Simple Christmas 65

wear dresses and “costumes.” People looked very stylish in the old photographs. Clothes were bought to last in those days. There was no fast fashion then!

The primus stove in the picture brings back great memories of my dad making the tea on picnics. He always made the tea regardless of the weather. Even when it was raining, he would be outside the car pumping the primus to start the tea-making ritual. Everything tastes so nice in the open air. I can still remember the smell of the kerosene from the stove mingled with the smell of outdoors. Usually we went for a walk or hike or a swim first to build up our appetite before the picnic so that we’d enjoy it all the more. These outings gave me a great love and appreciation of nature especially as I lived in the city centre.

In the photo, I am holding my favourite teddy, a little black and white panda called Lord Snooty. He was named after one of the Bash Street Kids in the Beano comic, who always dressed in black and white. My mam used to buy me the Beano and other comics every week from Paddy, the paper seller who used to stand outside Whitefriar Street Church in Aungier Street selling newspapers, magazines and comics. I loved my teddy so much and brought him everywhere with me. As he got older and more worn, I used to think that he looked sad and I loved him all the more. Eventually he got so worn that he started to disintegrate and then he had to live in a sock for safe-keeping, with only his head peeping out. At least my own children got to meet him before he passed on to Teddy Heaven.

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