My Great Auntie Katie had a huge influence on me growing up. As mentioned in another blog, my family and I moved into her house, Woodside, whilst a new family home was being built. We used to play with her big tin of buttons, and she’d give them all names and personalities and it would keep as occupied for what felt like hours. (Below a picture of a book gifted to me by Auntie Katie. Note, the dedications).
She would also tell me stories about her childhood and how she and her friends would get in trouble. Apparently, they made little paper mice to play with on their fingers and caused a distraction in class and got the belt! Not surprisingly, that one stood out and I sadly can’t remember the rest.
Auntie Katie was a religious lady and very moral. I remember more than once being told off by her for not eating my dinner. She wouldn’t hesitate to remind me that there were children starving in Africa. I don’t really remember her telling me off about anything else. She had a great sense of fun.
One evening, around Halloween, myself, and my best friendFiona, (we called ourselves Fifi and Don Dons) were up to mischief. We covered our faces and our hair in talcum powder and put on old clothes and then we snuck out to the front door and rang the bell. Auntie Katie answered and played along as we pretended to be two lost little orphans out in the cold. My Mum wasn’t so amused when she found the mess we’d left. Particularly, the talc we’d got in the grooves of Auntie Katie’s dresser. (Below is a picture of AuntieKatie when she worked as a nanny for a family based in Edinburgh)
Uncle Alistair was funny in his own way. He used to love watching the football on tv. He would stand up and jiggle his leg like he was playing himself. More than once he ended up putting his foot in his bowl of cornflakes, which he’d popped onto the floor.
Once I got into my teenage years, I was less interested in visiting Auntie Katie and Uncle Alistair. It wasn’t until I was in my twenties that I learned more about both and the amazing lives they had led. To be continued.
