Butlins

Well as mentioned in previous posts there was not a lot of cash in our house but Mum was very resourceful. She had enough initiative to not only make sure we had great summer days out, but she also managed to bring half the neighbourhood with us. She would hire out double decker buses from CIE (to this day I still think of them as 78 seaters as that was the single most important piece of information needed to manage a good day out). I think we managed to put 3 people on each seat. I can't remember who else may have been involved in organising it but we would arrive at Mosney (Co Meath) as if it was Lanzarote and half of us would bunk in without paying. You didn't need a wrist tag or anything back in the day so we were free to roam the campus and get on any of the rides as many times as we liked.

I remember my Mum sent me down for a few days with my godmother (her sister Mary). This was great of course only she didn't know how to do my hair and I used to get very upset when Mary did it because I have afro hair (literally I have a black persons hair type - that thick thick Irish head of curls). Anyway Mary didn't beat around the bush, well she did as I guess I've heard my hair called 'bush' more than once in my life. She would reef the brush through my hair and not even realise it. I remember my Mum used to say 'brush that head of hair the state of it!' and I would reply 'The cheek of you, I get this hair from you' and I refer her to her wedding photo on the sitting room wall where it is very clear indeed that she has brushed her hair for her big day but it is without any fancy 'anti frizz' products if you know what I mean. She still looked amazing in it though.

Back to Butlins though, when we did used to stay over for a week we used to enter the bonny baby and the mother and child competitions. Mum loved all that, dressing up was one of her favourite things to do. I will have to write another blog entry on that subject.

The funniest thing I ever saw her do in Butlins was when she togged out to for a swim and I was shocked but I didn't know why (the reason I later found out was because it was just not something she ever did as she hated and/or was afraid of water). I was following her around in amazement as she would never normally show much flesh, especially not her arms, although they were perfectly good arms. Maybe even back then the scourge of the shameful batwings existed but I don't remember her having them. Anyway, I digress again, it turned out that the plan was to sit on the edge of the pool with her feet in the water, she then struck a pose as if to dive in and her friend or some relative took out a camera and took a photo. Quite promptly after that she was dressed and in her usual position as lifeguard of her brood. She would not have been much use if needed eh! Maybe she was not a genius at everything then. I'll have to move her down a slight notch on that pedestal I have her perched upon.

My most favourite activity in Butlins was the outdoor skating rink as it was purpose built (cement!) and I never owned a pair of skates and it was such a feeling of freedom, almost like when you start driving and discover the thrill of speed - pathetic eh but life's pleasure can be very simple sometimes I am sure you will agree.

Anyway, thanks Mum for all the holidays in Butlins, they really were the best of times xx


(I have no time to really proof read so apologies for any misspellings or grammar mistakes)