Family Stuff

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Say Hello to My Family

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I’m a long time married baby boomer with two wonderful daughters who have always been my life. My passion was for them to have an even better life that I had and allow them the freedom to choose their lifestyle.

As an ex-teacher I education of my daughters was paramount to me and i was prepared to do whatever it costs to give them the best education I could.

They both started school at the local primary where I taught but at the age of six and eight I opted to send them to a private school in our town.

Then came the time to move to a senior school. What did I do now? I asked Tina, my older daughter what she wanted to do. Gulp! She wanted to go to boarding school like her friends. That meant huge school fees for at least 7 years each. It just had to be done . After struggle and hardship I realized my dreams for my daughters and they started on their adult journey.

Tina, had been asthmatic and very shy as a youngster but now at 17 she had blossomed into a leader and was chosen to be the second head of the school. A very great honour.

She decided that Oxford was for her and a marketing degree. Guess what,?she made a DECISION and then TOOK ACTION.

Her career and marriage took her to Thailand and eventually Hong Kong where she became a marketing director for Cathay Pacific.

Tina lives in HK with husband Jeremy and my two grandchildren Max and Emily.

With the aid of Skype, Web-cams, videos etc. we are able to remain in touch with each other.

Lisa, my younger daughter, had the same education but her character and interests took her in other directions.

She too took a degree in marketing and late trained as a teacher. However, her love had always been animals.

Now she has her own business, working from home with her partner Robin. They have a hydrotherapy pool to help dogs recover from illness, especially dogs with arthritic joints.

Her home is in the UK in Lincolnshire. She lives in a typical Tudor type house where she is surrounded by her animals including chickens, cats and dogs.

She was a natural when it came to horses and she won many prizes for show jumping, gymkhana etc.

Lisa loved sport swimming, tennis and hockey.

Now my two young grandchildren are living good lives.

Max. is a sports fanatic. He plays rugby, football, golf and tennis at my last count.

He is going to UK to school in September and is so excited.

Emily Louise is pleased Max is going to school because she thinks she will have Mummy and Daddy all to herself.

Growing Up

I am an only child from a very happy working class background.

Dad was a colour mixer for fabrics. He could mix colours without any formal training, charts etc. He just knew the tones and shades mix the colours.

He was a very quiet man – a gentle giant.

Mum was my best friend and a workaholic too. She too worked so that I could have the best in life and do better that she had.

Mum was a gifted seamstress and she could make settee cover, weddings dresses only using paper patterns. A true gift and once again with no educational qualifications. Unfortunately, this is a talent I do not inherit.

Dad was truly of the old school where money was concerned. You saved your money for a rainy day and paid cash for everything. Cheque books and credit were big no-nos to him.

Mum was rather different – she would spend what she earned – mainly on me. When she ran out of money Dad was always there to help.

Without giving you all the boring details of my education which was rather halted at the age of eleven because my teacher discovered I was left handed. That led to a long stream of events in my education including attending a small private school. This was not in my Dad’s mindset. I even made the appointment with the Mother superior for my Mum and I to visit the school.

A Catholic convent with 400 Catholics and me a Protestant and finally my local Grammar school.

I was destined for the factory or to work in Woolworths in my parent’s eyes. That’s what working class children did. I had very different ideas.

What did “Our Judith” need a private education for?

I even walked to school for a term and made my friend walk to so that I could save for the school fees. Where all this came from I shall never know?

After several other diversions along the way I finally decided that I was going to be a teacher and needed higher education.

I think my Dad had accepted it all by them.

My parents were so proud when I finally qualified.

As a family we went for long walks at the weekend. My Dad never had a car and didn’t want one. They ate your money!!!!

The big event was our summer holiday for two weeks and the whole year we saved for this.

Friday night was the big night out to the cinema and the fish and chips in newspaper afterwards.

Dad was a very fit sportsman and a great swimmer. From a little girl I was taken swimming every week.

The values that I learned from my Mum and Dad have stayed with me throughout my life and I am grateful to them for the sacrifices they made to give me the opportunities I have today.

My Lifestyle Now.

Welcome . Come take a peek at my lifestyle in my village called Moraira in Spain.

It is May 1st and our fiesta calendar begins with a three day gourmet fair on the promenade overlooking the sea. Our local restauranteurs have organzised all the colourful stands. We have such a variety of cuisines to choose from.

Our local band parades all through the day and in the evening the music, dancing and entertainment begins.

All nationalities come together to celebrate and share their cultures in an open and safe environment.

Our local mayor participates and shares the common interest.