I'ts funny, don't you think, how we go through life, doing this and that, and it's all put into folders in our minds. We only think of things relevant to what we are doing in the here and now. Since beginning my blog, i'm finding out there are so many good memories inside these folders. It's quite fun. Picturing the old farm house I grew up in is amazing. When we are small, everything seems bigger or brighter, and somehow magical. When we become adults and think back things seem to be less magical and more realistic. Sad in a way. Even so, I know my childhood held a special magic for me, and thinking about it, the magic has returned.
I've had many pets in my life and each one was special. I've had cats, dogs, bunnies and a horse. I've helped care for wild birds guinnea pigs and the odd possum or two.
But thinking about my pets has sent me on a sentimental journey.
I loved living on the farm. I could walk for ages and still be home. So much to do and see. Out the back and to the side of our house was the biggest paddock. Dad had planted a crop of barley. It had grown very tall and it was great fun to run through it. I would find a spot and sit there for ages. No-one could find me so I would take my teddy and play. I loved my teddy. His name is Edward Bear. My dad came home from work one day with him under his arm and told me he was mine. I was four years old. Every one of my sisters had a teddy and now I did too. I still have him. His growl doesn't work any more, he's only got one button eye and his hands are all bandaged up, but he is still my precious Edward Bear. Anyway, One day I was sitting in the barley crop, and I felt one of my teeth was loose. I twisted it and turned it this way and that until it finally came out. I ran up to tell mum. She told me to put it under my pillow that night and the tooth fairy would come while I was asleep, take it away and leave me some money as a thank you. I did, and she did visit and leave me money. I think it was sixpence. That was a lot of money in those days. When I got tired of sitting in the barley, I would walk up behind the house where we had a huge orange ball tree. It was huge. The canopy was amazing. If we were all outside and it began raining, we would run under this tree, and we could shelter without getting in each others way or getting wet. The orange balls were the flowers and the tree was a sight when in flower. We would pick bucket loads, and have orange ball fights. That was fun. They didn't hurt, unlike some snowball fights i've been involved in. I went up Mt. Wellington with a group of friends and we decided to have a snowball fight. It got a bit out of hand. Girls against the guys. The girls just grabbed a handful of snow and rolled it quickly and threw it, but the guys packed the snow hard in their hands and thought they were playing for the ashes. When the snowball hit us we sure felt it. It was just like being hit with a cricket ball. Why do some men make things into some mad contest?. That should have been fun, but there were some peed off girls after that. Anyway,
Just beyond the orange ball tree, dad had left an old tractor just sitting there. ( he had a few actually) But this one way way fun. He had taken out the engine so we could climb all over it and pretend we were driving it, We often had arguements as to who's turn it was. Apparently my dad had an odd penchant for driving tractors into the creek. That would have been ok I guess if the creek was a trickle, but sometimes it was a torrent. I'm not sure if he was trying to see if it would float (which of course it didn't) or if he was trying to find a short cut home. But it gave us one more thing to play about on. I must have picked up some skills because later on, I had a job of driving a tractor. I had to load it up with hay and drive it around a paddock, stop, unload some, drive around some more, stop unload some etc, then call in the cows and let them have a feed. I think I should have made my mark on the world as a farmer, but sometimes things just don't turn out the way we would like.
