This morning I was talking to my neighbor over the fence and her grandson Cooper, who just lost his tooth. When I walked back inside I couldnt help but reflect upon my childhood and the street I grew up in, Lauga Street. Lauga Street, well our side of the railway track consisted of 19 houses. Just enough for a cosy little street who looked out for each other. And the Vaughan sisters who lived right next to the tracks.
Now this was no ordinary street as the most of the kids who grew up here were still visiting their elderly parents in the 90's. I was living there from 3 yrs to 23 yrs (M & D actually built the house when they were first married and rented it out and moved back in when I was 3) and up until about I was about 44 (6 years ago) most of them were still there. This is very unusual in todays world.
- Smith Family, I went to school with Barbara, she had the best barbie dolls, hahaha wonder why.
- The Schneider Family, Mr Schneider had the best Gerbras in the Street but was a horrible man, he used to put the hose on my dog. I could never stand him at all, Im sure he had his good points.
- The Bensons, they had a big home made double swing which us Ward kids used for years and years and even the Grandkids used. The swings are now taken off and the frame is used as a trellis for growing vegies. They had the best mulberry tree I have ever seen. Many a pie was made from that tree. Mum used to get Mrs Benson to come across into the kitchen and turn off the oven which was cooking the Sunday roast, while we were at church. No oven timers in those days. I will never forget the last time I saw Mrs Benson. She was on a stretcher being taken to hospital and I wheeled Mum over to say goodbye. And it was the final Goodbye. They had 2 children and everytime Mum was pregnant he would say "Not another one Joyce" So when they were in the later years and we all rolled on home for Christmas etc, we made a point of going over to visit as they were quite lonely with both their children living in Sydney.
- The Wards..........a roudy bunch of brats. 6 of us all up. Our home was like a railway station with people coming and going, eating and sleeping. Mum could cook up a storm with a packet of peas and a chook. Our table was always one that held alot of food and alot of people. The house was a double story kinda house that Mr fix-it (Dad) built. I miss that house immensely. It even had its own pool, well kind of. Dad had a 1/2 water tank that us kids placed under the shed roof so that we could jump off the roof into the pool. Dont know how we ever survived or never broke our legs, desperate I guess to cool off in Rocky's humidity.
- The Merry Family who rented their house out from time to time....When they moved back I was 14. Their clothes line had fallen over nearly to the ground, was the same about 3 years ago. When you look at the washing its all crooked. Mrs Merry loved chooks and would sit in the back yard and hold and pat them like kittens. A very simple kind of family.
- The Pegg Family..........envy of the neighborhood as they had a lovely inground pool. Didnt have much to do with them though and therefore didnt get to swim in it. But, I do remember standing and looking out the back louvres when they were in it, wishing I was too.
- The Bensons (relatives of the first Bensons)... Their house was painted chocolate brown. Reminded me of a huge chunk of chocolate, maybe thats why I love chocolate so much.
- Mrs somethingorrather. (Poll I think)..........Lovely old gentle Lady who I used to go down and talk to over the front fence of an afternoon after school.
- The Bloxoms.......snobby family who had two snooby kids. Their daughter was a bully. Every street has one.
The Vaughans, Beulah and Vera (sisters and spinsters) played a huge part in our family. Beulah taught me the piano, Vera taught me to crotchet. Between the two of them they worked in unison running their household and had a few tiffs between them.
Beulah was the gentle one who played the piano beautifully, sewed all her own clothes, embroidered and crotched patterns on them and cooked and spoke articulately. Vera on the other hand did all the above except didnt play the piano very much but could swing an axe and split wood like any man could. I wont go into her driving skills, as I think if it wasnt for higher intervention I wouldnt be here. I can still smell their brown bread and taste their dew dew fruit. Vera had this long silky white hair that she rolled up just like popeyes wife Olive. Vera died first and I will never forget seeing Beulah break down in tears. It was a very solemn moment.
Most of us walked to school, crossing the railroad tracks to the other side of Lauga Street and up to the back of the school oval.
I remember pinching 20 cents out of Mums purse one day when I was about 7 and running to the shop to get some lollies while Mum was busy with something else. Mrs White, around the corner (yes we knew the whole block just about) caught me and sent me home :( In fact sometimes I used her yard to get to the shops faster as they backed onto our back yard.
As the years rolled on, we all grew up, got married, some moved away, had kids of our own, and sadly drifted apart. Not many Parents are left here on this earth. I think out of our side of the street theres Mr Benson, Dad and Mrs Merry. Mr Benson, Mrs Merry still reside there.
Gosh Ive been going on, but its mainly for my benefit as in ten years time if I havent got this recorded I may forget. Heaven knows I cant even remember now what.......(cant remember what I was going to say) lol
So sorry if I bore you, but Im sure my siblings would be happy reading this. :)
