A Memoir at Seventy Seven........................

Today is my BIRTHDAY!

When I was 7 years old, mother, father and I moved to what would be 

their forever family home. Prior to that, as a baby/toddler, I lived

 in a second floor flat in town with my mother and grandma, my father

 still away serving in the Royal Air Force. 

Later we moved to a prefabricated ('prefab') home - modern and

 quite spacious - on one of many housing estates built to accommodate

 the British people across the UK requiring homes following

 World War II. It was there that I made my first friends and we all

 went to school together.

   

To me, the new 'real' house, was a dream come true. Although small,

the semi-detached bungalow with three bedrooms, and great garden

 areas front and back, and neighbors with children my age, was fabulous.

  On a then very quiet road, more like a country lane, it was just a two

 minute walk from the rolling, lush green Devon countryside, and a ten

 minute bus ride to the seaside and beaches where I spent a lot of time. 

Note, not many people had cars in those years! The year following 

that move, along came my brother, eventually filling that third bedroom!

My childhood there was magical and my memories are still so clear.  

With farms and fields to explore, my mother and I would pull on

our rubber 'wellies' to go gather mushrooms for breakfast in the early

 morning dew - before the sweet-faced Jersey cows stomped on them! 

We'd stop and buy fresh eggs from a farm. 

On long summer days I spent hours learning the names of wildflowers, 

native birds, climbing huge oak trees, and often on warm, sunny days

 picnicking on a blanket and breathing in the fragrance of the rich red 

clay soil, tall grass and flowers.

Oh, by the way, the bungalow house, where I lived until 1962 when I

emigrated to the USA. . . . . .was number 77 on our country road!

It's still there and I always stop and look at it when home for a visit.

Not much has changed other than the front garden being turned

into a parking lot now that people have cars! Not pretty as 

when my mother planted many beautiful shrubs and flowers.

Somewhere, some years ago, I found this brass number.  Probably at 

one time it held a key to a locker, and with such a magical, to me,

 number I had to have it. Today seems the perfect day to share it

  with you as I celebrate yet another birthday. . . . . . . .bet you can

 guess which one!!!

Birthday celebrations, like all celebrations this year, have to be 

different. Mine will be quiet. As October leaves fall and the

 nights turn chilly, I will just be thankful for another year under the

 warmth and safety of my roof, and in good health. . . . . but ready for

 cake, and a glass of bubbly later of course!