Wednesday, 24 April 2013
Thursday, 18 April 2013
Wonderful Memories
My family consisted of mum and dad, and seven kids. The eldest two were boys and the other 5 girls. I was, and still am the youngest. My parents came out from England with the three eldest. Of course I don't know a real lot of what went on in those early days before I was born, or for that matter for a few years after I was born. Its only hear say and who's to know if its all true? One can only rely on ones own memories. They are probably somewhat embellished as well. Though mine will not be..........I loved my brothers and sisters most of the time. I didn't have a lot to do with my eldest brother or my eldest sister, but for some reason, the younger of the two brothers seemed to get my attention. He was busy with school, the farm work and his hobbies I guess but I followed him around and just wanted to do the things he did. One night, (I guess I was about 5yrs old), he had to get the cows in. He didn't want to so I thought I would do it for him. It was pitch black outside, but for some strange reason i was not afraid. I heard my dad roar at him to hop to it and get the blimmen cows in. He came out the back door and saw me and asked what I was doing. I told him I would help him, but he told me to go inside. I pretended to , then when he was out of sight, I decided to follow him. I had to climb through a barbwire fence to get out into the great unknown. I don't know what I did wrong. I'd been climbing through this fence for at least 2 years. Anyway somehow i got myself caught on the barbs and instead of backing up I tried to keep going. This resulted in some painful tearing. It was not my clothes, but my thigh. Now I don't care what you say, if you were five and just ripped your leg open on a barbwire fence, in the pitch blackness of night, you would do what I did next too. I began to ......cry. This time though, it wasn't a soft or sad cry, it was a loud terrified cry. I was calling for my brother cos I thought he would be closeby. I called for my mother. No way would she hear me. She was safe and sensible inside, probably wondering where I was. I know I was beginning to be very afraid, and I was moving trying to unhook myself, so that was making my situation worse. My leg was soooooo painful. I was just about to kick the bucket when my brother arrived. "What are you doing? I told you to go inside!" He called out to dad, and somehow he heard and arrived on the scene. Between the two of them they managed to unhook me and dad carried me inside. Now you have to understand we may as well as lived in Outer Mongolia. Our nearest neighbours were a fair way away, and the only transport we had at that time was a tractor. When mum saw what had happened, she said I had to go and get it stitched up. How were we ever going to get to a doctor? Dad had the answer. You could always count on dad for the answer. It didn't always make sense. Sometimes it was most certainly wasn't the right answer, but on this occasion apparently, he hit the nail on the head. (or to be precise, the cotton in the needle) I don't know if i was bleeding badly or not, but it was obvious that I needed attention, (and boy wasn't I getting it) so dad had a brainwave. He would sew me up himself. HaHaHa. I get slightly hysterical just thinking about it. I remember laying across his knee, while the rest of the family (those who weren't squeemish) stood around trying to make me laugh. He put something cold on my leg and it began. I honestly don't remember the actual sewing taking place, but I do remember when he had finished. He said something like "not a bad job, if I do say so myself" and that was that. I still have a long scar on my leg and I"m quite proud to think my dad did that to me cos he loved me. (And there was no other way to have it seen to) Aaaaah life in the country. Gotta love it!
Hello beautiful people. I'm returning to my blog once again.This will be the third time i'm attempting this chapter. Twice I had written quite a bit, when WHOOSH..... It all disappeared. I can't find it. Because of my wonderful accomplishments with this object of wonder (the @#**&^ computer) I have no idea of where on this contraption to hunt for it. I'm guessing it's lurking somewhere in the deep dark recesses of it's workings.
Must I call on my daughter yet again to help me unearth my writing? Sadly I do believe the answer is a resounding YES!!!!!!!!!HELP!!!!!!!! Because she is so busy studying and writing assignments for her teachers degree I must wait. How RUDE!!!! ( Don/t you just love exclaimation marks? They say so much more than mere words can ever say) Anyway, before I begin my next attempt just a little something that happened to me the other day,
Just got off the bus from work and was walking to my car, when a car pulled up beside me to give way to other cars. The passenger window was open, and this guy says to me, "Gooday darlin". He is a real jerk, so I rolled my eyes at him, which made him a little less loving toward me. He then had nerve to say "you old bag"! Ok, so thats his opinion of me. He's well known around here as being drunk, high or both. Was I supposed to be broken hearted, that someone, such a stand up pillar of the community loved me one second then swiftly changed his mind? Sorry mate, don't care! What a wanka.....Aaaaaah they're Everywhere.
Just saying.......
Must I call on my daughter yet again to help me unearth my writing? Sadly I do believe the answer is a resounding YES!!!!!!!!!HELP!!!!!!!! Because she is so busy studying and writing assignments for her teachers degree I must wait. How RUDE!!!! ( Don/t you just love exclaimation marks? They say so much more than mere words can ever say) Anyway, before I begin my next attempt just a little something that happened to me the other day,
Just got off the bus from work and was walking to my car, when a car pulled up beside me to give way to other cars. The passenger window was open, and this guy says to me, "Gooday darlin". He is a real jerk, so I rolled my eyes at him, which made him a little less loving toward me. He then had nerve to say "you old bag"! Ok, so thats his opinion of me. He's well known around here as being drunk, high or both. Was I supposed to be broken hearted, that someone, such a stand up pillar of the community loved me one second then swiftly changed his mind? Sorry mate, don't care! What a wanka.....Aaaaaah they're Everywhere.
Just saying.......
Saturday, 13 April 2013
Friends At School
I was only at this country school for grades 1 and 2, but that was long enough for me to know I didn't want and wasn't ready to go elsewhere. Little did I know the upheaval that was coming.
