Earliest Childhood Memories.
For some reason lately I’ve been reminded of my first childhood memories? I think it’s because Amy, in her illness, has “regressed” somewhat in her memories. 90% of the stuff she talks about is of childhood memories. Not even memories from last year or a couple of years ago. Nope, they’re basically all about her childhood – or at least from her time back home in the States. I guess that’s her “safe zone” as far as things go?
Many of the memories Amy tells me about she’s already told me before – in some cases many times over! I heard her talking to her mom on the telephone today and she was recounting memories to her. I don’t think mom knows how bad Amy is? How could she as Amy’s usually on her best behavior when she talks on the phone. You have to be in her presence for a few hours before you really know that things aren’t quite the same.
Today the usual “house bashing” conversation ensued. Pretty much EVERYONE who visits or stays here ABSOLUTELY LOVES the house. What’s not to love? It’s beautiful and the location is stunning. You just have to look at some of the scenes on our calendar to see that (more on that later). It’s been featured in a home design magazine (Belle I think, but maybe it was Home Beautiful?) and was also used as a “haunted house” in a movie, of which I’m still trying to track down. Unfortunately I don’t even know the name of the film as yet.
The house is not without it’s problems though. Not huge problems, mind you, but problems nonetheless. First and foremost it is a bugger to dust and, with the pups running around, a pain to keep clean sometimes! It also gets a bit cold in winter so you need to rug up more, but it’s glorious in summer. One of the big problems is that there’s just so much “stuff” everywhere. Most of it junk that I no longer want or need so I’ve been busy getting rid of a lot of it and selling some of it on eBay.
I’m not sure exactly why it pains Amy so much though as it’s just a bit more effort to keep clean than a normal “suburban” wood or brick house? There’s no point any more in trying to “defend” the house in front of her parents and family as they really have to be here in person so they can see for themselves.
Anyhow, back to childhood memories…..or rather the EARLIEST childhood memories that I can remember. I’ve talked to my parents and older sister about this so everything kinda makes sense to me now, whereas before not so.
I remember sitting and kneeling on a seat looking out of a large boat, which turned out to be a ferry. We were going down a river and I remember looking down and thinking how far away the water looked.
I remember being carried by my father in his arms as we were walking along a trail beside the river. I was facing to the back of him, over his shoulder, and there was this HUGE emu following us. Every now and then it would lunge forward to try to peck me and I would scream out, terrified. Dad would quieten me down and continue on walking but this bugger of a bird lept doing what emu’s do. Later on I was to learn that emu’s assert authority by being the tallest, so if you hold your arm up high and form a fist (like a head or something) then emu’s usually back off. I don’t know if that’s exactly true but that’s what I’ve been told. This WOULD NOT in any way work for cassowaries I wouldn’t think? I remember dad comforting me but I don’t remember if he finally chased the bird away or not.
I remember being outside at my grandparent’s house in Queensland. My family are about to go for a walk with my grandpa but I’m not going with them. I’m staying with grandma at home. I remember them walking down the underground walkway under the train line and disappearing from view.
I remember grandma and grandad’s bed being sooooo high. There’s a radio playing softly in the background and grandma helps me up on the bed. I can see all of the little trinkets on her bedside table but I’m told not to play with them. I do it anyway but only after grandma leaves the room, then I roll over and take a nap.
Now all of these memories happened virtually on the same day or over a couple of days. My family were vacationing in Queensland and we had driven up there from Melbourne. Something like 1500 miles or so but I’d have to look it up?
For a long time I’d thought that I was about four years old when all of this happened but it turns out, through talking to my family, that I was actually three years old because my mum was not yet pregnant with my brother. That makes it even cooler!
I asked dad if he could remember his earliest childhood memories and he said that he remembers trying to walk in his father’s footprints in the sand when they lived in Whyalla, South Australia. He wasn’t sure whether they were at a beach or not, only that there was sand and footprints and that he was getting a little frustrated trying to keep up with his father. Dad thinks he was maybe about four years old when this happened?
’tis cool to reminisce…
On other news. Had a bit of car trouble the past couple of days. The f**ker keeps overheating and I’m not sure exactly why? Thought the thermo fan (electric) had burned out but when I checked I was surprised to see that I actually don’t have one – an electric one I mean. It’s mechanical. So if the motor is running the fan is too. There’s obviously a leak in the system somewhere but, for now, I’m leaving the cap off the radiator so that the pressure doesn’t build up too much an force all the water/coolant out. The motor will run a little rougher but at least it’ll get us around without overheating. Should last until I can take it to the mechanic anyhow.
I also realized today that some of the images in the “About Me” page weren’t showing and so I’ve fixed those up. Still need to fix the ACTUAL page itself though. 
