Whilst driving home yesterday afternoon, having had a new windscreen fitted to our car, having had a stone cause a 'starburst' chip to the old one, while driving on the motorway that morning, I was planning last nights dinner. I asked my other half if he would make some oven chips to add to my fish salad. Suddenly, a VERY old memory came into my mind of a time at junior school when I would have been between eight and ten years old.
It was of a friend I had at the time called Gillian Yardley whose family home backed onto Plumstead Gardens, a public park that included a roller skating rink. Gillian had invited me over so that we could visit the rink and have tea together, cooked by her mum. Apparently Thursday was egg and chip day, and I was lucky enough to be invited on Thursday after school.
My mum was a great cook but egg and chips was not in her repertoire, probably because there were five of us in my family and producing such fare for that number would have been expensive in those days. Gillian was an only child and Mrs Yardley just cooked for the two of us if I remember rightly. The delicious meal was served with white bread and butter, the chips were hot and crispy and the egg was just right with a lovely runny yolk, what a feast it seemed! As you can tell the memory is still vivid!
After tea we skated for some time in the park,with what seemed great speed and agility, I might add that neither of us were sylph like! We had fun moving at speed on our skates. Thinking about it now, we were both pretty good swimmers too, our plumpness made us buoyant! Whilst we didn't excel in the P.E.class we excelled in the pool.
I remember that we both achieved a certificate for swimming a mile in the local swimming baths. No mean feat in a twenty five yard pool!
That evening brings another memory of Plumstead Gardens to mind.
We used to have a class at school during the winter months in which we were taught English country dancing. Mrs Banner was responsible for teaching country dancing,music and needlework as I recall. I was never part of the good looking 'in set', so when it came to choosing partners for dancing, I was usually one of the left overs, together with a bunch of nerdy boys. To describe us as a motley crew was putting it mildly. Anyway, I usually ended up being partnered with one of the boys adorned with vest, braces and knee length shorts, namely either Roger Shilling, Colin Dent or Martin Paget. Possessing a wicked sense of humour, a significant part of the class would be spent laughing at our efforts to master such dances as Strip the Willow and St Catherine's Circle.
Somehow our class was entered into an inter schools dancing display to be held at Plumstead Gardens. As a result of our inattentiveness, we had little idea how the dances were supposed to have been performed, a couple of friends and I derived much laughter from swinging these skinny boys around by the braces, bumping into the other dancers and generally spoiling the performance. Needless to say we were in big trouble as a result of spoiling the event, I don't remember the punishment, but I still giggle at the memory when I hear the tunes played that we used to "dance" to!
Today such fun would no doubt be inappropriate today.
I wonder from time to time how these old school mates would have turned out, probably well heeled, good looking computer experts.I wonder if they remember the mess we made of the dancing display.
Its fun looking back,the world has changed so much,I'm starting to feel like a dinosaur!
Happy Days
Simply Susan
