Memories of my grandparents

Louise at Home is Where the Heart is inspired me to post about my grandparents. A quick look through my photo albums led to me scanning this photo in to show you. I think this was taken in 1988 - we were probably visiting my grandparents' house to attend my cousin's wedding which would have been that year. I remember that because I was married in '87 and my sister in '89 and my cousin in between.

From left to right are my husband, my mum, my sister, her (now ex) husband, my grandfather and my grandmother (my dad's parents).

I loved their old house in Hampshire (England). That verandah nurtured many geranium cuttings throughout every winter. They kept their garden very neat. Their back garden was huge and had a hole in it for putting practice (they were keen golfers). I remember they had golf clubs we could play with and a long yellow tube that stored a number of golf balls.

When my parents, sister and I went to stay at their house for holidays, my sister and I had to share a double bed. Much giggling and farting competitions! In the mornings, we always ran into Gran and Grandad's bedroom and watched the teasmade make the tea. In case you don't know what a teasmade is, it's a machine about the size of a coffee maker that boils the water, pours it into a teapot, and then buzzes to wake you up and let you know the tea's made!

My sister and I had our special stuffed toys - I had Tickly Ted (still have him) and she had Bunny. Once we heard my sister's screaming coming from the bathroom and went in to find Bunny being tossed around on the waves in the toilet! He was rescued, washed and hung on the washing line to dry.

We always were offered bitter lemon to drink (little bottles of fizzy lemon-flavoured drink) and there were cookies in the glass cookie jar on the dresser. We played Solitaire (the one with the round board and the marbles) and Patience (solitaire with playing cards). We had a paddling pool outside on hot days.

My grandad used to work for the Courage Brewery and occasionally one of the carts pulled by two massive shire horses would stop in the road and we'd get to pat them. I have one of the black Courage jugs that my gran used to use for milk - they would be used for water in the pubs.

We used to visit the same favourite places each time we went there - Chessington Zoo, Selbourne Hanger (a zigzag hike), Petersfield Pond to feed the ducks. Many happy memories.

Sadly my grandparents are no longer alive. A few years ago my grandfather was getting a bit dotty and we thought he might be the first to go. Then my gran died suddenly ..... and 6 weeks later my grandad died too. They had two sons - my dad and his brother John - they sold the house in Hampshire, and I find it hard to imagine someone else living in it now.