Tuesday 4 - We've got questions

We've Got Questions

 Welcome once again to Toni Taddeo's Tuesday 4.   It's nice to have you take part.

Here are some questions for you.....

1. Where did your mother and father grow up?

Dad grew up in Nelson at the top of New Zealand's South Island where he developed a love of boats and the sea. He made his living as a commercial fisherman.

Mum grew up In Greymouth on the South Island's West Coast. They met at a dance mum attended with her sister and brother-in-law.

2. Where did you grow up?

I grew up on the West Coast in Greymouth. Loved every moment of my childhood but it was quite isolated and a lot of people, me included, moved away for work.

3. What was your favorite meal your mother made? What is your favorite recipe to make?

We lived in my grandparent's home and the meal I always enjoyed most was the Irish stew my grandmother made followed closely by a full roast, mutton, potatoes, parsnip, pumpkin and peas. I've never been able to replicate my grandmother's Irish stew and wonder if that has to do with the long stewing process on top of a coal range. I like easy cooking and love vege soup which mum was great at making.

4. What are the advantages you enjoy where you live?

Small town life. Not far to any amenities, 15 minutes into the city and 20 minutes to beach, lake, river or countryside. And the mountains are only a few hours drive away. Not everyone's cup of tea but we enjoy it.

That's it from me just now.

If you'd like to join in or read other's experiences  here's the link:

https://tuesdaysplace.blogspot.com/

blessings,

Diana

Oranges and lemons

 Oranges and Lemons

Oranges and lemons,

Say the bells of St. Clement's.

You owe me five farthings,

Say the bells of St. Martin's.

When will you pay me?

Say the bells of Old Bailey.

When I grow rich,

Say the bells of Shoreditch.

When will that be?

Say the bells of Stepney.

I do not know,

Says the great bell of Bow.

Here comes a candle to light you to bed,

And here comes a chopper to chop off your head!

I've just been reading a book with 'oranges and lemons' in the title and it got me to thinking about some of the games I played as a kid. 'Oranges and lemons' was one of them. 

We played on the street, ours was a short street and everyone knew each other. We were in and out of each other's homes and only went back to our own for meals and bed. 

The street I grew up in taken from the hill end. This must have been taken at least 40 years ago as our house is still standing in this photo but it has actually been knocked down along with a few others and pensioner flats have been built there. My aunt at the top right of the page and some of the boys I grew up with at the bottom right and on the bottom left.

Other games we played were cowboys and Indians and the boys were actually allowed to play with toy guns and bows and arrows. None of them grew up to be murderers. Skipping with a rope someone's father had brought home from the wharf, one girl at either end and 2 or 3 jumping in the middle. Hide and seek in the dark and ring a ring o' rosies.  The boys played cricket with old apple boxes for wickets. Our neighbour had a bay window at the front and the ball frequently went through it. Strangely by the time she made it to the street to see who the culprits were there was not a kid or an apple box in sight. These are just some I can think of off the top my head. Did anyone else play these games. I'm thinking some in my age group would have.

At the top end of the street was a farm on a hill. As long as there were no sheep in the paddock we were able to climb over the stile and play there. There was a large piece of exposed rock at one side and generations of kids used it as slide, I'm sure our knickers and shorts all wore out more quickly than they should have. Poor mothers. Mind you some of the parents had grown up in the same street so had inflicted the same thing on their mothers :) 

It was a great place to grow up, even if everyone knew everything about everyone else :) It was a real community.

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Thank you for your kind comments on my last post. I really wasn't fishing for compliments but appreciate what you all said. My mother was a writer in that she wrote stories for her grandchildren as well as short stories and was great at writing poems but never had anything published. I suppose I take more after her although I don't write poetry :)

Until next time. 

Look after yourselves and keep well.

Diana

Mum

I would like to pay a tribute to my little mother before I go on with my blogging journey.

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Mum was named Dawn because she was born as the sun rose one summers morning. She was a frail baby and was sustained by my Grandmother  massaging her with olive oil several times a day until she was strong enough to tolerate some condensed milk. And this she lived on for quite some time. In spite of all this she was a happy child and her father always called her smiler. She was always a battler, she had to be. She married young but by the age of 22 was separated with four children under the age of 5 - one set of twins there :) Later she remarried and 2 more boys were born and we were a happy family.

Mum supported all her kids in their sports, clubs, dreams and hopes and enabled us all to pursue the careers of our choice, even though at times it meant some hardship for her. She  had no favourites but woe betide any daughter who dared to criticize one of her sons! Mum dearly loved all her grandkids and her great grandkids and was proud of them all - she always said the only thing wrong with the kids was the adults with short memories.

Mum enjoyed knitting, sewing, baking, jam and pickle making and was good at it all, kept us all well clothed and fed :) A real homemaker. She put down her knitting needles for the last time in her late 70's after knitting an intricate shawl for one of the new babies.

Later in life she began going to church and developed a simple but deep faith which carried her through until the end. She was involved in children's ministry as well as other facets of church life and made some close friends there.

We will miss you Mum, your smile, your advice, your passion for the things you believed in, your chats, your stories. But most of all we will miss you.  

'Til we meet again.

Mum in her mid 20's, a day out at the races with Grandad.

She made the coat and the hat herself :)

A year or so before she became ill, dressed to attend the Cathedral service with the Duke and Duchess of  Cambridge attending.

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I would also like to thank you all for your kind remarks on the previous post, I have appreciated them all.

Marcia, yes unfortunately Mum picked up the blood infection while she was in hospital for a short visit.