(as this is one of your areas of minimins, KD ... I refuse to believe you have not read my posts on here)
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KD moves on
KD Rambles, including Grandwitch thing
- Thread starter KD
- Start date
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Coley
Re-starter
The KD has decided not to tell us any more stories. She's stubborn....however, she will mull this over for a loooooooong time and probably eventually decide that she really does want to finish at least the Pauline story....
This is my thinking...but I may be waiting a long long long time.
This is my thinking...but I may be waiting a long long long time.
Scary isn't it, but makes a great 'before' piccie :clap:
And you'll be wrong
No Pauline though.When you least expect it and not asking, KD will drop in and continue with the story for us all to enjoy again
That's my guessing anyway
and up I pop
Still scared of disappointing. I know I could make it so much better if I tweaked the truth, but it would be wrong.I’ve exhausted good stories from my childhood, but I will try to relate the one about when my family moved home without telling me.
I think I might have to do it in chapters though
I was 5 ½ years old. It was Summer and I went down to the sandpit to collect caterpillars, lizards and slow worms. There were masses of these stripy caterpillars which I would put into a jam jar with a couple of blades of grass for them eat, and then stare at them waiting for them to turn into butterflies.
I didn’t care too much for the lizards, but they made good ‘swapsies’. I did like the slow worms though. For those that don’t know the slow worm, it looks like a small snake. I loved to watch them move in the grass and stroke them.
Sometimes I tried to catch adders. They were the same to me. My brothers would say “leave the adders alone Sis!!”. If they only told me the difference I would have probably listened, but I didn’t ask. These were things that brothers knew, and sisters didn’t. They would go home and tell Mother that the stupid girl only tried to catch an adder again! And everyone would sigh.
Anyway, I brought a slow worm back and sat on the kerb stroking it. I know exactly what I was wearing that day too. It was a pale green nylon dress with short sleeves. It had an elasticated pocket sewn onto it for my hanky (posh side of the family)
Underneath, I had a petticoat, again in nylon, and under that knitted woollen pants and vest. The pants had regular holes around the waist and legs for the elastic. Grandwitch made these, and I was to be grateful. I must spend the rest of her life in servitude because as she kept reminding me “I clothed you!!”. She did in fact only supply the vest and knickers, which I should add were as uncomfortable in hot weather as the sticky nylon dress.
I remember sitting on the curb, twirling this slow worm around my hand when I saw Jeannette coming towards me with an old shoe box.
I didn’t care too much for the lizards, but they made good ‘swapsies’. I did like the slow worms though. For those that don’t know the slow worm, it looks like a small snake. I loved to watch them move in the grass and stroke them.
Sometimes I tried to catch adders. They were the same to me. My brothers would say “leave the adders alone Sis!!”. If they only told me the difference I would have probably listened, but I didn’t ask. These were things that brothers knew, and sisters didn’t. They would go home and tell Mother that the stupid girl only tried to catch an adder again! And everyone would sigh.
Anyway, I brought a slow worm back and sat on the kerb stroking it. I know exactly what I was wearing that day too. It was a pale green nylon dress with short sleeves. It had an elasticated pocket sewn onto it for my hanky (posh side of the family
)Underneath, I had a petticoat, again in nylon, and under that knitted woollen pants and vest. The pants had regular holes around the waist and legs for the elastic. Grandwitch made these, and I was to be grateful. I must spend the rest of her life in servitude because as she kept reminding me “I clothed you!!”. She did in fact only supply the vest and knickers, which I should add were as uncomfortable in hot weather as the sticky nylon dress.
I remember sitting on the curb, twirling this slow worm around my hand when I saw Jeannette coming towards me with an old shoe box.
Jeannette was a ‘good’ girl. We knew that because she came from a good family. She must be ‘good’ because she lived next to the Police House. Few would volunteer to live next to the Police House, because most families had something to hide, and it was best to stay far away.
Thinking about it now, I don’t think it was a Police House. We knew the local bobbies, and I never remember any of them going in or out of this house, but it had an old sign ‘POLICE HOUSE’ on the wall, so we would cross the road instead of walking outside it as you never knew what they had found out about you. Best to be safe than sorry.
Jeannette hated slow worms. She was terrified of them, so I tucked the snake into my pocket before she reached me. I can’t understand now how I did it. Was my pocket that large? Was the snake that small? But I remember doing it.
