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Saturday 4 June 2011

6? candles

On my children's birthdays, I always have a few nostalgic moments remembering the actual day when they were born (or in Chris's case, adopted)---who was around, how did I feel, what scared me, what brought me joy.  On my own birthday, I always think of my mother, and what it must have been like for her.

I was born in England, in wartime; my mother was in her early twenties, living with her family, my father somewhere in Europe cowboying around on a motorcycle as a dispatch rider.  Mum always told me that she sat under a tree in the yard waiting for me and that she was too inexperienced and purposely unaware of the reality to be scared.  It never occurred to me to talk to my aunts or uncles about that day---for one thing they were always telling me stories about how I ate all their egg and butter rations, so I was careful to let them know I was grateful.  And I still am.

I do wish my mother had talked more about that time, but I do understand.  I told my kids funny stories about my first days with them, but I had good care, and there were no bombs around.  My big regret, and I really didn't feel it until my children starting having children, is to have lost the closeness I must have had with my grandmother, who was running a house, caring for and worrying about her own children and minding me while my mother went back to work.

Our lives don't run textbook-style for so many reasons, and I wouldn't change much of mine, but I do wish I'd recognized, years later, when we were back in Canada, and Nanny and Papa came to visit, that I was seeing seomeone who'd cared for me every day for the first 3 and a half years of my life.
Nanny and Papa


4 generations starting with Mum  
As I said, birthdays bring out the nostalgia in me. 

12 comments:

  1. Happy Birthday Mom! I always thought you and dad would be Nanny and Papa to our kids, but am now quite fond of Mina and Davey. It's hard thinking about the things you'd like to have shared with your grandparents. There are so many things I would have liked to say to Nan and Papa, as well as things I wish I hadn't done...

    Love you! xoxo

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  2. Happy Birthday. It takes us awhile to figure some things out. I guess we become more sensitive (or sensible) later in life. I know I'd like a few do-overs in that area of life.

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  3. Happy Birthday Lorna, Your Nanny would be so proud of the woman you have become and the wonderful family you and Dave have raised. xxx

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  4. Happy Birthday Lorna!! should look at facebook more, maybe i woulda known. love the 4 G pic!!

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  5. Happy Birthday Lorna and love

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  6. Happy Birthday, Lorna!!! You look mahvelous, dahling!!!

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  7. All I remember is Grandad shared my room and farted alot. He used to go out shooting birds and thought I should ask permission to eat an orange. Grandma is a blank.

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  8. I'm a little late, but I'm sure you don't mind. HAPPY BIRTHDAY, my friend!

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  9. Love these photos, hope we'll be seeing lots more of your birthday nostalgia in future.

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  10. I hope you had a wonderful day!

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  11. How did I miss your birthday. Here are wishes from my part of the world. If you were here, we would stroll down to the Redondo Beach pier, watch the sun set and have strawberry margaritas. I could really resonate with your post--especially the wishing that I had appreciated some of my grands more while I still had them--and even a few of my sisters. I didn't ever realize you had been born in England and were there during hard times. Anyhow, hope you had a glorious day and that your year coming up will be the best ever. Can you tell I'm catching up today?

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