Even though school, for me was no picnic, I had made 3 friends. My first friend was named Pam. She was shorter than me and had no one else to play with in the playground, and I guess we just floated until we connected. Actually I believe the reason she was alone was somewhat different. My mother usually made me lunch for school, the usual sanga, bickie, and sometimes a boiled egg. I loved those eggs. She would wrap it up in foil and I would gleefully unwrap it and take off the shell and then munch on it. One day Pam was watching me and then she asked me if she could have my egg. Cheek of some peoples kids. I said no. Then she said something about her father. (I found out later when I told my family what happened, and they said he was some big shot somewhere.) I still said no. Then she changed my mind. Out of her lunch box she took a small square package, I mean small. It was a packet of chewing gum. In those days you could get a pack of 4 pieces I think and they were different colours, and tasted yummy. When I saw that my mind was in turmoil. Pam was undoing it and making a big deal and at the same time looking at my egg. The she said "If you like we could swap. I have your egg and you have my chewy" I thought it sounded ok, We had a heap of chickens at home and were rarely out of eggs, the chewy on the other , I didn't ever get. I agreed. We swapped. I put a piece of chewy into my mouth and chewed. Yummy. She took a bite of my egg, and said yummy. We continued in friendly munching. She finished the egg and I finished the chewy. I thought all was well. I left the lunch room to go pee. When I came back, the teacher was there and Pam was in tears, falling apart. I ran up to console my friend and make whatever happened less traumatic. The teacher turned to ,me and said "Pamela tells me you stole her lunch." What the heck? "I didn't" I began to cry and I tried to make the teacher understand what happened, but she didn't care about what I was trying to say. I got into trouble and my FRIEND got off looking like a poor little princess. Some times friends can be so mean and nasty, or just plain a holes. Needless to say our friendship was OVA!
Then there was Beth. She was lonely and so was I. I know most of my sisters had friends, so they didn't want me hanging around. So when Beth and I found each other it was grand. She was a happy girl and we had loads of fun at school. She used to catch a different bus to me and we would hug each other before climbing on board our respective buses, and couldn't wait to find each other the next day. Sometimes she didn't come to school and I would be sad and lonely. I didn't understand why she missed school, cos we had to go, unless we were really sick.
One afternoon, we were waiting for our buses, we were getting ready to hug and she had a brilliant idea! It was Friday, and that meant we wouldn't see each other for two whole days! Oh Alas and alack! Devo! Suddenly she smiled and said "I have an idea. Why don't you come and stay with me till Monday?" Well I thought that was a wonderful idea. "Yes" I said. Boy this was going to be so much fun. When her bus turned up I walked with her, my sisters being other wise busy, and hopped on board. Off on an adventure I went.
Sadly it was a bit scarey. We arrived at her house and snuck inside. She told me to stay in her room. That was ok with me. It was a bit messy but I was having fun. When she came back she told me her mum was sick and I had to stay in her room. We played and danced and laughed. After a while she went out, but in a few seconds came back and said I could come out to the kitchen. Out we went and she began getting vegetables and stuff ready to cook for tea. I didn't understand this cos we only did cakes in my home. I don't mean we only ate cakes, but us kids got to cook cakes, not tea. I heard a loud voice yelling to her and I felt a bit scared. It was her mum and she told Beth to shut up cos she had a headache. We were very quiet after that. After tea was cooked I had to go hide in the bedroom again cos her dad was due home.
When he came home, her mother came out of the bedroom and lots of shouting happened. This was all new to me. Beth was crying and it was horrible. Later I learned her mother had a drinking problem and her father was just a problem. Sadly I began to wish I had gone home to my happy loud lovely family. When Monday came, I got to school and my sisters had some things to say to me. I still don't know if it's true, but they said mum and dad were beside themselves with worry and they had police out looking for me and everything, which I suppose is probably true. I don't remember going home that day and what happened to me, which is probably just as well. Beth and I were still the best of friends though. Thinking about that happening in these days, is terrifying. My God what were we thinking. I was a runaway at the age of seven!
