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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Secrets

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Secrets July 2015 My mother's glory box was the most beautiful treasure chest I had ever seen, stately and covered in glowing beaten copper on every surface, impressively studded along every seam. Its side, as well as the lid were decorated with rich rural scenes, featuring proudly sculpted Red Setter dogs, standing handsome and alert, with long feathered tails and legs and glowing copper-coloured coats. All the years I could remember, my fingers had lovingly stroked and polished those rounded reliefs, lustrous and lifelike, especially when firelight, on cold winter nights, flickered across the surface of the chest. I imagine those much-loved dogs springing into life My mother was a dressmaker and kept all her fabric remants, sewing patterns, spoons of thread and trimmings in her glory box. When I asked her why there were so many dress materials, she had an explanation. "Oh, the ladies bring the fabric, pattern and th...
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