Happy days . . .

 

"Studies have shown that recalling happy times helps boost

happiness in the present." 

 

It should have been the worst of times, but upon reflection it was one of the happiest time periods in my life. My first marriage had broken up and I was back home, living with my parents, sister, brother and infant son.  (My oldest son, Anthony.)  That's my mom and Anthony feeding Tina.  Tina was one of my mother's cats.  She lived to be 22 or 23, which is very old for a cat. 

You can see from the cupboards that my mom has well baby-proofed the house, with rubber bands holding the cupboard doors shut, etc.  Anthony was not just my baby, he was everyone's baby, and I think out of all my kids, he was the one my parents always felt closest to. (Although they love(d) them all!)  

  

 

I''ve always loved my family so very much and that began with my immediate family, my mom, dad, sister, brother.  It was wonderful being back with them, and having my son with me.  (I think I was about 20 in this photo.)  All I had ever wanted was to be a mom myself. Back then you had to get married to be a mom, or well, you were expected to get married to become a mother.  From the time I found out I was pregnant with my oldest son, I had been on cloud nine, and having him, whilst being probably the scariest and most painful thing I had ever done, was the fulfillment of all my dreams.  It was sad that my marriage broke up, but I had my little boy and that was the best thing ever.  

 

And he was doted on by all of us.  My father always had a nap every night after supper and often Anthony would cuddle with him for a while.   

  

They really were best buds.  Those Donald Duck slippers were slippers my father had brought back for him from a trip my dad had taken to Bermuda. (He used to go down there to service the aircraft. My dad was an aircraft electricial with the CAF.)  These old photos make my heart sing.

 

This was where he learned to walk, at the age of 11 months.  This is him out in my parent's front garden, taking some of his first steps. My sister and I would sit about 6 feet apart on the floor in the living room and he would toddle back and forth between us.  Oh my but we were all so proud of him!  

  

This was where he learned to feed himself . . . messily, but  good times!  

 

Where he learnt how to smell flowers  . . .  he used to blow on them instead of smell them  . . . 

  

(Christmas 1976)

That year my parents got a tiny table top tree just so that he would be safe and not get hurt by anything.  I think my mother was still using this tree right up until this past Christmas.  Her little tree  . . . she always set it up on a small table in her living room each year.  Anthony was terribly fascinated with the coloured glass balls.

 

(Anthony and my mum, Halloween 1976)

It was where I learnt how to be a mum, from my mum.  I am so grateful for that time spent with my mum, dad, brother and sister.   Things started to change not too long after this  . . .  my sister went off to Ontario to live, and eventually Anthony and I went out to Manitoba to live, and my brother went off to University.  That year or so that I spent living back with my family however, is filled with lots of happy memories for me, and plenty of love.  It was the last time we were all living together.

 

Those first few years of being a mum  . . .  best of times.  When I think back on it, I really knew nothing about how to be a good mother.  I hadn't had a lot to do with wee children, just the odd babysitting job, which teaches you NOTHING about the reality of it.  I had good parents though, and a great mother,  and they made all the difference in the world! I am so grateful for their love and support through a difficult time.

  

I had a very blubbery day yesterday.  I guess that is to be expected!  Good days and bad days. It helps to keep busy, I find, and yes, to remember happy things. 

I've started another blanket and am going to be trying my hand at some assemblage.  I have been gathering ideas and doing sketches.  I want it to be Alice In Wonderland themed.  That was one of my favourite stories when I was a child.  We had an abridged version of it in our home encyclopedia.  I think I had it memorized.   

It was the old version with the original illustrations in it, not the Disney-ised ones. My plan is to incorporate these some how.  We will see how it all goes.  It might end up wonderfully, or it might fail spectacularly!  Its all an adventure! 

A thought to carry with you  . . . 

° * 。 • ˚ ˚ ˛ ˚ ˛ •
•。★★ 。* 。
° 。 ° ˛˚˛ * _Π_____*。*˚
˚ ˛ •˛•˚ */______/~＼。˚ ˚ ˛
˚ ˛ •˛• ˚ ｜ 田田 ｜門 ★
 *Life is like a roller coaster.

It has its ups and downs.

Its your choice to scream

or enjoy the ride. 

~unknown  •。★★ 。* 。 

 
 

In The English Kitchen today  . . .  Alice's Plain Cake.  The source of all my blubbering yesterday.  You'll see  . . . 

Have a great Saturday.  We have a Baptism to attend later today  and both Todd and myself are speaking.  Should be great however as I always enjoy going to Baptism's!  Don't forget along the way of your day . . . 

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And I do too!