Then there was Dianne. My big sister was friends with her big sister, so I hoped this was going to be good. She was quiet, and stuff, but we got along well and played and had fun. One day she told me they had a cat at their place that had kittens. She asked me if I wanted one and of course I said yes. We arranged that she would bring it to school in a few days time. She did. It was a gorgeous ginger baby, in a cardboard box. I didn't think about asking my mum if it was ok to bring this puddy cat home. I wanted him and he was gorgeous, so what else do you expect. He was tiny, wouldn't take up any space etc. I got on the bus with him, to my sisters oooohs and aaaahs. We got to our bus stop and my biggest sister, ran ahead. Talk about breaking the news gently. She didn't know the meaning of the word! As we were rounding the corner on the downward hill,. she came panting and puffing. "Mum said you can't keep him" she triumphantly screamed at me! She tried to snatch the box (don't know what her plans were for my kitten)but I held on tight. I began running home, (yep you guessed it, I was crying, but come on, this was cryworthy!) When I reached home, mum came out and gathered me in her arms, and said " take no notice of what your sister said, you want the kitty, then you shall have the kitty" Oh hang on, no it wasn't quite like that. I was told he had to go back where he came from. Well that was NOT going to happen. He was lovely and wanted to climb out so badly, that I let him. Thats when mum saw him and I believe she fell in love with him then and there. I KEPT HIM! (na na na na na. Tounge protrudes from mouth)
Even though school, for me was no picnic, I had made 3 friends. My first friend was named Pam. She was shorter than me and had no one else to play with in the playground, and I guess we just floated until we connected. Actually I believe the reason she was alone was somewhat different. My mother usually made me lunch for school, the usual sanga, bickie, and sometimes a boiled egg. I loved those eggs. She would wrap it up in foil and I would gleefully unwrap it and take off the shell and then munch on it. One day Pam was watching me and then she asked me if she could have my egg. Cheek of some peoples kids. I said no. Then she said something about her father. (I found out later when I told my family what happened, and they said he was some big shot somewhere.) I still said no. Then she changed my mind. Out of her lunch box she took a small square package, I mean small. It was a packet of chewing gum. In those days you could get a pack of 4 pieces I think and they were different colours, and tasted yummy. When I saw that my mind was in turmoil. Pam was undoing it and making a big deal and at the same time looking at my egg. The she said "If you like we could swap. I have your egg and you have my chewy" I thought it sounded ok, We had a heap of chickens at home and were rarely out of eggs, the chewy on the other , I didn't ever get. I agreed. We swapped. I put a piece of chewy into my mouth and chewed. Yummy. She took a bite of my egg, and said yummy. We continued in friendly munching. She finished the egg and I finished the chewy. I thought all was well. I left the lunch room to go pee. When I came back, the teacher was there and Pam was in tears, falling apart. I ran up to console my friend and make whatever happened less traumatic. The teacher turned to ,me and said "Pamela tells me you stole her lunch." What the heck? "I didn't" I began to cry and I tried to make the teacher understand what happened, but she didn't care about what I was trying to say. I got into trouble and my FRIEND got off looking like a poor little princess. Some times friends can be so mean and nasty, or just plain a holes. Needless to say our friendship was OVA!
Then there was Beth. She was lonely and so was I. I know most of my sisters had friends, so they didn't want me hanging around. So when Beth and I found each other it was grand. She was a happy girl and we had loads of fun at school. She used to catch a different bus to me and we would hug each other before climbing on board our respective buses, and couldn't wait to find each other the next day. Sometimes she didn't come to school and I would be sad and lonely. I didn't understand why she missed school, cos we had to go, unless we were really sick.
One afternoon, we were waiting for our buses, we were getting ready to hug and she had a brilliant idea! It was Friday, and that meant we wouldn't see each other for two whole days! Oh Alas and alack! Devo! Suddenly she smiled and said "I have an idea. Why don't you come and stay with me till Monday?" Well I thought that was a wonderful idea. "Yes" I said. Boy this was going to be so much fun. When her bus turned up I walked with her, my sisters being other wise busy, and hopped on board. Off on an adventure I went.
Sadly it was a bit scarey. We arrived at her house and snuck inside. She told me to stay in her room. That was ok with me. It was a bit messy but I was having fun. When she came back she told me her mum was sick and I had to stay in her room. We played and danced and laughed. After a while she went out, but in a few seconds came back and said I could come out to the kitchen. Out we went and she began getting vegetables and stuff ready to cook for tea. I didn't understand this cos we only did cakes in my home. I don't mean we only ate cakes, but us kids got to cook cakes, not tea. I heard a loud voice yelling to her and I felt a bit scared. It was her mum and she told Beth to shut up cos she had a headache. We were very quiet after that. After tea was cooked I had to go hide in the bedroom again cos her dad was due home.
