The days pass quickly enough - too quickly in some ways. I'm still going through old photos, such as these from when I was - how old? - eight, maybe? with my brother. I'm wearing my party dress, made by my mother. These were Polyphotos - the photographer took lots of photos quickly, printed them out small and then the customer had lots to choose from as bigger prints. It was a very modern idea and worked well, but maybe it wasn't profitable because I don't think it lasted many years.
Here are both my grandmothers, the one grandfather whose life overlapped with mine, my parents and my infant older brother. I think it's the only one we have of both grandmothers together. This photo was colourised by Son-in-Law 2, and while I don't think my grandmother would have worn a pink jacket, it does bring the people to life. This grandmother moved down to the south of England with my aunt when I was five and we saw very little of her from then on - travel wasn't nearly so easy in those days and she developed dementia after a few years. So though I remember her, it was the other grandparents, who lived just up the road, who were important to me - particularly my lovely smiling granny on the left. I wonder if the southern granny missed my brother and me, as I miss my grandchildren? We were her only grandchildren and it now seems odd to me that she moved so far away. But she'd been widowed a few months before I was born, the older daughter had moved abroad and the younger was now going down south. She made the choice to go with the younger daughter. My father (her son), mother, brother and I were still in Edinburgh, though. I wonder if she found it an agonising decision? I never thought about this until recent years - she was just fairly absent from our lives and I took this for granted.
Look, snowdrops. Spring is coming, if not precisely round the corner.
It's been very wet recently, though mainly at night. The river is very full and muddy - and I suppose there's also snow melt from the hills.
There are supposedly otters and a kingfisher around here so we walked down to see them - but didn't, sadly.
Here we are again, in the back garden of the house where we lived till I was nearly 13. We've each got a ball, giving the totally erroneous impression that we're interested in sport. I imagine my brother was actually working out the physics of inflatable balls. I walked past that house with the children today during our after-school outing for fresh air and exercise. It's a bit scruffy, though the other houses in the street are very neat. I imagine that this wall is still there. And at least these sunlit children are still around - one in Edinburgh but the other far away in Surrey.
I must return to the photos, which I'm sorting into lots of different envelopes on the kitchen table. It's taking ages. I will get these and the other archives all organised by... let's say the end of February. (The schools are to remain shut, it's just been announced today, till at least the middle of February - and I'd bet it'll be longer - so I'm not at home as much as usual at the moment.) It's an interesting task, though inevitably a bit sad. I'm firmly resisting the lure of my fabric cupboard; well done me.
This is Donald Trump's last day as President. That's something.
I love the photos! We both want to be involved grannies, so it makes it hard to understand those who don't seem to. There is probably more to the story of England Granny. I should work more on genealogy or go through my photos or my late husband's. (in the garage) But somehow the recliner and the cat are much more tempting. In spite of all the issues facing us, I'm delighted to see the back of DJT. Hoping for relief from some of the craziness.
ReplyDeleteWonderful photos! it is amazing what you take for granted when you're a child. My father's father ran off with the office lady just after my parents were married and my father didn't speak to him for thirty years. It's only recently I've thought about what that would have been like for my parents, and for my grandfather (and grandmother come to that)...
ReplyDeleteGood luck with the archives. But you should put it all down and make a quilt, go on, you know you want to.
Get thee behind me, Lynley!
DeleteSigns of Spring, a new President, and your lovely words are more than enough to get me through another day x I am quite sure that your presence will be treasured by all your family, regardless of physical distance.
ReplyDeleteI only had one grandmother alive when I was a child - and no grandfathers. We moved to Essex when I was 9 and she stayed in Bristol, I don't think she was terribly bothered - she much preferred my uncle and his family and was not very grandmotherly to any of us really! She wasn't unkind though my father suffered as a child. She mellowed as she got very elderly. Her spinster halfsister was much more of a grandmother to us and we all adored her. I've got loads of photos waiting for attention. Wish I knew who some of the people were!
ReplyDelete