The smiling child

I was born into a household already occupied by two brothers and a sister. The way I look at it these days is finding yourself in a world of events that had lost their excitement and an appreciation of hand me downs.

I was the 4th to learn how to walk, the 4th to learn how to talk, the 4th to start school etc etc. 

Some of my earliest memories are from the time nanny (mum’s mum) came to live with us. I don’t really remember my grandad as he passed away about 18 months before. I know I met him and he met me - that’s all that matters really.

When nanny was there we spent most of our time together. 

Mum and dad both worked full time (not surprising with 5 children by that point).

The older 3 were all teenagers at grammar school. Nicky the baby had come along when I was 2 and a half. I took very seriously the instruction to ‘look after Nicky’ from the moment he was born. I had to watch over him, be nice to him, help him and keep him safe.

I remember nanny calling me “Pickle”, which was a bit confusing because we actually had a tortoiseshell cat by that name already.

Even my nickname was a hand me down!!

Nanny would walk me to Barnett Wood Lane primary school. We would kick the horse chestnut leaves on Woodfield Lane as we crossed over from our house to the pathway crossing the little common.