Chapter 2
Early memories
The earliest memory I can remember is my sisters christening, on 2nd November 1997. My sister (Jenny) wore a hand-smocked dress with roses on it. Mum, dad granny grandpa, Auntie Lesley, Auntie Gillian and Auntie Vicki, Uncle Ian, Uncle Bob, Uncle David.
Paul Meek was my dad’s friend at university and was the best man at mum and dad’s wedding. I can remember that Paul Meek gave me a Porsche for Jennifer’s christening. (Obviously not a real one!)
We went to St. Mary’s Church in Yate. The vicar was from St. Nicholas and he didn’t like the way the people were signing, so he asked everyone to sing again!
My sister’s christening cake was a fruitcake win marzipan and icing on. On the top of the cake there was a ballerina made of pink and white icing.
I was wearing stone chinos with a top on for Jennifer’s christening. There was a finger buffet (chicken drummers, sausage rolls) carrot cake, chocolate fudge cake and fresh fruit salad.
Another early memory is Snowdonia, the highest peak in Wales. Mum, Dad, Jennifer and me went to South Wales in August 1995. We lived in a little caravan for 1 week and I can remember by sister and me made a tent inside the bedroom.
My sister and me put pillows and covers in the gap between the 2 beds. My mum, sister and me put on a little show. There was some signing and at the end there was a puppet show.
My sister bought a furry sheep backpack from the woollen mill just over the road from our caravan. Sometime during the week we went to Snowdonia. It was 1085 ms/3560 ft above sea level.
It was extremely cold at the top of the mountain so I had a drink and some biscuits. There was a cable car trip up the mountain and I can remember I bought a "Snowdon summit" badge.
Another early memory is when my family and I went to the Norfolk broads in Great Yarmouth, which is in the south east. We had a motor powered boat, a houseboat (where we stayed for the week) and a car space.
When we arrived to our holiday we saw the boat, unpacked into the houseboat and then went back to the little boat and tried to start the engine, with no success! Dad and me got in the boat and as soon as dad started rowing and me and him started to go the wrong way!
The people who owned the houseboat and the little boat came about an hour after we arrived. They told us that we wouldn’t get the engine of the boat started without the little stop button (which was a cord attached to your wrist and the engine to cut the engine if fell overboard)
During the holiday we went into the main city of Great Yarmouth which was all right if you like shopping (not me!) and a few days after we arrived we ran out of milk. So dad and me set of in the engine powered little dinghy and when down the water highway and finally we followed the water road and then we came to a supermarket. So we tied up the dinghy and when to buy the milk!