, "Rosemary, you're not playing GOLF" she'd yell.
For Latin, we had Mr Bibby. Love him, or hate him, he was a character, that's for sure, and memorable. He expected punctuality, and correct verbiage for starters. "Can I ... ?" was always met with "well, of course you can, you're physically capable, but you should be asking 'may I... ?' ". He was tough on everybody, struck fear into some, yet he could also be a funny little man who made rhymes of Latin conjugation to help it sink in.
The best English teacher that I ever had was Mr Howells, who was Welsh, and introduced us to Dylan Thomas's "Under Milk Wood" on a record, "The Rime of the Ancient Mariner" and poetry of the First World War, particularly "Dulce et Decorum Est". When I published my book of poetry, Twilight, in 2000, I made sure he had a copy. He inspired me!
Our Music teacher, Miss Wylie, had married our Physics teacher, Mr Hook, by the time I returned to Downham Grammar in the 4th year, in 4P. The year inbetween, I'd been back living in London and attending Leyton County High again.
The music room was above the lunch room, and was shared with Mr Yule, the Art teacher. I loved drawing fashions but my still life left much to be desired! Now, I see so many runway models wearing clothes very similar to those that I drew back then. Ha! I could have been a famous designer!
The headmaster, Mr Pearson, and his family lived in a lovely old house in the school grounds at Ryston End, which sadly is now a private home. Just alongside the path leading down to the lunch room and where the house was, there was a small rectangular pond where tadpoles and newts flourished, and along the perimeter farther up Ryston end, were conker trees ... a much loved activity back in those days was collecting conkers, and then another was having conker fights.
During this year, I had an incident with the lab assistant who had been friends with us during our year when the Biology Lab was our form room. Coming back to school suddenly grown up and looking more womanly, his attentions to me changed. It was uncomfortable and culminated in him putting his hand up my skirt in the Chemistry Lab one day, whilst in the cupboard in front of my legs. I slapped him, and ran out of the class. Bloss was our form teacher that year, and I'm not sure how, but suddenly she was there in the hallway that I was running down and pulled me into the hall.
Well, I ended up in front of the headmaster, and it was not good at all. he protected his staff member. Told me that I was watching too much television - to which I responded that we did not have a tv. Then said I was listening to too much stuff on the radio, to which I replied that wasn't happening either. Finally he said I was reading too many books, and my response was that I didn't read THOSE kind of books. The end result was the same though, he wasn't going to do anything to the lab assistant, I had ""led him on" and it was "my fault".
I was too embarrassed to tell my mum. Plus I knew she'd be mad. A week or so after it happened, my friend Kay was at my house, and my mum overheard her talking about that day and how what had happened had been the talk of the school. My mum asked what had happened, Kay got tongue-tied and made excuses to go home (can't say I blamed her) and my mum demanded to know what had gone on, so the whole story came out.
The next day, she was at the school and I was sat outside while she ranted at Mr Pearson. I never did find out what had happened (she wouldn't say) but in the raised voice tirade, I had heard her say "you got run out of your last school in London, this WILL stop or you'll be getting run out of here too".
I just avoided both him and the lab assistant after that.
Sadly, the memory has haunted me over the years, even though - technically - nothing really happened other than him trying to cop a feel during the chemistry class. Not sure why. Maybe the dismissal of what transpired as being my fault? Who knows. I am glad that nowadays these things are taken more seriously.
Friday, July 21, 2017
Sunday, July 16, 2017
What A Day!
God is good, that much I know! I am thankful today that He helped me through the late afternoon ... it was a trial, for sure. Hubby and I were so frazzled from redoing on paper what software usually does, with my figures from my business expenses. All because of the H&R Block fiasco that saw their online software change our return and send it without all my 1099 and expenses info ... that the IRS sent me a letter about regarding "unreported income". Calling H&R Block had done no good, their stock answer was that I'd have to call the IRS ... and they, when I spoke with them, were most helpful and said H&R Block does this a lot ... as in, states it will be there with you in the event of a discrepancy, but then when it happens, suddenly is nowhere to be found and leaves the client floundering.
But it is done now, and for that I am thankful. The 20 point rise in my BP and the pounding headache, notwithstanding. The dreaded task is done.
And mailed!
We drove into Mauldin and mailed it through the Post Office machine, just wanted it gone! The relief is wonderful!
While we were out we restocked my AVON brochures in my rack at Ingles. Earlier, Mark had gone into Simpsonville to Mei Mei House to pick up lunch, so I had labelled a box of brochures, and had him restock my rack there while he waited on our food being prepared.