When he came home, her mother came out of the bedroom and lots of shouting happened. This was all new to me. Beth was crying and it was horrible. Later I learned her mother had a drinking problem and her father was just a problem. Sadly I began to wish I had gone home to my happy loud lovely family. When Monday came, I got to school and my sisters had some things to say to me. I still don't know if it's true, but they said mum and dad were beside themselves with worry and they had police out looking for me and everything, which I suppose is probably true. I don't remember going home that day and what happened to me, which is probably just as well. Beth and I were still the best of friends though. Thinking about that happening in these days, is terrifying. My God what were we thinking. I was a runaway at the age of seven!
Then there was Dianne. My big sister was friends with her big sister, so I hoped this was going to be good. She was quiet, and stuff, but we got along well and played and had fun. One day she told me they had a cat at their place that had kittens. She asked me if I wanted one and of course I said yes. We arranged that she would bring it to school in a few days time. She did. It was a gorgeous ginger baby, in a cardboard box. I didn't think about asking my mum if it was ok to bring this puddy cat home. I wanted him and he was gorgeous, so what else do you expect. He was tiny, wouldn't take up any space etc. I got on the bus with him, to my sisters oooohs and aaaahs. We got to our bus stop and my biggest sister, ran ahead. Talk about breaking the news gently. She didn't know the meaning of the word! As we were rounding the corner on the downward hill,. she came panting and puffing. "Mum said you can't keep him" she triumphantly screamed at me! She tried to snatch the box (don't know what her plans were for my kitten)but I held on tight. I began running home, (yep you guessed it, I was crying, but come on, this was cryworthy!) When I reached home, mum came out and gathered me in her arms, and said " take no notice of what your sister said, you want the kitty, then you shall have the kitty" Oh hang on, no it wasn't quite like that. I was told he had to go back where he came from. Well that was NOT going to happen. He was lovely and wanted to climb out so badly, that I let him. Thats when mum saw him and I believe she fell in love with him then and there. I KEPT HIM! (na na na na na. Tounge protrudes from mouth)
Sunday, 7 April 2013
SCHOOL/HELL.... TO ME THEY WERE ONE AND THE SAME.
Mostly. I will admit I do have some good memories. I did finally make some friends, and I fell in love for the first time. The story of my life.
All of my sisters could read, and none of them would spend the time to teach me. Once a week the Green Grocer would come to the house and we would all go out and see the goodies in his van. Mum would chat to him for while and we would pick out what we wanted. I usually chose bananas. They were beautiful in those days. They were not stored somewhere for months they are these days. The Green Grocer also brought us our comic books, and mums Womans Weekly, and dads Daily Mirror. This was a huge stack of English papers stapled together. I loved going through it and reading so many exciting stories. That was after I learnt to read. My comic was Teddy Bear. It had stories about one main teddy, his name was.......wait for it............Teddy Bear. I loved this comic. Funny thing is it taught me to read. I would sit on my bed and study the pictures and think of the story and somehow I'd put words to the pics and eventually, the story and words were the same. I started reading aloud, to mum and I think she was surprised.
At school, I was learning to cope (NO I WASN'T) without my sister being in my class. The best bit was when we sat on the mat, and the teacher would pick someone to read to the rest of the class. I was a showoff! I knew I was a great reader, and I always read more than I was supposed to. There was one boy, and I know this is really wrong, but he always has pig styes in his eyes. Big red lumps . They were disgusting, and I couldn't stop gawking.
OMG! Just remembered. We had show and tell just like they do these days. All the kids were saying stuff, but I didn't have any thing. I suddenly had a brain wave.(or more to the point, a brain drain) I put up my hand and teacher calls my name. "What do you have to share with us today?" Here goes I think to myself. "My mummy is having twin babies!" To this day I have no idea , I mean none! why I came up with that crock of total crap. Boy was she surprised, Not as surprised as my mum though. I guess somehow the teacher found out it was a fantasy pregnancy, cos the next day at lunch, when everyone went outside, she told me to stay where I was. She left the room for a few moments, and when she came back, she had a man with her and he was carrying some sort of folded wood. He unfolded it and placed it on the floor, and made it into a sort of a wall. My teacher told me to step inside. I did this, I wondering what was happening.I was told to sit on my bottom. Once I did this the man closed the structure. It was like I was shut up inside a tiny itty bitty room. I started to cry (AGAIN), and my teacher said "This is punishment for lying about your mother"
Wouldn't happen now. Total abuse. I was a little kid! I didn't hurt anyone. Jeeze! What a bitch! The other kids were outside the windows, pressing their ugly little faces against the window. Hateful little shits.
