I think I must have got it from my mother. WANDERLUST I mean. I have often wondered why I found myself in Harrogate eating chocolate ginger when I should have been sitting in lectures in College in Bradford. It was those names on the front of buses that did it. I just had to try them all out. The places I mean. I just couldn’t resist.
I think I vaguely remember going to Harrogate with my mother, and going to the shop that sold chocolate ginger. She was a right one for chocolate ginger, my mother. And she was a right one for moving house too. Every bloody six months. No wonder I can’t do Maths. I mean, what do you expect when you get to a new school and they’re doing decimals and you are still stuck on fractions. I gave up at that point. Not that my mother did. Got excited at the thoughts of moving to a new place. Even when we finally settled in the same town, she had to keep moving. Up and down that bloody hill. They used to tease her that she was wearing that bit of road out. She didn’t take too kindly to that. She never was good at taking jokes, my mother.
I’ve always wanted to wander free. Not be caged in. Sleeping in fields. You know, that sort of thing.
“The best people sleep under hedges.”
That’s what my cousin David used to say. And he was right. Then he buggered off to Holland. No one ever knew where he went. Waved him off on the boat from Hull and that was it. He might be in a monastery now for all we know. He had stayed with the monks one time when he was down on his luck. Maybe the hedges in Holland weren’t any good. Or maybe there aren’t any in Holland. Well he certainly had the wanderlust too.
My Dad wasn’t too bad at it either. Mind, he always got lost anyway. Couldn’t find his way from one street to another even in Blackpool. Abroad would certainly have taxed him. He’d probably have ended up in the red light district. Just like my Mum did. But that’s a whole other story of wanderlust getting the better of you.
Yeah, I’ve got a bit of the wanderlust. See you in Timbuctoo.
This was so fun. You must tell us more!!!
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A very pleasant read, Lorraine.
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“No wonder I can’t do Maths. I mean, what do you expect when you get to a new school and they’re doing decimals and you are still stuck on fractions.”
This made me sad. As no child should be able to experience this kind of situation when they had to adjust, fit in and catch up every now and then. I was a school teacher for a while and i’ve witnessed new students struggle to survive and fit in.
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The child was actually me mich. moved schools so iften, but I still ended up with two degrees and a Masters. So it didn’t affect me too badly. Except Istill can’t do maths lol.
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I know Lorraine…and just so glad it didint affect you so badly…and two degrees and a masters is WOW, just wow..
Me too cant do maths despite of having two degrees and a Masters as well…lol..i guess we have so much in common..
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Lol. I hate maths anyway. Give me literature any day. I think if you really WANT to you can overcome ANYTHING in life. It might be hard, and a struggle but you can do it. I find making lasting friendships quite difficult as a result of my childhood. Moving around you never get to ve close to nyone. What is toyr masters in? Mine is theology and sociology and with womens studies in there too. I did a Ph.D on viokebce against women but never got to submit ur as my dad died and everything got inetrrupted, sadly.
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Oh, so bad you did not finish your Ph.D. …my masters was on teaching English and a few units in Ph. D on applied linguistics..
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Well done you. It’s hard work isn’t it, but worth it.
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I agree Lorraine😀
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Nice recollections, Lorraine. I remember buying a ‘Red Rover’ bus ticket in London, during the school holidays. You could travel on any bus, all day with that one ticket. I looked at the place names on the front of buses, parts of London I had never seen. I just got on any bus, and stayed until it got to the end. Then crossed the road, and got another bus to somewhere else.
Best wishes, Pete. x
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Lol! So have I! A lot, actually…Lol! I’ve no sense of direction!
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