Funny what you remember when thrown a lifeline. I smell strawberries, see candy striped deck chairs, a small slender grey haired lady always ( as I remember dressed in black ) respectful of authority both church and state . Manners , speak only when spoken to. It was the late 1950s another world, when it seemed life was simple, eat sleep, play.

 I cannot hear her speak, isn’t that funny all those summers and not a word. Oh yes I remember the crossword and spot the ball in the paper you could win a prize 2/6p a fortune when you were 5. 

I remember our walks to the shop for ice cream . The sun always shone at grandmas.pass the church, slight genuflection bless yourself . Meet the priest , salute. The streets were busy with horse and carts and bicycles very few cars.

 I always remember feeling safe and happy. Maybe it’s that I’m looking back with rose tinted glasses. I never remember feeling bored , then again I never remember doing anything, it doesn’t make sense but that’s how I remember it. 

In a nutshell my grandmother was a quiet lady who spoke by her manner and facial expression. I cannot remember her passing, I was possibly protected by my parents from that experience. I do not remember missing her , I probably never really knew her, which was a pity really as she had lived through the boer war , two world wars and many depressions , come to think of it she had very little to be happy about.

                               Jpoet7