I don't know why, but things never went well for me at that school. Like the day I received a bible. I can't remember why I got it. I knew one of the teachers was into bibles and mum said I could take it to school and show him. I had it in my arms and the heavens opened. Quite apt really. The rain ruined my bibles cover, and the page edges turned into spotty blotched soggy lumps. Jeeze! What the?????? Oh well. Just one more thing to add to the list of........things.
It was mothers day on Sunday, and our school had a stall. We had taken money a few days before and the teachers had gone out and spent the money on our behalf. They set up tables outside and class by class we went to pic out something for mum. I chose a pretty little glass bowl. I can still see it now. It was gorgeous, and when the sunlight hit the glass it sent all these colours out. Anyway, I was going back to class with my present, and some little turd, yeah, thats right, TURD, stuck his foot out and it went flying. Of course I eventually hit the ground, but what was worse, my present did too. In so many
places. It was shattered, and so was I. So guess what I did? Yup. I cried. Again. But honestly, you would have too. The teacher on duty had seen what happened and the little turd got what for. I wonder if he had to sit inside a tiny itty bitty room at lunch time. Actually what happened was the teacher magically produced a pretty cup and saucer and plate set. It was pretty, but I hadn't chosen it. Mum kept that set for many years and i'm hoping it was cos she treasured it.
Then of course there was the petticoat episode. My sister had just gotten (gotten?) this new petticoat. I loved it. It was gorgeous. It was white a half slip. White material up top, then it changed material but there were sort of frills sewn on. On the edge of each frill was a pretty coloured lace. Like the first frill had yellow lace, then pink lace, all the way to the bottom. It was a princess petticoat. My sister loved it, but I'm positive no where near as much as I did. I tried it on, without her knowing, and decided I had to show other people. Hence, another brain drain. I got the scissors, and cut two arm holes just under the elastic. Once I put it on, it came to below my knees. I was beawdiful. I put it on under my uniform, and tied it in place with the belt. When I got to school, I grabbed my friend and ran to the shelter sheds and stripped off my uniform. Hussy! I looked gorgeous. I don't know what possessed me to do it. I cut up my sisters petticoat! It now had armholes. In a half slip. You just don't see that. Needless to say, my sister had a spack attack! I can't remember if she slapped me around or not. Well she probably did, and it was so traumatic for me that I've blocked it out.
Mostly. I will admit I do have some good memories. I did finally make some friends, and I fell in love for the first time. The story of my life.
All of my sisters could read, and none of them would spend the time to teach me. Once a week the Green Grocer would come to the house and we would all go out and see the goodies in his van. Mum would chat to him for while and we would pick out what we wanted. I usually chose bananas. They were beautiful in those days. They were not stored somewhere for months they are these days. The Green Grocer also brought us our comic books, and mums Womans Weekly, and dads Daily Mirror. This was a huge stack of English papers stapled together. I loved going through it and reading so many exciting stories. That was after I learnt to read. My comic was Teddy Bear. It had stories about one main teddy, his name was.......wait for it............Teddy Bear. I loved this comic. Funny thing is it taught me to read. I would sit on my bed and study the pictures and think of the story and somehow I'd put words to the pics and eventually, the story and words were the same. I started reading aloud, to mum and I think she was surprised.
At school, I was learning to cope (NO I WASN'T) without my sister being in my class. The best bit was when we sat on the mat, and the teacher would pick someone to read to the rest of the class. I was a showoff! I knew I was a great reader, and I always read more than I was supposed to. There was one boy, and I know this is really wrong, but he always has pig styes in his eyes. Big red lumps . They were disgusting, and I couldn't stop gawking.
OMG! Just remembered. We had show and tell just like they do these days. All the kids were saying stuff, but I didn't have any thing. I suddenly had a brain wave.(or more to the point, a brain drain) I put up my hand and teacher calls my name. "What do you have to share with us today?" Here goes I think to myself. "My mummy is having twin babies!" To this day I have no idea , I mean none! why I came up with that crock of total crap. Boy was she surprised, Not as surprised as my mum though. I guess somehow the teacher found out it was a fantasy pregnancy, cos the next day at lunch, when everyone went outside, she told me to stay where I was. She left the room for a few moments, and when she came back, she had a man with her and he was carrying some sort of folded wood. He unfolded it and placed it on the floor, and made it into a sort of a wall. My teacher told me to step inside. I did this, I wondering what was happening.I was told to sit on my bottom. Once I did this the man closed the structure. It was like I was shut up inside a tiny itty bitty room. I started to cry (AGAIN), and my teacher said "This is punishment for lying about your mother"
Wouldn't happen now. Total abuse. I was a little kid! I didn't hurt anyone. Jeeze! What a bitch! The other kids were outside the windows, pressing their ugly little faces against the window. Hateful little shits.
