30! and we're done! in nojomo 2013

The last prompt is about memory. Five memories I will carry to old age.

Yeah, well... Here's the deal... Unlike my active 92 year old neighbour, I won't be driving up north frequently during my dotage. Family history tells us that I will be in a home being bitchy to the staff and not having a clue who anyone is!!

However, if (by some miracle) that doesn't happen my overriding memories from my life so far (and let's face it, I've probably done half of it now) are:

1) Talaia's birth. Long, painful, very erratic ccontractions and nearly ended in surgery because she was back to back and had got stuck... but the bed I was being wheeled on hit the wall on the way to the theatre and the jolt moved her. She was born naturally in the theatre while the surgeon determinedly prepped for surgery and the midwife screamed "she's going to do it fucking naturally!" At him. Heh heh heh!

2) Lila's birth. Absolutely text book! One of the rare births that is! I had my show at 3am, waters broke at 6am, contractions started at midday, went into hospital at 5pm, she was born at 8ish after my contractions became steadily closer together.

3) my mum dying. The phone call from my brother, the drive to Hertfordshire to my brother's house, then up north together. The days in the hospital waiting for dad to wake up. The funeral, snowy and beautiful.

4) Rich asking me to marry him. The sun was struggling to rise over Glastonbury Tor on the summer solstice 2002. We were amongst wiccans, witches, pagans and druids as well as people (like us) along for the ride. He asked and I said "yes please." We stumbled back to the tent but not for sleep, we drove, very slowly (due to lack of sleep) to the backpackers in town to watch Brazil v England in the world cup. We lost. And Rich and I just smiled!

5) in 1976 (i think) there was a drought in England. The road I lived on has a small non navigable canal travelling behind the houses. It was built as a flood defence as my home town is below sea level and has a tidal river. The canal isthereto take the weight of any excess water from the river. My childhood was spent at the bottom of our garden with the midgies and my friends. We had a rubber dinghy that we used on it. When I wanted to be alone I'd go down there and contemplate life and when my dad has had to give speeches he practices them to the Dam (the canal's name). And at least once a year the bottom of our garden (which housed the apple orchard) would flood. Near our house was the playing field. At that time it was a large field used by the local rugby club for training but at one end were a set of swings, a slide and a climbing frame (all with concrete underneath, it was the seventies after all!) The side near the Dam had a bank that dropped down to a lower level of grass before reaching the Dam. This was often quite squelchy and even had a reed bed at the far corner. In the summer of 1976 the reed bed dried out completely. We always knew to stay away from it because of the danger (the ground was very soft, muddy and boggy) before but now it was fair game. And the game? Hide and seek. My friends, F & M, and I were crawling around in there. I could hear some noise and see something blue through the reeds and was pretty sure I'd find F... "i can see you!" I called. Then, crawling on my belly, broke through the reeds to where "F" was... It wasn't F, if course. It was a teenage couple and they were also enjoying the anonymity that the reeds were offering! Whoops! Annoying kids hey?!

And that was my five. I really hope I take them with me as far as possible :)