Jeannette sat down with me with the box full of daisies that she had picked from the garden. We were going to make daisy chains. We were going to be Queen for an hour or two dancing with them on our heads until they wilted and fell to pieces.
I always found it difficult to make the split in the stem to thread the daisy as I chewed my fingernails, so I remember getting quite apt at using my teeth. The nail biting was quite bad, and so was the bed wetting, and the thumb sucking, and the stammer, and the hair twirling. I was resourceful if nothing else. Always able to find a stress reliever close by
Back soon....
Thinking about it now, I don’t think it was a Police House. We knew the local bobbies, and I never remember any of them going in or out of this house, but it had an old sign ‘POLICE HOUSE’ on the wall, so we would cross the road instead of walking outside it as you never knew what they had found out about you. Best to be safe than sorry.
Jeannette hated slow worms. She was terrified of them, so I tucked the snake into my pocket before she reached me. I can’t understand now how I did it. Was my pocket that large? Was the snake that small? But I remember doing it.
Jeannette sat down with me with the box full of daisies that she had picked from the garden. We were going to make daisy chains. We were going to be Queen for an hour or two dancing with them on our heads until they wilted and fell to pieces.
I always found it difficult to make the split in the stem to thread the daisy as I chewed my fingernails, so I remember getting quite apt at using my teeth. The nail biting was quite bad, and so was the bed wetting, and the thumb sucking, and the stammer, and the hair twirling. I was resourceful if nothing else. Always able to find a stress reliever close by
Back soon....
canireallydothis!!
Gold Member
So I’m trying to make a daisy chain with one hand over my pocket to prevent snake escapes, whilst trying to act normally with my friend so she didn’t notice.
Some time during this crown making, I noticed a small hole in my pocket where my snake was escaping. I didn’t want to scare her, so was trying to use one finger to push the head back in before she noticed.
I looked away, and saw my Father, Mother and brothers moving the contents out of our house. Most items in the old pram. Other things on the go cart and in the pushchair. Off they went down the road. I don’t remember feeling concerned that they appeared to be moving home without telling me and I took my hand away from my pocket to wave them goodbye.
I heard Jeannette scream. I remember thinking that she had an enviable scream and I wish I could do such a high pitched loud sound instead of my guttural arrrrgggghhhh when I tried.
My parents waved back.
Some time during this crown making, I noticed a small hole in my pocket where my snake was escaping. I didn’t want to scare her, so was trying to use one finger to push the head back in before she noticed.
I looked away, and saw my Father, Mother and brothers moving the contents out of our house. Most items in the old pram. Other things on the go cart and in the pushchair. Off they went down the road. I don’t remember feeling concerned that they appeared to be moving home without telling me and I took my hand away from my pocket to wave them goodbye.
I heard Jeannette scream. I remember thinking that she had an enviable scream and I wish I could do such a high pitched loud sound instead of my guttural arrrrgggghhhh when I tried.
My parents waved back.
My family did return to the house, no doubt with the pram, go carts, pushchairs empty. The house must have been bare too, but that wouldn’t have concerned me. I wouldn’t ask questions. I never did. That’s one of the reasons my mother defined me as being ‘thick’. I wanted to know things though but just didn’t like asking them because it always ended up with “Oh no…doesn’t she even know that!!” with a roll of the eyes.
I always remember things that are (or were) important to me and obviously a bare house wasn’t an issue in my head. After all, it was never full in the first place. So, I only remember in fine detail, things that were important to me at that time. My friends were important. Slow worms and lizards were important. Food was important because it was my only hope of growing into a boy.
I always remember things that are (or were) important to me and obviously a bare house wasn’t an issue in my head. After all, it was never full in the first place. So, I only remember in fine detail, things that were important to me at that time. My friends were important. Slow worms and lizards were important. Food was important because it was my only hope of growing into a boy.
Whoops. Forgot about this story
Well, it's obvious innit? Eat food, get big....like brothers. Must be a 'boy thing'
Not that they were overweight, but they were taller. Besides, I liked food, so the task of increasing my size appealed
I shall continue.....
Well, it's obvious innit? Eat food, get big....like brothers. Must be a 'boy thing'
Not that they were overweight, but they were taller. Besides, I liked food, so the task of increasing my size appealed
I shall continue.....