I don't know why, but things never went well for me at that school. Like the day I received a bible. I can't remember why I got it. I knew one of the teachers was into bibles and mum said I could take it to school and show him. I had it in my arms and the heavens opened. Quite apt really. The rain ruined my bibles cover, and the page edges turned into spotty blotched soggy lumps. Jeeze! What the?????? Oh well. Just one more thing to add to the list of........things.
It was mothers day on Sunday, and our school had a stall. We had taken money a few days before and the teachers had gone out and spent the money on our behalf. They set up tables outside and class by class we went to pic out something for mum. I chose a pretty little glass bowl. I can still see it now. It was gorgeous, and when the sunlight hit the glass it sent all these colours out. Anyway, I was going back to class with my present, and some little turd, yeah, thats right, TURD, stuck his foot out and it went flying. Of course I eventually hit the ground, but what was worse, my present did too. In so many
places. It was shattered, and so was I. So guess what I did? Yup. I cried. Again. But honestly, you would have too. The teacher on duty had seen what happened and the little turd got what for. I wonder if he had to sit inside a tiny itty bitty room at lunch time. Actually what happened was the teacher magically produced a pretty cup and saucer and plate set. It was pretty, but I hadn't chosen it. Mum kept that set for many years and i'm hoping it was cos she treasured it.
Then of course there was the petticoat episode. My sister had just gotten (gotten?) this new petticoat. I loved it. It was gorgeous. It was white a half slip. White material up top, then it changed material but there were sort of frills sewn on. On the edge of each frill was a pretty coloured lace. Like the first frill had yellow lace, then pink lace, all the way to the bottom. It was a princess petticoat. My sister loved it, but I'm positive no where near as much as I did. I tried it on, without her knowing, and decided I had to show other people. Hence, another brain drain. I got the scissors, and cut two arm holes just under the elastic. Once I put it on, it came to below my knees. I was beawdiful. I put it on under my uniform, and tied it in place with the belt. When I got to school, I grabbed my friend and ran to the shelter sheds and stripped off my uniform. Hussy! I looked gorgeous. I don't know what possessed me to do it. I cut up my sisters petticoat! It now had armholes. In a half slip. You just don't see that. Needless to say, my sister had a spack attack! I can't remember if she slapped me around or not. Well she probably did, and it was so traumatic for me that I've blocked it out.
Saturday, 6 April 2013
Ok. I believe the choices we make, determine what our life will become. Fulfilling, empty, satisfying, exciting, and many other adjectives. If we are lucky we will experience all of those feelings and more. I know I have. Of course at the time we may not think of it as being fun or exciting, but maybe, crazy, or terrifying. I have decided to write about the things in my life which have made me who I am today. I may not be a famous singer, or an olympic swimmer, or to most people, anything at all. But to my family, children, and friends, Id like to believe their lives would be lacking something extra special, if I were not part of it. No serious! Like today I twisted my daughters arm (hard) and made her help me set up my blog. Because she did most of the work, now not only do I have a blog, but my daughter also knows something new. All because of me, her wonderful mama. I will say, during this bonding session, there were a few fraught moments, but I think our relationship is all the more stronger for it. (That doesn't sound like good English, but you know what I mean).
I was born in a small town in Tassie, (Tasmania, Australia) fiftyish years ago. I am the youngest of seven children, So life was a bit of a struggle for me. I was usually the last one in the car, or I ended up with the crust from the hot new loaf of bread, (which I actually loved) you know the type of thing. The bad thing is when you are the youngest of such a brood, there is a need inside that makes you want to be as old as the others. Until you reach your fifties, then you are glad to be the youngest, cos they are always going to be older than you! The things you do are not always good and sometimes, I came off second best. The things I am going to write are the good the bad and the ugly things that happened to me, and I guess at my age, (fiftyish) I'm doing it to face the fact that sometimes I brought the consequences on my self, thou I must stress that was not always the case.
We lived on a farm. We had dairy cows, and dad grew crops of some sort. Dad would milk the cows early in the morning, with the help of my two brothers. Then dad would go off to work in town, and my brothers and sisters would get ready for school. They had to walk a way to catch the school bus. I was still too young to go to school, so mum and me would be together. At last I had her to myself! I remember being in our big kitchen and watching her cook. We had a huge oven, that you had to feed wood into, constantly! But everything mum coked was yummy. I don't know if it was the oven, or if she was just a damn good cook..She was my mum, so probably the latter.
