Things I remember about my Grandparents house "Perceton" on Westwood Avenue in Stranraer, Scotland.
- exquisitely manicured lawns
- a very low ceiling light in the hall that I had to avoid hitting with my head even when I was just a teenager.
- running around the raised stone border in the front garden
- sprung door stoppers that made an irresistible twanging noise when kicked
- a white china dove in one of the bathrooms
- one of the latest model 3-series BMW's in the garage, no doubt recently collected from the dealer in Irvine.
- a compost heap in the back garden, normally with some grapefruit skins in it
- pointy spoons especially for eating grapefruit segments
- a super-posh B&O TV
- Watching reports of the Lockerbie Disaster on that TV just before Xmas '88.
- a wonderful white sheepskin rug in the lounge
- Lying on the rug watching the video for Billy Jean by Michael Jackson and wondering why the chairman is not his son. Actual lyrics are "the kid is not my son"
- a drinks cabinet with exotic drinks and crystal glasses
- Papa's pipe-smoking gear on a table beside "his" chair
- a wooden seat in the shower cubicle!
- Papa's Glasgow Herald newspapers
- Thick stacks of Embassy cigarette coupons
- A few of my Uncles LP's, including Led Zeppelin I think - very cool.
- Some of my Mums old books from her childhood, including one about Kings n Queens n Princesses etc... with tabs to make pictures appear in small windows.
- "The Approach" track leading over an iron rivetted railway bridge and towards the countryside.
- Granny's Ellnette hairspray and elaborate, expensive looking hairbrushes
- Perfectly-made beds and a spotless, pristine kitchen (and eveything else too - even the garage)
- The World-famous McMillan family at the end of the road
- Eating unripened green tomatoes in a neighbours back garden
- Papa eating porridge (fine with me) with milk poured over it (not to my liking)
- As with most super-Gran's - wonderful food, marmalade jam etc...
- The Fighting Temeraire on the dining room wall
- A voluminous and vivid red ivy on the garage wall, which disappeared in winter.
- The steel gate to the back garden with wire mesh to stop rabbits getting through.
5 comments:
What an extraordinarily vivid memory you have! And accurate too except that you were living in Clifton at the time of the Lockerbie disaster. I did enjoy reading this post even though your stats are fascinating too!
adrian...yesterday you said you had sore wrists from being in the aero position on ghte s-bend aerobar extensions...just thought you might find this interesting reading.
http://www.bikesportmichigan.com/features/sbend.shtml
blimey! and I thought I had a good memory. Do you remember "papa's walking stick" when he used to clench his hand on the back of our necks in an affectionate but controlling way? perfect for making naughty children go for a walk! and being given 50p coins to buy an ice-cream with, which was a lot of money in those days! I really remember that book with tabs. Also the hostess trolly in the dining room which was a new gadget when we were young. didn't they have lots of Asterix and Obelix books too?
yuck and I've just remembered seeing granny making Ox Toungue soup! gross!
One of my most vivid memories is...
...you learning to light your own farts, and burning all of your pubic hair off.
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