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Sometimes serendipitous synchronicity surprises. Scanning colour slides from summer 1986 this morning, I found this to be so.
I have mentioned before that we house-sat The Dumb Flea for the Drapers for a couple of weeks that year. We were joined one day by our friends Carole and
Brian Littlechild..
Sam had managed to acquire an army hat. I have no idea whether it belonged with the rifle Brian is posing with. Could it have belonged to Jessica’s father? I don’t have enough knowledge of militaria to recognise the badge. Interestingly Sam, who here acts out his own campaign with the aid of a cricket bat, has inherited a black and white photograph of his maternal grandfather receiving the Military Cross from Field Marshall Montgomery.
Sam and his sister loved to race around the lawn.
It looks as if Louisa was up to mischief of some kind.
She had her own uses for the cricket bat.
Back at home in Gracedale road, the two children investigated a skip in the street,
and improvised a garden slide with the aid of a ladder and duvets. This idea was to reach maturity a few years later on the wide Victorian staircase at Lindum House.
Now for the synchronicity.
All my children have enjoyed pet rats. This one was called Ratty. Although Sam stuck to one at a time, I believe Matthew’s tally once reached 70 or more. Wasn’t it therefore serendipitous that I came to these pictures the day after featuring Rasputin?
This evening we will be dining at Tyrell’s Ford with Helen, Bill, Shelly, and Ron. I will report on that tomorrow.
Such Adorable kids ☺
Many thanks Rekha
You’re welcome, Derrick. ☺
And many thanks to you for the follow on my other blog site. 😀
I loved this post, Derrick! Your shots of the children are wonderful. Hum…not sure about a pet rat. I had gerbils. 🙂
We had those, too, Jill. Very many thanks
LOL- I had gerbils, too, but for some reason am not quite as charmed by the idea of a pet rat.
Me either, Jodie! Of course, I remember returning from vacation and my gerbil had eaten my sisters…we were traumatized!
Did you have any other sisters, Jill? 🙂
I have one sister. 🙂
The pictures of the kids are lovely, as usual. Ratty and Rasputin may be sending you a message from the Rat Beyond. 🙂
It looks that way, doesn’t it Oglach? Thanks a lot
Such lovely family photos–and memories, too, I’m sure. Enjoy your dinner!
Many thanks, Merril. When I work with these photos, I am right back there.
Oh, that’s so true! How often had I forgotten something until I see a photo – then I remember it all.
Thanks, Jodie
Pictures imbued with memories! A joy to behold!
Thanks so much, Sofia
I like the dynamics you captured in the pictures.
Thanks very much, Rabirius
Your photos continue to amaze me! Poor little Tom! And we used to have pet rats! I love them!
You could have tamed Rasputin.
I’m sure. Mary. A shame, really. Thanks very much
🙂
Ratty is a sweetheart! We used to have a rat named Nutmeg Noodles that had a brown heart on her back. She was the sweetest pet we’ve ever had–more than dogs and cats even. She loved cooked carrots and kidney beans. I miss her.
They are amazing pets. Thanks, Luanne
I’m personally not keen on rodents! But I like your alliteration 🙂
Thanks, Pauline. I couldn’t help myself.
Fine looking children, now handsome 40 year olds I imagine.
How lucky we are to have photographs of our children growing.
As for the cap badge I couldn’t get a clear enlargement so I’m unable to identify it, shape appears similar to the Suffolk Regiment but it’s not clear and detailed enough to hazard a firm guess/opinion.
I loved your post until I saw the rat 🙂
🙂 Sorry about that, but thank you, Sylvie
Ratty is very cute. Of course, it brings to mind Ratty of Wind in the Willows, though I believe he was probably larger and brown.
Thanks, Lisa. I’m sure Kenneth Graham’s Ratty was as you say.
My son’s rat was a dear member of our family and enjoyed status at Jamie’s elementary school as well as riding in his shirt front pocket, face out and nose “a’quivering” with such curiosity! 🙂
Louisa is lovely and photogenic. Sweet and mischievous, I like her dual personality! Sam seems to have similar, attractive features to yours, Derrick. You both have nice eyes. Just an observation and not to be taken wrong. 😉
Very many thanks, Robin. LOvely image of your son’s rat. I don’t take such compliments wrong 🙂
Smiling at this one! 🙂
Such a fun-loving family! Am I glad to see a better version of Rasputin this time!
Many thanks, Uma
15th or 15th/19th Hussars cap badge. http://www.nam.ac.uk/research/famous-units/15th-kings-hussars
Great photos.
Well done, Quercus. I hoped someone might recognise it. It would, then, have belonged to Sam’s maternal grandfather. Thanks very much.
Fortunately the original photograph was nice and clear.
Such beautiful children, and such lovely times they had. Kids! But then the rat! I’m rather phobic of them, so that was a challenge to look at… Glad they were not!
Very many thanks, Cynthia. Well done for persevering
I’ve never had a pet rat, but when we lived in Chicago, we had many pet cockroaches. 😊
:), Thanks a lot Rose
What beautiful memories and beautiful photography
Many thanks, Geetha. Louisa has asked for a copy of the one in the skip 🙂
Welcome Derrick. She looks gorgeous in all the pictures
Aha! So my brother’s pet rat Herman did not run away to join the circus. He jumped on a boat to England and spawned many progeny, one of which came into Sam’s possession.
So that’s why he had an Oz accent 🙂
So when he went “squeak, squeak, squeak” his vowels were flat? More like “squeek, squeek, squeek”?
🙂
If he was from NZ it would be “squck, squck.”
Yep. Having one Aussie and one NZ daughter in law I get quite a lot of brownie points for knowing the difference is in the vowels 🙂
Good on you!
Such special photos!!!
Many thanks, Lynn
Why can’t they simply stay like that? (Kids, not rats!)
Yes, Leslie. Thanks a lot.