........as we skipped along the lane we noticed that one of the cows (A bull) was running around the field like crazy. We stopped and watched it because it was strange. I was skipping the rope and Sylvie was following behind. It would soon be time for her to turn back as we were almost to the High Street. Suddenly the bull jumped the gate. I turned and Sylvie was gone. I dropped the rope and ran...........home. At the top of the lane I saw a man heading down to the bus stop and I grabbed his hand, I told him about the bull and that I would be late for school, could he take me. So he accompanied me back down the lane. When we reached the High street there was nothing in sight. I continued alone to school. I heard after that the bull was shot by the local butcher and was in the street. I didn't see it. I will never know if the man believed me but I can thank my guardian angels that it ran the other way and didn't see me. It was indeed mad...........so they say.
I have never been afraid of cows. There were cows in fields either side of the Little Lane and if they were near a fence I would pet them. Mum walked into the side of a cows head one night coming home from work in the dark hehe.....and dad fell over one walking through a foggy field where the cows were laying down. One of his fishing expeditions. They had some tales to tell as well about adventures with bulls and the like.
I was thinking this morning that my parents really were not "hands on". I was left to my own devices quite early on. When small I was left with the next door neighbour until they moved and then pretty much on my own from then on. They never knew half of what I did. I spent a good deal of time over the fields and on my friends farm. I had several adventures with cows but I think I have told those stories before.
My best friend was Mick for a few years and we went everywhere together. He was older than me and we would go down the chalk pits looking for rabbits. We would climb the sheer face of the chalk pits and get up to all sorts. Dangerous I know now but no one knew but us. I was gone from dawn to dusk and no one would ever have known where I was. (Chalk pit cliffs)
I do remember once, with Sylvie again, we had been out looking for Violets or something like that. In this one field there was a big tree. We climbed it to the top. Getting up is always easy. Coming down not so much. I do not like heights. Well I was wearing a dress. We all did back then. I got almost to the bottom and then I jumped. Well a branch caught my dress and ripped it open from hem to neck. I can not remember explaining it to mum but do know I was in a lot of trouble. If the branch had caught me, I am not sure what would have happened but again my guardian angel was there for me.
I have always loved animals and never been afraid of them. I often wonder what my parents were thinking because twice that I know of when I was small, maybe 2 or 3 I ran away. I told about the steam train, well the other time they found me on the village green sitting among Colonel Parts hunting hounds.
They had their kennels near the Green and Houghton Hall was there at the back of the Green. Colonel Part used to ride out with his horses and hounds to the hunt. Well apparently this day I had heard the call and joined the hounds.
Another time my Dad was working in the garden and heard a horrible screaming noise. He found a dog caught on his back fence. He went inside to get his big leather motorbike gloves on. Told me to stay away. I could not stand it, the dog was choking and gnawing at the fence post. When Dad got back outside he bout had a fit. I was holding the dog up to relieve its neck before it either broke it or choked. I got a lecture. Sometimes you just have to do the right thing no matter the pain that it may cause. I still do silly things. Like when Laura and I found an owl by the side of the road. Prepared to pick it up, knowing we would get shredded by talons and beak but we could not leave it to die.............lucky for us it was just cooling off on a hot day and flew off into a tree. Got some lovely pictures first though.
3 comments:
Funny, I played all day and most all night with neighbors on the lake island on which I grew up - we scaled the high 30 foot cliffs and cliff dived into the lake from them, and camped and swam and ran around all the time - dad was working and mum was sick and we just lived - but those were different days and safe havens back then.
These days kids cannot be out of an adults sight pretty much, at least here in the city - but my memories of growing into the woman I am, well, priceless.
I enjoyed your story. Accept the getting in trouble parts. haha.
I remember days of freedom and wondering and my parents were stricter than others.
We always walked to school, with my sister when I was little and as I got older with my mates, often visiting their houses if they weren't ready, the school was a couple of miles away and we always looked after each other, we were fit and healthy because of exercise and ate everything we were given because we were always hungary.
Times have changed but have we lost something and it's a pity, I live near a school and you see the kids being delivered and picked up mostly no walking these days much.
Merle.....
Lots of adventures. It's amazing when we look back at things, how they all affected us in some way! You sure do have a guardian angel! I would have been very scared of that bull!
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