Sunday 1 January 2012

Storytelling Sunday 2

The past couple of months I have read with interest the Storytelling Sunday posts of a couple of my blogging friends thinking hmmm I really should do this but being unsure whether I was allowed to just join in or not I ummmed more than typed lol. As this is the first day of a New Year and a Sunday to boot Sian has started Storytelling Sunday 2 and I am going to join in. You can too by clicking on the link in the words Storytelling Sunday 2 above.

I was sat pondering on what I would share for my first go at this and I kind of went off on a tangent. I started thinking about my nan who would have been 97 tomorrow if she was still with us and how I last saw her in 2004 on her 89th birthday at her home shortly before we lost her but I then remembered the last time I visited her in hospital and although still a fairly sad story it also has some laughter.
It was November 2003 and although bitterly cold it was bright and sunny and a lovely crisp Autumn day, Phil and I had travelled to Swindon with Joel 3 and Dylan not long turned 1 to visit Nan in hospital. Nan had been in and out of hospital many times over the past few years but this was the first time since their move from London to Swindon and I had visited her either alone, with my parents, or with Phil and the boys at every hospital and it was important to me to continue to do so. We went up to see her knowing we couldn't be there too long with small children as it would stress both them and Nan but she was so overjoyed to see them it was worth the long journey for that 10 minute visit with her. She was obviously not very well and we were worried she may not be going back home again at that point but she was still fairly lucid and happy to talk about what the boys were doing and where Phil was going next with the army and of course how I was and the baby I was expecting.
She grumbled and moaned at Gramps until he gave her her purse so that she could give the boys some money for sweets, never mind being in hospital some things are tradition :) After that we could see how tired she was and said our goodbyes, Phil took the boys out first so that I could have a few minutes with her which I didn't know at the time but they would be the last few minutes I had with her where she would recognise me.
We went back to the car but Joel was thirsty so of course Dylan was thirsty and we could only find a fizzy canned drink dispenser so we bought a can of pop and Joel had a rare treat and DYlan his first taste of pop! The boys were not used to canned drinks being anything but beer, the rare occasions that Joel had pop we bought him one of the little panda pop bottles and so the boys were convinced that the innocent can of Lemonade was actually Beer and went around telling everyone that their Daddy gave them Beer at the hospital!
To this day Dylan is still convinced that he had beer how he remembers it is beyond me although I suspect it is more that he and Joel went on about it so much he remembers the story rather than the event lol. I guess though if you are going to give a 3 yr old and a 1 yr old beer a hospital is the place to do it!

I hope that if you enjoyed reading my story you will go and have a look at Sian's blog and join in I would love to read your story's too x

29 comments:

  1. sometimes the brain hangs on to things that are exceptional and it would be pretty exceptional for Daddy to get beer wouldn't it. I love it! Thank you for sharing.

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  2. Isn't it funny the things that little ones remember? I am glad you had that special time with your nan. Thank you for sharing your story.

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  3. Love the way the boys remember the 'beer'

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  4. Allowed? Allowed? It's the more the merrier! So it's an absolute pleasure to have you with us today. Thank you for taking the plunge! And with such a perfect story too - it really highlights the way our memories work and what we hold on to. I love that.

    A Happy New Year to you and yours - and I hope to see you back again next month :)

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  5. What a wonderful story and how lovely that the boys honestly believe that you gave them beer. Thank you for sharing.

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  6. What a great story! I love it that they still think it was beer! Thanks for sharing.

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  7. Isnt it the stories that we'd rather the kiddies NOT tell people that they seem to remember the best? drinking beer at the hospital, lol, of course it could be medicinal, like drinking brandy/whisky etc

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  8. Happy New Year!
    What a great story, I love the fact that your boys think they have drunk beer lol
    Thank you for visiting my blog, I told Emily about Bradley she is very jealous! I took her to see them at Wembly when she was 8, she was a huge fan lol.

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  9. What a sweet story! Nice that one of your last memories of your Nan has some funny moments associated with it!

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  10. Your Nan must have appreciated your visits so much. I hope she knew the story about your 'beer drinking' boys! Great memory.
    Happy New Year to you.

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  11. How lovely that you got to see her for those few minutes, loved the beer bit too! x

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  12. Aw, bless them - it's lovely that they think they can remember. Thanks for sharing your story.

    Happy New Year!

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  13. Awww, bless them. Our lad has turned 16 last year and so he is allowed a small wine with dinner or a celebration. It won't be long before he can take us out for a beer.... Looking forward to that. Great memories of your nan.

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  14. Ahh little sweeties :)

    Great story and memories.

    Happy New Year.

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  15. Beer is obviously worth remembering. Glad you had a few minutes alone with your Nan and yep money for sweets is a tradition worth maintaining even in hospital. Welcome to Storytelling Sunday - always fun to meet new people!

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  16. I love the way small people remember things! Welcome to Storytelling Sundays, you'll be glad you joined us!

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  17. It's so cute what little ones remember and I would think beer would definitely leave a special memory. Looking foreward to your share next month.

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  18. Both a lovely memory and a funny one. I am guessing the boys very much liked the taste of their "beer" :)

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  19. thank you for visiting me, I loved your story and as is sometimes the case it has reminded me of one very similar! Boys and the memory of their first beer! girls of course remember their first kiss! love it!!

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  20. great story and memories are so important and sharing on story telling Sunday means we write them down! My son ordered a whisky at a restaurant once and when we said he couldn't have it, he replied with 'but I have had it before!!'.... it was funny but embarrassing as he was 6 lol kids are soooo funny xxx

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  21. Oh thanks for sharing your story. It is interesting what little ones remember; and how what they say out of context can strike strangers.

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  22. too cute! what a memory to hang onto!

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  23. :) did make me smile. I haven't taken the plunge yet but am so pleased to hear your story.

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  24. It's the extraordinary events that small people remember for ever - and I'd say "beer at the hospital" is pretty extraordinary, in anyone's book (even the grown-ups!).
    Great story - I hope you join in every month!

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  25. So funny how kids "remember" things - what a fun story. I'm so glad there's laughter associated with that last visit & I love that you remember how she had to give them each some money for a treat, such a sweet moment.

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  26. Touching and funny at the same time Michelle. Nice to see you joining in this year.
    Fiona xx

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  27. Such a poignant and humourous story, both at the same time, and so nicely written ... Funny how family myths start and grow, and there is no dislodging them! I am sure your Nan would be touched by your memories of her today. :)

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  28. Welcome to Storytelling Sunday, I'm glad you joined in. What a lovely story to get the ball rolling, see you next month ;) Happy New Year! xXx

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