As we were leaving, our little bird who has nested in the panel on the front porch, flew into the living room and then down the hallway and Mark had to guide her back out. She had peered out as I'd be stood there, and watched me for a little while first. That was beautiful, she is such a tiny little thing. A finch of some sort. I shall have to try to take a picture.
Well, going to watch some telly with hubby and relax before bed. Enjoy the remainder of your day.
But it is done now, and for that I am thankful. The 20 point rise in my BP and the pounding headache, notwithstanding. The dreaded task is done.
And mailed!
We drove into Mauldin and mailed it through the Post Office machine, just wanted it gone! The relief is wonderful!
While we were out we restocked my AVON brochures in my rack at Ingles. Earlier, Mark had gone into Simpsonville to Mei Mei House to pick up lunch, so I had labelled a box of brochures, and had him restock my rack there while he waited on our food being prepared.
As we were leaving, our little bird who has nested in the panel on the front porch, flew into the living room and then down the hallway and Mark had to guide her back out. She had peered out as I'd be stood there, and watched me for a little while first. That was beautiful, she is such a tiny little thing. A finch of some sort. I shall have to try to take a picture.
Well, going to watch some telly with hubby and relax before bed. Enjoy the remainder of your day.
Wednesday, July 12, 2017
Thoughts on my childhood
Hubby and I have been watching "Wagon Train" on the telly, and I started thinking how this was my favourite tv show as a kid ... and, by kid, I'm talking 4 years old. How do I remember that? Well, my sister, Stephanie, was born when I was four and a half, and I remember my dad coming to my nan and granpop's to tell us ... and "Wagon Train" was on and they turned the tv off. LOL.
That made me think. With the kid's tv programmes on, how odd was it that a 4 year old's favourite tv show was a Western series?
And that then set me thinking onto other oddities about me as a child.
How I could disappear into a good book and not want to put it down until it was finished. How "Jane Eyre" was my favourite book when I was only 7. How many 7 year olds nowadays could read an unabridged version of Charlotte Bronte's classic? Or Dickens' "Great Expectations"? They were just a part of my reading material, along with Anna Sewell's "Black Beauty", R.D. Blackmore's "Lorna Doone", Marguerite Henry's "Brighty Of The Grand Canyon" and hundreds of Ladybird books about history, geography, nature, and science, that I devoured hungrily.
My best friend was Stephanie Baum, and her mum and mine were close friends. I went to her house "for tea" some days and she'd come to mine. We were in the same class at school. One time at hers, we climbed the tree in her yard, but got stuck up the top and had to be rescued by fireman. I never climbed trees again after that!
I loved spending time with my nan and granpop, I'd go on holiday with them every year and we'd "tour" Devon and Cornwall, visiting historical sites as well as beaches. Our first stopover, on coming out of London, would be in the heart of the New Forest. We'd drive off the dual carriageway and over a cattle grid, and into the forest, down a narrow lane to a clearing in the woods. There. we'd camp for the night in our vehicle - at first a 2 tone blue Austin A30/A35
and later a red and grey Thames van.
Of a morning, the wild ponies would trek up the road and come to the clearing to eat, and of an evening, they'd come back from wherever they'd spent the day, stop once more, and then head back up the road, to wherever "home" was in the middle of the forest.
Those holidays were awesome. One of my favourites was driving through the Doone Valley and falling into where "Lorna Doone" was set. Although I knew the story wasn't real, I could picture it, in my mind's eye.
Sometimes, I'd spend weekends with them, or half-term, and my nan and I would visit museums and the National Gallery in Trafalgar Square. We fed the pigeons and she told me of eating "pigeon pie" growing up and during the war. She also made an awesome rabbit stew, which was my favourite dinner there. She'd make a big pot. The leftovers would sit out on the stove all night and get boiled up (for me) the next day. Not many people owned a fridge when I was young, although that changed within a few years.
I wrote stories too. At school, at the beginning of term, they'd give us exercise books to do our work in. One was a little red note book , our "journal", and I'd fill mine with stories. My teacher, Mrs Stark, said I must have lived in a previous life, when I wrote one set in Victorian times. At that time, during the 2 years I was in her classes, I was aged 7-9.
I LOVED school. George Tomlinson in Leytonstone was THE BEST! In the Infants, the Headmistress, Mrs Edwards, was a dear and would come out during playtimes and would be swarmed by us kids, who would then hold hands in a huge trailing line, and walk around with her. When I moved on up to the Juniors, the Headmaster was Mr Bradbury. During those 4 years, I had Mrs Stark for the first 2, and Miss Lynes for the second.