I wanted to be a boy most of all. There was nothing sexual about it, nothing gay, just that boys had everything I wanted. They had responsibility, they had respect, they had power, they were leaders of the pack. Many a time during a fight I would say “you wait until I’m a boy …then I’ll get you back!”
There was nothing about being a girl that I liked. Of course, I can see now, that the problem wasn’t because I was a girl, the problem was that I was ‘me’.
My eldest brother was only 2 ½ years older than me, but there was a massive difference in terms of maturity. My brothers could be relied upon to do more complex tasks. They could go back to the shop and haggle for a refund for spoilt goods. They could go to the barbers and change appointment times. They could go to the telephone box and phone for help.
I couldn’t do anything that needed a reply. My instructions wouldn’t go beyond asking for something, putting it in my bag and then leaving.
I could go to the shops and buy tomatoes “not too ripe”, “not unripe”., “give the man the money”. Whereas my brothers could take the tomatoes back and argue about a refund being necessary.
They could also take the money in their hands or pockets. I had to have mine tied to the corner of my hanky, rather like a boiled sweet. I still remember how to do this
The trouble was, I lost things. My mother said I was trustworthy and that was and still is true, but things disappeared. Mother couldn’t stand anyone losing anything and along with other things like setting fire to the house, losing money was something I excelled at.
There was nothing about being a girl that I liked. Of course, I can see now, that the problem wasn’t because I was a girl, the problem was that I was ‘me’.
My eldest brother was only 2 ½ years older than me, but there was a massive difference in terms of maturity. My brothers could be relied upon to do more complex tasks. They could go back to the shop and haggle for a refund for spoilt goods. They could go to the barbers and change appointment times. They could go to the telephone box and phone for help.
I couldn’t do anything that needed a reply. My instructions wouldn’t go beyond asking for something, putting it in my bag and then leaving.
I could go to the shops and buy tomatoes “not too ripe”, “not unripe”., “give the man the money”. Whereas my brothers could take the tomatoes back and argue about a refund being necessary.
They could also take the money in their hands or pockets. I had to have mine tied to the corner of my hanky, rather like a boiled sweet. I still remember how to do this
The trouble was, I lost things. My mother said I was trustworthy and that was and still is true, but things disappeared. Mother couldn’t stand anyone losing anything and along with other things like setting fire to the house, losing money was something I excelled at.
Ahhh, it is indeed
Place money in a small pile near corner of a large hanky and tie a knot either side so it looks a little like a boiled sweet in a wrapper. Place large hanky in pocket and preferably pin there with a large safety pin. Tell 'subject' "now you can't possibly lose that!"Wait for 'subject' to return (usually empty handed and in tears) and wonder how on earth they managed to lose it. Tis a mystery
I remember struggling with daisy chains too as I had no nails!!..lol. Bitten to bits
They looked so good when they were done though didn't they, but I remember wasting so many trying to split them down the middle
Digressing again, but I was thinking about this bit
Though it wasn't a mystery to me really. I knew what happened.
Skip up road, hand in pocket, clutching the hanky tightly so as not to lose it.
Realise that attention might have failed during my skipping and singing (which always amused the neighbours)..couldn't just skip, I was always making up songs on the fly and a walk or skip to the shops was an excellent performance practice venue
So, realising my lack of concentration, I would unpin the hanky and open it up to check the sixpence was still in there.
I would just have to check the date on the sixpence while I was at it because after all, certain dates were rare and much sort after.
After checking the date..I would see a butterfly that needed chasing, or a grasshopper that needed catching........sigh.
Place large hanky in pocket and preferably pin there with a large safety pin. Tell 'subject' "now you can't possibly lose that!"
Wait for 'subject' to return (usually empty handed and in tears) and wonder how on earth they managed to lose it. Tis a mystery
Though it wasn't a mystery to me really. I knew what happened.
Skip up road, hand in pocket, clutching the hanky tightly so as not to lose it.
Realise that attention might have failed during my skipping and singing (which always amused the neighbours)..couldn't just skip, I was always making up songs on the fly and a walk or skip to the shops was an excellent performance practice venue
So, realising my lack of concentration, I would unpin the hanky and open it up to check the sixpence was still in there.
I would just have to check the date on the sixpence while I was at it because after all, certain dates were rare and much sort after.
After checking the date..I would see a butterfly that needed chasing, or a grasshopper that needed catching........sigh.
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