Thursday, April 27, 2017

THE START OF LIFE'S JOURNEY

Let's Begin 

Hi my name is Jim. I was born in the UK in 1954 into a very big family. like most in my era  I did not appreciate just how blessed I was to have been born in time when you could leave your door unlocked  and all your neighbours knew each  other. Unlike today when kids get home from school and go to their bedrooms to watch TV,  play games on their xbox or text friends and mum brings them some junk food nuked in a microwave oven (I know that is not the case in all house holds). In most cases, both  parents have to work which leaves little time for family bonding. 

I came from a single parent family but was lucky to be surrounded by aunts and uncles. My mother's mum, my grandmother, had seventeen sons and daughters and although my mum had to work full time my grandma and granddad helped raise me (we lived with them in the family house). Also, we lived in in the country side in Cheshunt , Hertfordshire. At that time, it had the biggest nursery industry in Europe which is where my mum worked growing fruit and veg.


My early years are a bit of a blur. I started to really take notice when I was about eight or nine. One day at the start of the school summer holidays, my grandfather said i was old enough to start helping look after the animals and bees (we lived in a council house with a huge garden). We had chickens for eggs and to eat, rabbits to sell and eat, and bee hives at the bottom of the garden for the honey ( I love honey). My first task was to collect the eggs, clean the hen house and feed and water the chucks. Once I had proven that I was responsible enough to do my task, each day I could then go play with my friends on our go carts made with old pram wheels and pieces of wood that my uncle Jim had made for my eighth birthday. Another thing was that, if I did good with the chickens I would be taught how to care for the bees and collect the honey when the time was right (this was what i always wanted i was fascinated by bees), I suppose today we would be called a family that was trying to be as self sufficient as possible.


I can just say that I remember it---as long summers, warm summers-- spent outdoors playing cricket, football, climbing trees or scrumping (raiding an orchard for apples ) which was great fun until we got caught by the village bobby (policeman)---a story i will tell in my next blog.  

8 comments:

  1. Amazing story. I also miss those days. I am a little younger but where I was born, the way of life is very different. People trust each other more. The laws and regulations infringe the lifes of individuals alot less. Ever since I have moved to London 10 years ago I've been feeling deprived of many things that heald dear.

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    1. Thank you so much for taking time to read the blog, it's so close to my heart. :)

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    2. I hope you will find your way home even in a new environmen, Friendly Open Society.

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  2. Great backstory! Looking forward to reading more of your journey.

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    1. So glad you enjoyed ill try to keep it going.

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  3. So true what you say about back in the day, when people didn't spend all their time in front of a screen and you could leave your front door open. Lovely post this, you really describe the vibe from your childhood as you remember it!

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Worst time, to be a man-child!

Let me start by saying that "no child who is on the edge of becoming a man should be told that he has a baby sister" like this. ...