Before moving up, the 2 top classes in the Infants would go on a day trip to Regent's Park Zoo ... but the day of my school trip, was the day of my adoption hearing, so I missed it and my dad ended up taking me to the zoo that weekend for my very own trip!
Even then, I had empathy with animals. We know so much more now, but back in those days, poor Guy the Gorilla was stuck in a very small (for his size) cage, and I remember his sad, mournful eyes as he sat, looking out through the bars
Another memory I have is of Victoria Park. Apparently they still have model boat regattas there, even in this "modern age" LOL. I used to love watching the boys push their boats out onto the lake. I seem to remember paddling in a pool there (did I? ) and a mynah bird whose name, I think, was Charlie, who could talk. Or maybe I'm imagining it? I'll have to do some research and find out.
Have a great day everyone. Cherish your memories
That made me think. With the kid's tv programmes on, how odd was it that a 4 year old's favourite tv show was a Western series?
And that then set me thinking onto other oddities about me as a child.
How I could disappear into a good book and not want to put it down until it was finished. How "Jane Eyre" was my favourite book when I was only 7. How many 7 year olds nowadays could read an unabridged version of Charlotte Bronte's classic? Or Dickens' "Great Expectations"? They were just a part of my reading material, along with Anna Sewell's "Black Beauty", R.D. Blackmore's "Lorna Doone", Marguerite Henry's "Brighty Of The Grand Canyon" and hundreds of Ladybird books about history, geography, nature, and science, that I devoured hungrily.
My best friend was Stephanie Baum, and her mum and mine were close friends. I went to her house "for tea" some days and she'd come to mine. We were in the same class at school. One time at hers, we climbed the tree in her yard, but got stuck up the top and had to be rescued by fireman. I never climbed trees again after that!
I loved spending time with my nan and granpop, I'd go on holiday with them every year and we'd "tour" Devon and Cornwall, visiting historical sites as well as beaches. Our first stopover, on coming out of London, would be in the heart of the New Forest. We'd drive off the dual carriageway and over a cattle grid, and into the forest, down a narrow lane to a clearing in the woods. There. we'd camp for the night in our vehicle - at first a 2 tone blue Austin A30/A35
and later a red and grey Thames van.
Of a morning, the wild ponies would trek up the road and come to the clearing to eat, and of an evening, they'd come back from wherever they'd spent the day, stop once more, and then head back up the road, to wherever "home" was in the middle of the forest.
Those holidays were awesome. One of my favourites was driving through the Doone Valley and falling into where "Lorna Doone" was set. Although I knew the story wasn't real, I could picture it, in my mind's eye.
Sometimes, I'd spend weekends with them, or half-term, and my nan and I would visit museums and the National Gallery in Trafalgar Square. We fed the pigeons and she told me of eating "pigeon pie" growing up and during the war. She also made an awesome rabbit stew, which was my favourite dinner there. She'd make a big pot. The leftovers would sit out on the stove all night and get boiled up (for me) the next day. Not many people owned a fridge when I was young, although that changed within a few years.
I wrote stories too. At school, at the beginning of term, they'd give us exercise books to do our work in. One was a little red note book , our "journal", and I'd fill mine with stories. My teacher, Mrs Stark, said I must have lived in a previous life, when I wrote one set in Victorian times. At that time, during the 2 years I was in her classes, I was aged 7-9.
I LOVED school. George Tomlinson in Leytonstone was THE BEST! In the Infants, the Headmistress, Mrs Edwards, was a dear and would come out during playtimes and would be swarmed by us kids, who would then hold hands in a huge trailing line, and walk around with her. When I moved on up to the Juniors, the Headmaster was Mr Bradbury. During those 4 years, I had Mrs Stark for the first 2, and Miss Lynes for the second.
Before moving up, the 2 top classes in the Infants would go on a day trip to Regent's Park Zoo ... but the day of my school trip, was the day of my adoption hearing, so I missed it and my dad ended up taking me to the zoo that weekend for my very own trip!
Even then, I had empathy with animals. We know so much more now, but back in those days, poor Guy the Gorilla was stuck in a very small (for his size) cage, and I remember his sad, mournful eyes as he sat, looking out through the bars
Another memory I have is of Victoria Park. Apparently they still have model boat regattas there, even in this "modern age" LOL. I used to love watching the boys push their boats out onto the lake. I seem to remember paddling in a pool there (did I? ) and a mynah bird whose name, I think, was Charlie, who could talk. Or maybe I'm imagining it? I'll have to do some research and find out.
