Towards the end of August, Thatcham near Newbury was my destination to stay with great aunt and uncle Collins. They had no children of their own, but my brother would go there for a week, followed by me a week or so later. Although they lived on the busy Bath Road, their garden was entirely different to our own - little box hedges, cottage garden flowers to pick, vegetables and a chicken house and run at the bottom, all interspersed with fruit trees and bushes. An oasis of interest in fact. One of the highlights of these visits was a daily walk, together with the dog, around by the allotments. These sided on to fields, hedged by blackberries, harebells, and toadflax in particular. But the main attraction for me was the trees, seemingly enormous; I would race ahead of the others in order to climb up and 'hide'. From this vantage point I could see for miles and was able to spot the odd birds nest, fungus, insects and moths and maybe the oak apple - that spongy interesting growth.
All this together with a game of cards in the evenings, followed by a small but delicious supper and aunt Mabel's chips - cooked in beef lard - for breakfast in bed. What more could you ask for?
Back to school soon - and many friends hadn't even been on a day trip. How lucky we were by comparison.  |