I've been tagged......

I've been tagged by Sue at Vintage to Victorian in Somerset, England (another beautiful Southwest county adjacent to my county of Devon) who has invited me to share eight random things you don't know about me. This is quite thought provoking - I think I'll make this one mainly about my younger years!

• I survived a bombing! Born at the end of WWII, as an infant I lived in my Grandmother's third floor flat. Being on the English Channel and close to Plymouth, an important naval shipyard, our town also was bombed on a few occasions. When the air raid siren sounded, Mum would carry me down to huddle under the stairs until the "all clear" sounded. There was a direct hit on our nearby church one Sunday - many children attending a class were killed - I was fortunate to be too young to attend Sunday School and remained safe that terrible day.
  
  
• Growing up in post war Britain in the 40's was tough, housing shortages, low wages, no luxuries for the average family...........but when I look back I had a wonderful simple childhood and I wouldn't change it at all. My family never had a car, we rode double decker buses everywhere. My town, a seaside resort known as "Queen of the English Riviera" had beautiful beaches and my home was a short walk from the countryside. In Summer I would get up before dawn and head to the fields with my Mum to pick wild mushrooms. I still love, love, love mushrooms. I think about those misty mornings every time I cook them.........walking up the lane, basket in one hand, Mum's hand in the other.
  
  
• I was a Maypole dancer - not to be confused with a pole dancer!! This was an English Spring/Summer activity at my school where we rehearsed using the tall May pole erected in the center of the playground. We were really good dancing those intricate circles to traditional English country music, winding and weaving the colorful ribbons around the pole - then reversing to unwind. Guess one doesn't get dizzy as a child - can't imagine what twirling in hundreds of circles would do to me now! We performed at local garden fetes and country fairs and it was great fun.
  
• I went to an all girls Grammar School (that's equivalent to High School in the US) and had to wear typical English uniforms. This was not a private school! Winter was a navy blue gym slip similar to a pinafore dress here, navy blue knickers (no such things as panties then!) white blouse, navy/maroon striped school tie, wool blazer sporting the school crest on the pocket, and navy velour brimmed hat or a wool beret..........and of course the often required classic navy English gabardine raincoat, or mac (mackintosh) as we called it. Only black or brown shoes were allowed with white ankle socks until the 4th year when stockings were permitted. In Summer we changed to green and white striped dresses with a natural straw boater hat - anyone caught without the hat got a detention. On warm Spring and Summer days I would always try to grab a desk by the open French doors of the classroom, roll my socks down and stick my legs out to get a tan without a sock line around my ankles.
  


• Every Summer, during the school hols., I would ride the bus along the coast to stay with my cousin in Teignmouth, Devon for two weeks. Her house looked out over the seafront and beach. As young teens we would pretend to be French - dressing in the latest styles which included, at that time, black leather ballet shoes and a colorful cotton kerchief tied around our necks! We'd then hang out on the pier and when holidaymakers, usually from Northern England, asked us for directions or local information, we'd speak French or broken English to confuse them. WE thought we were so cool!!


• I never traveled to continental Europe until I had lived in the US several years - even though I lived on the very edge of the English Channel and France was almost visible on a clear day! Growing up I was told, "you live in the most beautiful place imaginable so why go anywhere else". Of course this was always followed by "we can't afford a trip abroad" which was true. My first view of Paris was when we left our little kids at Grandma's house in England and DH took me across the Channel for my first memorable weekend in the beautiful "City of Light".
  


• I climbed aboard my very first plane one week before my 19th B'day to come to work in Washington, D.C. for just one year. Here it is almost 45 years later and I'm still in the USA. My Mum always said she would never have let me go if she thought I'd never return to live in England!
  


• My very first trip back to England was to visit my family for Christmas in 1964. I sailed on the original Cunard Queen Mary which is now a floating resort in Long Beach, California, returning on the then brand new Holland America Line "Statendam". As much as I loved those transatlantic crossings I have never been on an ocean going liner since...............guess it's time to think about a cruise to somewhere, any suggestions?
  
  Well I guess that gives you a little insight into my early life. Have to admit being tagged does afford one the luxury of reminiscing. Having good memories, especially of one's childhood, is important, and these special times should always be written somewhere to share with future generations of one's family. My blog has become an important part of recording my history. I thank all of you for helping to make it so worthwhile by reading my posts and adding your great comments. You are all very special and have become part of my circle of friends - you too will be part of my history.
  
  

So, I now tag the following blog friends......................we know quite a lot of interesting things about your "now" so hopefully you will give us a little insight into your early days wherever they were - eight random things about your childhood or teens would be fun to hear about.............so wow us when you have time!

Peggy at Hidden Haven Homestead, Pat at Back Porch Musings, Linda at Frenchless in France, Marilyn at Ivy and Lace Cottage ...................and anyone else who would like to join the group!