Throwback Thursday #54 – Raindrops on Roses

This week’s Throwback Thursday ( Maggie and Lauren’s brainchild) prompt comes from Maggie, she said “Welcome back to Throwback Thursday. Lauren had us dressed to the nines last week, so I thought this week we could be a little more casual and relaxed. I thought it would be fun to remember our adolescence and just think about a few of our favorite things.”

This week’s prompt is: Favorite Things Pick any period of your adolescence and think back to all your favorite things. Feel free to elaborate as much as you want.

Who was your favorite relative? Not to play favorites, but who was the person you connected with more than others? Aunt, uncle, cousin, grandparent, or parent? Why were you closest to them?

Apart from Mum and Dad and the family, my favourite relative was not a real relative. My mum’s close friend Aunty George. As I said she was my mum’s best friend. My mum was not a well woman and she was in hospital a lot and I usually got to stay at Aunty George’s house which was a very posh house! She had two daughters and a son and of course Uncle George. I spent lots of time in that house, I even joined the choir at their church and went there with Christine and Kathryn. Yes I loved Aunty George she was kind, patient and taught me a lot!

What was your favorite TV show? Share a clip if you can find one.

The Woodentots

And Ready, Steady Go!

What was your favorite book or favorite family story?

What Katy Did is an 1872 children’s book written by Sarah Chauncey Woolsey under her pen name “Susan Coolidge”. It follows the adventures of a twelve-year-old American girl, Katy Carr, and her family who lived in the fictional lakeside Ohio town of Burnet in the 1860s. Katy is a tall untidy tomboy, forever getting into scrapes but wishing to be beautiful and beloved. When a terrible accident makes her an invalid, her illness and four-year recovery gradually teach her to be as good and kind as she has always wanted. More information at

What was your favorite, song, record, or album. Feel free to share a YouTube video of it.

I loved The Rolling Stones, The Monkeys, The Hollies, Beach Boys, Adam Faith, zombies, well everyone really!
Favourite Album hard but it has to be The Rolling Stones Between The Buttons.

Who was your favorite teacher? What grade were you in and what subject did they teach?
Miss Jones, she taught Geography in senior school.

What was your favorite subject (not teacher) in school?
English.

Who was your favorite (aka best) friend? What things did you do together?

Anne , she was in the year above me and we got a lot of stick from the Nuns and pupils from our year forms. We had lots of fun together staying at eachother’s homes, shopping, going to youth club, listening to music..
Here’s a song that reminds me of Anne.

What was your favorite way to pass the time?

Listening to music and imagining what life would be like. Hanging out with Anne and helping out at the Library.

What was your favorite holiday? How did you celebrate?

Christmas:
I really don’t know how my mum used to produce such wonderful Christmas dinners, for so many people because money was so tight but she really always came up trump’s.
It all started on Christmas Eve when we all went shopping with mum…. We all regardless of age had stuff to carry home. Everything was bought, then it was home and busy in the kitchen…mince pies were made, veg prepped, turkey stuffed, gravey prepared. The Christmas pudding and cake were made weeks before yet always tasted as fresh as if they had been made the day before. As fast as my mum made mince pies my brothers pinched them!
The Christmas decorations and the tree went up on Christmas Eve too, when I was old enough I went to midnight mass with my older brothers and sisters.
We had a tiny kitchen and how we all got in there to help here was a miracle.
Mum’s old gas cooker was very temperamental and often blew up.. nothing worse than singed eyebrows thank goodness.
There were eight of us plus numerous waifs and strays! No one was ever turned away from our door.
I have always followed my mum’s tradions, her menus and her panicks.
Breakfast : scrambled eggs and salmon with buckfizz.
Dinner:
Turkey and Ham or Pork or occasionally Beef. Stuffing, sausage meat, roast parsnips, carrots, sweet potatoes, potatoes, basted with honey.
Coliflower and Broccoli cheese, Brussel sprouts, peas and gravy, Yorkshire pudding, bread sauce and Cranberry sauce, apple sauce and horseradish sauce!
Christmas Pudding, Cheesecake as mice pies.

I remember one year when I was about fourteen years old. Dad was washing up at our Belfast sink ( before they were fashionable) he put the plates on the draining board, we dried them and put them on the dresser behind him. What we didn’t realize was that he was lifting the clean dishes and washing them again 🤣🤣

What was your favorite toy or possession? Doll, camera, radio, bicycle?

My rabbit Osie and teddy Jungles. My best friends and I still have them. Osie’s outfit is made out of one of my Dad’s old socks!

Bonus: What was your favorite adventure? Family trip, amusement park, field trip, or vacation perhaps.

I used to love going with Dad every few weeks to the Barbers. We’d go on the bus and tube to Chiswick Park, dad would have his hair cut and a shave and I would sit and watch. Then he’d buy me an ice-cream from the Italian ice-cream parlour on Chiswick High Street before we went home. I always felt special because it was just me and dad!

© willowdot21. Some but not all of the family. Dad with me at the front.