Day Eight: What’s the best memory you have before age 15? in NojoMo

Three entries in one day! that’s a record for me.

I don’t think I have a best memory. I had a happy childhood and there are loads of good memories. My parents kept a pub in Shrewsbury and some of my happiest times are our Sunday afternoon drives in the car. Although my parents didn’t go out to work, they worked 7 days a week, 365 days a year in the pub and, once I was old enough to be left alone in the evenings, I didn’t see a lot of them.

Sundays, however, were special. In those days pubs had opening hours layed down by law and in the week they closed at 3.30pm and opened again at 6.30 but on Sunday the pub closed at 2pm and didn’t open until 7pm so we were able to have our dinner all together and then go out for a run in the car.

My favourite place to go was Church Stretton, a beautiful little town about 10 miles away that was surrounded by hills. There is a place there called The Cardingmill valley, a beautiful spot with a brook running through it. We would park the car and Mum and I would climb the hills while Dad relaxed with the Sunday paper. Then we would go for an ice cream and Dad would drive us round to the park where there was a playgroud and I and any friend I may have brought along would play on the swings for half an hour then it would be time to go home. Simple pleasures but every time I think of Church Stretton I think heaven must look a bit like that.

I found this photo on the net -