My autobiography

 

I am the second child of four, from a very loving and close family.

My childhood holds many happy and fond memories, possibly my favourite one being running through a poppy field, I can still remember the feeling of total freedom and exhilaration.

I often revisit this memory.

I had a pretty normal school life and left school with six o’levels and the feeling that the world was my oyster!

So I took the first step towards my future by starting work in the treasurers department at Derbyshire county council.

My dad was thrilled his daughter was working for the ‘government’.

I went on day release and passed onc and hnc in public admin. Then the plans went a little astray – I met my future husband at work and my life changed direction.

I carried on working and we bought a house and worked together towards building a secure future.

We holidayed abroad and enjoyed a full social life.

Three years after we married we moved to a bigger house in a better area.

Life was good.

Alongside working at Derbyshire county council, I was running a slimming club one evening a week (unfortunately I have a weight problem) and I was also a trained Samaritan.

Through this I found that I was a stronger person than I had thought and after I had done a stint as a Samaritan I always came home thankful for what I had in my life.

After nine years of marriage we decided we would try for a

Baby, a year later when no baby materialised we decided our life could survive without children and decided to move house again, lo and behold three weeks later I found out I was pregnant.  

House moving put on hold we looked to the future again.

Our daughter was born on a Sunday morning in November 1989 and I remember thinking I was the only person ever to give birth it was wonderful!

She was a very good baby but even so I missed my old life.

I had to give up my evening jobs and after six months I returned to work part time in my old job.

It was the best of both worlds.

I never managed another baby for some reason but our life with Katie has been a wonderful adventure and only occasionally do I ponder on what might have been had I had further help to conceive.

My parents died within two years of each other, both unexpectedly and both whilst still relatively young in their sixties. This had a devastating effect on me and even now eight years on I still reach for the phone to tell them my news.

Since then my life has been dogged with ill health and five years ago I had to leave work because of my health.

I am very close to my younger sister but less close to my two brothers now that they have their own families.

I miss the independence I had when I was healthier and the social side of working life, but I think I make the best of my situation and have plenty of hobbies to fill my time.

We go abroad at least once a year sometimes twice and at the moment we are into cruises.

Last year we celebrated our silver wedding and had a huge party for our friends and went on a cruise to the fjords.

The whole year seemed to have a special feel to it, and we topped it off by retaking our vows whilst on the cruise.

This was very very special and I was surprised by how much it meant to me. In fact I would like to do it again!!!!!

My daughter has just finished her gcse’s and is looking towards a career in childcare, now the world is her oyster……

And I look forward to watching her enjoy it. 

 

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