Wednesday, January 10

Think happy thoughts, think happy thoughts...

Think Happy Thoughts!

These lovely pics were taken by Nice Neighbour, of their beautiful orchid. When it flowers, it perfumes the whole neighbourhood with the smell of vanilla!
I asked if NN had some pics, so she obligingly provided me with these.

I find I have mixed feelings about orchids- there is something vaguely sinister about the look of this one, but the perfume is nice, so I am not sure what I find disquieting about them. Mr & Mrs NN seem to have the magic touch with plants, including the orchids.
One of my wishes, when I was a child, was to learn the piano. Of course, we didnt have a piano, nor was there space for one,- nor could my mother have afforded one, or the lessons. But that didnt stop my childish heart from yearning to learn.
I used to spend weekends at a girlfriend's house, & they had a piano. My girlfriend had no desire to learn, though she had had some lessons, & was somewhat of a Tomboy, in that all she cared about was cars. She had 3 older brothers, & an older married sister. She was by way of being 'an afterthought' as my mother used to say.
Her mother was a lovely woman, with a wonderful sense of humour, & we had some great times, laughing. Her father was a strangely silent man, who had a skin condition- something like excema, which was probably caused, or exacerbated, by the fact that he worked in the Dairy Factory. I am not sure what he did, but I know he was a very clever man, & I suspect he was something to do with getting the balance of the cheese correct. He was a Scientific Mr Big at the factory.
As we got older, my girlfriend's mother was frequently away, nursing her ill mother, & so my girlfriend & I virtually 'ran wild' at the weekends. Dear old Mr C would retreat into his world of itching, & reading, & we would play loud music, & dance about in the lounge, & my friend would study her brother's books about cars.
Girlfriend's father owned an old Morris Oxford - I think it was. Not a car person, & was never really 'into' them the way my girlfriend was. My girlfriend could drive, & I am not sure how she learnt, but suppose one of her brothers taught her when he was home. One of her older brothers had been killed in Korea, another lived in Australia, & her nearest brother seemed to be away a great deal, doing what, I am not sure.
He got his pilot's license, & I remember he took us for a flight over the Mt Maunganui area, once, in a small Piper plane, to help get his hours up for becoming a commercial pilot. He owned a motorbike, & was speed mad, as was my girlfriend.
When we got to be about 15, my girlfriend used to sneak her father's car down the rather steep driveway, & then we would push the car down the road, & she would start it, & off we would go! I think the first time she did it, I was terrified. I kept expecting the police to stop us, or her to crash the thing. She drove fairly well, considering, & we never did come to grief.
As the driveway was so steep, we had no chance of pushing the heavy old car back up again, so she would roar up the driveway, on our return, & roar into the garage. I dont know if her father ever knew, but reason would seem to say he must have! Or else he was totally deaf! Nothing was ever said though, so she continued to do it, when she dared.
I was a relatively 'good' child, as far as school went, & didnt truant -until my final year of High School, & that was only in Study periods, when about 6 of us used to cycle off to a river & swim in the lovely cool water during the steamy, sleepy, heat-laden, lazy, summer afternoons. I can still remember the smell of the grass, and the smell of the river, with the tall basket willows on the banks. And the smell of the bracken, tangled & tall. It would be so golden & hot, & we always wished we could just sleep, lying in the long grasses, after our swim. Of course we had to return to put in an appearance before the school day finished. And then get all hot again, cycling home from school!
My friend of the car-knapping, was an out-of-school friend. Not sure why, but it just seemed to work out that way. She was never in my class, -apart from our first year at school- & so we just didnt spend time together at school. On some of our nighttime excursions she would speed down shingle roads to the beach, & we would swim in the ocean in our underclothes! Even in those days, we seemed to be reluctant to strip off, though it was usually just the two of us.
We are probably lucky we didnt drown, as it was a somewhat wild ocean beach, with a heavy undertow in places. I look back now, & think we are probably lucky to still be alive! I dont know if her mother knew the half of what we got up to, while she was away nursing her mother, but she never said anything to us. Nor did her father, who was probably just glad we fed him, & left him in peace with his books & his itch.
My friend never did very well at school, and I suppose largely 'wasted' her education, as far as academic achievments go. But she became a nurse, & later the Matron of a Hospital, & is now a very High Poo Bah in a Hospital Board.
She always had a wonderful, generous warm heart, & would give a friend anything, unconditionally.
She married a wonderful man, & had 2 lovely children, & now has 4 wonderful grandchildren
And yes, she is still my 'buddy'!

12 comments:

Fiona said...

Hi Meggie, thanks for visiting my blog. I had such a laugh reading your entries - especially the one about the weird names they give kids these days. I'll come back and visit.

Faith said...

aww i love reading your stories, the flowers look nice but they remind me of the triffids shame they are not triffids to swallow up rude loud mouthed brats spoilt little thingies lol

Bec said...

Faith took the word out of my keyboard: Triffid. I have the same feelings about orchids - other than those lovely, delicate, white Singaporean ones, perhaps?

Another great story - reminds me a bit of my friend Susan, including the out-of-school part. Thanks Meggie!

My float said...

I agree - orchids freak me out a bit. I've never been able to understand what people see in them.

Love the story about skipping school. I could almost smell that grass! The one thing I loved about being a child was lying in the cool damp grass in the morning and watching the ants climb up and back down. And chewing on those sweet little grass nodules we used to be able to eat. Heavens knows what they were!

Lovely, lovely memories.

Ali Honey said...

Flying over the mt. Maunganui area these days would look a little different!

Mrs. Goodneedle said...

What a lovely tale of youth. I love reading your posts because your writing style flows so easily and weaves fact, humor and your narrative comments together in one neat and tidy package. I agree with you regarding the appearance of orchids.

Jeanette said...

Hi Meggie
I love orchids I did a post on mine in October
What a loverly story on your childhood..

Aunty Evil said...

I have never been a great fan of Orchids, although I can admit that some of them are quite pretty. I still don't want one though, they don't compare to roses, in my eyes.

Nice story about your friend Meggie, it just goes to show, that you may not always need an education, as long as you have "smarts".

Ancestor Collector said...

Hello, Meggie. Thank you so much for your comments in my blog. I'm quite surprised that others have found me, but Mrs. Goodneedle has many quilting, blogging friends.

Your posts are so interesting to read....like a storybook. You have such a flair for the written word. The photos you have posted are just spectacular! I'm envious of your summer now in Australia as it's cold and blustery here today.

The genealogist in me needs to tell you that my great-grandfather who deserted his family in England and fled to Australia, ended up in NSW and died there in Liverpool. He is buried in the Church of England cemetary there. One day, Hubby and I hope to visit Australia...it's at the top of the list of places we will go once retirement offers us unlimited holiday time.

Again, thank you and I'm so pleased to meet you!

molly said...

So when will you be publishing the Meggie Memoirs? You certainly have enough lovely stories that make us feel we are there....

meggie said...

How kind you all are, with your comments.
I do feel quite flattered, & think perhaps you exagerate.
I am glad you seem to enjoy the stories.
My brother tells me he enjoys reading things he never knew about his sister!

Julia said...

Meggie,
You should write a book, you have a way with words, and it's always interesting to read what you write.
Love the orchid, a very unusual colour.