Tell it like it is

We have a t,v programmei England where celebrities are taken back in time to find out about their ancestors. We see and hear some almost unbelievable relevations . The participants are often shocked and tearful but as yet I have not seen anyone ashamed of their background .

I have passed my three score years and ten but I,m not a grumpy old biddy, life has changed enormously in my lifetime.

Last week bluebell and myself took a different route to go shopping , and along the way I pointed out a small landmark in my life, a post office in a country lane. This story is a bit fragmented but it has small chapters . Here goes

I have always lived within about 5 miles of where I live now except for a time in Cyprus.

My mother was widowed when I was 16 months old. She remarried when I was 3 yrs old , and went on to have 5 more children.

My mother ,myself and bluebell were sitting around my kitchen table a couple of years ago . bluebell was asking my mother questions about her life . "what was Kathleen,s father like "she ask , Oh! my mum replied " he was a rag and bone man" !!! my jaw dropped down to my knees , I,d never heard this story before ,
I said " on my marriage certificate it says he was a master builder , I presumed that meant he built houses , how come your saying he was a rag and bone man " She replied "well times were hard and there was no work to be had" . bluebell was creased with laughing at my reaction . She said if you could have seen your face, and the twinkle in your mums eye .

Now back to the different route to go shopping . as we went down the country lane , I said to bluebell, my mum , my sister and myself used to walk down this lane to collect the 10 shillings orphan allowance she got for me , once again it was jaw dropping time , you see I wasn,t adopted into my mum,s second marriage because I was worth 10 shillings while classed as an orphan ,

Yes ! times were hard and might well be again. I ask a friend to authenticate my mothers revalation and it was right, This friend is a person that goes back into records to help people find their roots.

I told bluebell I was going to put this tale on my blog . I know bluebells roots , mmmm, " don,t tell them my grandfather was a -------------------------" she quickly said .