Memories

Katetakes5 whose blog inspired me to start my own, has invited her followers to celebrate 2013 with five photos from the family album. It must be an Irish thing doing this four months into its successor!
I'd thought 2013 was a year that I'd prefer to forget, but my albums have reminded me how much there is to be grateful for.


My 11 year-old is more grown up than me, her cosmetics collection more extensive, her behaviour more decorous and her hobbies more sophisticated - but this picture reminds me that beneath the Benefit foundation she is still my little girl.




Disillusioned with school-gate gossip about SATs tests and marital relations I decided that we middle-aged matrons needed to Get Out More. This was the second in a programme of undignified conduct before pick-up time. 


Reunion. The 9-year-old meets his cousin over from Oz. 


My parents' 80th birthday party. My mother, five hours older than my father, declared that a melancholy date had been turned into one of the happiest in their long lives. Which is a comfort for us now.



This is the last photo taken of my mother shortly before she was run over. And this was my last trip out with her. We took her to Buckingham Palace and she said she would remember it forever as a golden day. That memory was erased that November night, but I shall now never forget.

What did 2013 do for you?

Comments

  1. So sorry to read about your mother. Your last post is very poignant x

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  2. You have some very special memories of time spent with your mother, that is very evident from this post.

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  3. What lovely memories.

    So your parents shared a birthday? I went out with two different men, both of whom I shared a birthday with (went out with, at different time, I hasten to add). In both cases, it was the flurry of excited conversation generated by the discovery of our shared birthday that launched the relationships. In both cases, it turned out very quickly that a shared birthday wasn't enough of a basis for a long-term one. But how lovely that in your parents' case, it was.

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    1. My father hates the shared birthday. In the days when my mother gave out that she was years younger he'd have to remember to lie about his own birth year since everyone knew they were twins. And he'd sometimes get saucepans and linen as a joint birthday present from relatives.

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  4. Very moving Anna. Love to you

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  5. Well you made me laugh and cry in the space of about 10 seconds. That picture of you all in the raft would bring a smile to anyone's face! Brilliant. And I like that you got to pick out some pictures and trigger some good memories of your mum. Oh, and 4 months late is nothing in Ireland. x

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    1. I wish you lived nearer. You could come on our next adventure!

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  6. A celebratory year despite the terrible event. I see you trying to see the glass half full.

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    1. So long as there's lager in it I'm on for it being half full.

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  7. I love your assurances that your child at 11 has moments of always being 'yours'- at 5 years old my daughter never fails to amaze me with her independence!
    Such beautifully captured memories, I have only just discovered your blog, and from reading briefly, I am so sorry for all that you and yours have been through- and am glad that you have such positive moments gained from it. I do hope your mum continues to gain her strength. x

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  8. Anna it's wonderful to see some pictures of your Mum enjoying herself with her family before such an awful event. I'm so glad you are able to take some comfort from those images and memories.
    I LOVE the rafting picture too - so want to do that x

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    1. You can. It's at the Lee Valley Olympic white water rafting centre quite near you.

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  9. Awww what a beautiful collection of memories!
    I'd love to try water-rafting, but I'm too scared ;-)
    So so sorry for your loss xx

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    1. Luckily for us she did survive the accident, but is still in hospital with brain damage. So we still have her - but differently.

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  10. The photographs of and with your mother are so poignant - she looks great at 80! So sorry that dire circumstances led her to be where she is now.... X Love the picture of you white water rafting.... And 2013 was the year that I moved house, and began writing my first novel (have the first draft finished now, now writing the second). X

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    1. Am full of admiration for you for putting pen to paper and getting it done. Hope it finds the success you deserve.

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  11. Nice photos-looks like you had fun. Best wishes, beebeesworld

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  12. pretty nice blog, following :)

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