China 1999

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Good Times

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Good Times March 2019 The Sunday fortnightly visits to my paternal grandparents were usually regarded as a chore by my mother, but I remember them with great warmth and fondness. We usually came home with generous gifts of fruit and vegetables from Grandpa’s garden and Grandma always had a tiered cake-stand loaded with sweets – black balls, barleysugars and licorice allsorts. I used to peel the coloured layers from the allsorts and give the unwonted licorice to my brother, who liked the unusual taste. Grandma had a part-time job at a Point Chevalier sweet factory and shop. I went into the shop with her once, in school holidays and was captivated by a display of sugar mice and handsome marzipan penguins. Next Easter Sunday I was delighted to receive a beautiful penguin of my own, and lovingly held it stroked and admired it and carried it around in my pocket for some days until a stern ultimatum was given – "Eat...
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Schooldays

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Schooldays November 2016 I can recall most vividly my first day at school and the memorable last day at Takapuna Grammar School. On my fifth birthday-morning I was walked by my mother to my first primary school, on the northern outskirts of Whangarei – Whau Valley Primary. All the small children sat on a huge coarse-woven matt are covering the floor. It was not very comfortable. The teacher, with the aid of a long pointed stick, was instructing us all about colours from a wallchart. I disagreed with her judgement as to whether a chosen colour was pink or red, drawing regrettable attention to myself – the new girl. At morning play-time outside, a group of classmates gathered around me, laughing at the pinafore I wore over my dress, and jeering as I opened a tiny latched case and unwrapped a grease-proof paper-clad buttered scone, provided for my play-lunch by my mother. She appeared at noon and walke...
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