"All grown-ups were once children. . .

"All grown-ups were once children. . . but only few of them remember it.

       --Antoine de Saint-Exupery, The Little Prince

     "I was born in the front bedroom at 151 Cross Street, Arnold, Nottingham, England, on April 25, 1927.  I was the seventh of Mam's children, and when I was born, Mam was 42, Dad was 41.  I had 5 sisters and 1 brother.  Kit was born in 1911, Nell in 1912, Winn and Doll in 1916, Mick in 1918, and the only son, Jack, in 1921.  When I was born, Kit, my eldest sister, was 16.
     I had a very loving childhood; I adored Mam and Dad.  They were so hard-working.  Mam took in washing, and Dad kept four allotments going so that we always had good healthy food on the table.
     Dad worked as a blacksmith at his forge four days a week.  On the fifth day, he went around to all the local farms, shoeing horses and repairing farm machinery.  He also built some beautiful wrought iron objects.  In Oxton, a village near Arnold, he build a huge wrought iron gate which is still there today.
     I spent many hours with Dad at his forge badgering him with question after question.  I loved to blow the bellows and see the fire flare up.  I still get goosebumps when I see a blacksmith working.
     Dad had a lovely Golden Retriever named Rex who walked with him to work each day.  He rescued the dog from a local farm where he was being abused."                                 --Joan Shelton        

Dad with Rex

Bit of history:  An allotment is a small piece
of land leased by the owner to individual gardeners.  An allotment usually has room for a shed and beds.  Its main purpose is for the growing of fruits, vegetables and flowers.
     Dadda, my grandfather, worked 4 allotments. He had a lot of mouths to feed--9 in all!  I imagine he also grew food in the long, narrow backyard at 151 Cross Street.
     Look at the eyes on the picture of Momma above.  She's 84 now, but her eyes are the same.
Pity the picture isn't in color so we could see their vivid blueness.