When I started school, I remember my first day. It was filled with terror, fear, lonliness, snotty girls, ugly boys, and the day lasted forever!.. On the way to the bus stop, I heard a motor, My brother grabbed me and slung me over his shoulder, and everyone dived into the bushes growing along the road side. I still don't know why we did that. Did my brother think the people coming in their truck were kidnappers? In the panic, I lost one of my new school shoes. I was crying and hiccupping and tried to explain to my brother, but suddenly we had to hurry. We had wasted time hiding in the bush and if we didn't hurry, we would miss the bus. I ask you, Whose fault was that? May be my brother was suffering from some freaky mental disorder. (no disrespect meant) Well I rocked up to school for the first day of the rest of my life, wearing one bloody shoe! Great first impressions! Thanks bro!
Next hurdle was the classroom. I didn't expect to be separated from my sisters. I was sure I was told, before leaving home that day, that I would be in the same room as my sister. Well, someone lied, and in a monumental way. How cruel. Mum did it just to get me out of the house. My brother probably jumped in the bushes with me and hoped to lose me among the branches, and then the others would take off to school without me. Probably the plan was they would come home in the afternoon, untangle me from the bushes and we'd all get home together. That is what I think now. Then I just thought mum didn't want me. Anyway, I cried and cried, until the teacher gave me paints and paper. I was ok for a little while then began crying again, wanting my sister, Finally I was taken into her classroom and the kids were moved around so I could sit next to her. I was happier, but i'm not sure about my sister, or the teachers.
I was born in a small town in Tassie, (Tasmania, Australia) fiftyish years ago. I am the youngest of seven children, So life was a bit of a struggle for me. I was usually the last one in the car, or I ended up with the crust from the hot new loaf of bread, (which I actually loved) you know the type of thing. The bad thing is when you are the youngest of such a brood, there is a need inside that makes you want to be as old as the others. Until you reach your fifties, then you are glad to be the youngest, cos they are always going to be older than you! The things you do are not always good and sometimes, I came off second best. The things I am going to write are the good the bad and the ugly things that happened to me, and I guess at my age, (fiftyish) I'm doing it to face the fact that sometimes I brought the consequences on my self, thou I must stress that was not always the case.
We lived on a farm. We had dairy cows, and dad grew crops of some sort. Dad would milk the cows early in the morning, with the help of my two brothers. Then dad would go off to work in town, and my brothers and sisters would get ready for school. They had to walk a way to catch the school bus. I was still too young to go to school, so mum and me would be together. At last I had her to myself! I remember being in our big kitchen and watching her cook. We had a huge oven, that you had to feed wood into, constantly! But everything mum coked was yummy. I don't know if it was the oven, or if she was just a damn good cook..She was my mum, so probably the latter.
When I started school, I remember my first day. It was filled with terror, fear, lonliness, snotty girls, ugly boys, and the day lasted forever!.. On the way to the bus stop, I heard a motor, My brother grabbed me and slung me over his shoulder, and everyone dived into the bushes growing along the road side. I still don't know why we did that. Did my brother think the people coming in their truck were kidnappers? In the panic, I lost one of my new school shoes. I was crying and hiccupping and tried to explain to my brother, but suddenly we had to hurry. We had wasted time hiding in the bush and if we didn't hurry, we would miss the bus. I ask you, Whose fault was that? May be my brother was suffering from some freaky mental disorder. (no disrespect meant) Well I rocked up to school for the first day of the rest of my life, wearing one bloody shoe! Great first impressions! Thanks bro!
Next hurdle was the classroom. I didn't expect to be separated from my sisters. I was sure I was told, before leaving home that day, that I would be in the same room as my sister. Well, someone lied, and in a monumental way. How cruel. Mum did it just to get me out of the house. My brother probably jumped in the bushes with me and hoped to lose me among the branches, and then the others would take off to school without me. Probably the plan was they would come home in the afternoon, untangle me from the bushes and we'd all get home together. That is what I think now. Then I just thought mum didn't want me. Anyway, I cried and cried, until the teacher gave me paints and paper. I was ok for a little while then began crying again, wanting my sister, Finally I was taken into her classroom and the kids were moved around so I could sit next to her. I was happier, but i'm not sure about my sister, or the teachers.
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