Have a great day everyone. Cherish your memories
Wednesday, July 5, 2017
My Life
It's another beautiful day outside. I went to let the dogs out, and the little bird, who has made a nest inside the wall panel on our front porch, flew out as I opened the porch door. Guess she's one of "ours" now too. Such tiny eggs in there. Glad she felt safe enough to build it there and so low. It's well protected and her babies will be safe. We won't mess with them.
Been paying bills this morning as my #AVONbonus hit my bank. Cleared one of my medical bills totally, which feels awesome, paid some off another one, paid the phone bill, and cleared my AVON account for Campaign 14. Very thankful for my bonuses, they help pay so many bills. Such a blessing to me!
Missing my hubby today. He had taken time off over the Independence Day Holiday so I'd had him home for 5 days, and he went back to work this morning. As silly as it sounds, I like having him around. Yes, even with us being married 32 years next month. He's my best friend. He's silly, and makes me laugh. Love him dearly, even though - yes! - there are times I could quite cheerfully strangle him as well, ha ha. Doubtless he feels the same way about me too, at times.
Funny thing happened just now ... the tv turned itself on, and every time I switched it off, it powered back up again. Wee bit spooky. Glad I wasn't on Candid Camera since I'm not dressed!
Not sure what's going on with my BP again, it started going screwy last night and is still all over the place this morning. Just wish we could get it stabilized again.
Have an awesome Wednesday everyone, thanks for stopping by
Been paying bills this morning as my #AVONbonus hit my bank. Cleared one of my medical bills totally, which feels awesome, paid some off another one, paid the phone bill, and cleared my AVON account for Campaign 14. Very thankful for my bonuses, they help pay so many bills. Such a blessing to me!
Missing my hubby today. He had taken time off over the Independence Day Holiday so I'd had him home for 5 days, and he went back to work this morning. As silly as it sounds, I like having him around. Yes, even with us being married 32 years next month. He's my best friend. He's silly, and makes me laugh. Love him dearly, even though - yes! - there are times I could quite cheerfully strangle him as well, ha ha. Doubtless he feels the same way about me too, at times.
Funny thing happened just now ... the tv turned itself on, and every time I switched it off, it powered back up again. Wee bit spooky. Glad I wasn't on Candid Camera since I'm not dressed!
Not sure what's going on with my BP again, it started going screwy last night and is still all over the place this morning. Just wish we could get it stabilized again.
Tuesday, July 4, 2017
Happy July 4th
It's Independence Day here in America today, and for me it's the anniversary of the first day I went to base in England, a day that started the path to where I am now.
My friend, Kay, and her mum, Queenie, all talked about going to the base, but I had never been. It was a free place to party, they said, and lots of fun. For me, a single mum at the time, free was good. I rarely spent money on me back then, it went on my kids. Christmas started as soon as one was over, as I began picking up bits and pieces for the next, and began knitting/sewing the goodies for them, my girl's dolls or pillows for their beds. Money was tight. I bought a 56lb sack of potatoes every 10 days or so, and that meant they always came in to a cooked meal after school, fish fingers and chips, bangers and mash, something filling ... and cheap!
So a day out, and a freebie concert, sounded great!My best buddy, Olga, and I decided we'd go.
It was an awesome day, and we met loads of new people. I realised how easy it would be to get a job working out there, and within a couple of weeks was hired as a maid at RAF Mildenhall. 5 years later, in June 1985, it was at Mildenhall that I met my hubby.
If I had never gone to that July 4th celebration, I would never have made the change that led to me meeting him and then marrying him and coming to the US.
Next month is our 32nd wedding anniversary.
My friend, Kay, and her mum, Queenie, all talked about going to the base, but I had never been. It was a free place to party, they said, and lots of fun. For me, a single mum at the time, free was good. I rarely spent money on me back then, it went on my kids. Christmas started as soon as one was over, as I began picking up bits and pieces for the next, and began knitting/sewing the goodies for them, my girl's dolls or pillows for their beds. Money was tight. I bought a 56lb sack of potatoes every 10 days or so, and that meant they always came in to a cooked meal after school, fish fingers and chips, bangers and mash, something filling ... and cheap!
So a day out, and a freebie concert, sounded great!My best buddy, Olga, and I decided we'd go.
It was an awesome day, and we met loads of new people. I realised how easy it would be to get a job working out there, and within a couple of weeks was hired as a maid at RAF Mildenhall. 5 years later, in June 1985, it was at Mildenhall that I met my hubby.
If I had never gone to that July 4th celebration, I would never have made the change that led to me meeting him and then marrying him and coming to the US.
Next month is our 32nd wedding anniversary.
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