Olden golden friends

In 1970 I met a girl at primary school and it just so happened that her dad was the groundsman of the playing field behind my house. We became great friends and used to go home from school and straight out to play together, enjoyed free reign of those fields and the sports pavilion, coming inside for tea and then again when it grew dark. We did ballet classes together, earned medals for dancing to Sugar, Sugar whilst waving chiffon scarves together and went through Brownies and Guides together. The photo above, with me holding a hammer over Tracey's head, was taken at Guide Camp in Germany in 1979, when we were 14. That was my first ever visit to Germany! When we left school at 16, Tracey moved away to Glossop. I caught up with her again in the mid-1980's when I was on holiday in Devon, where she was working and I introduced her to Peter. We have always written to one another at Christmas. Then on the day after my Dad died, a letter fell on the mat in her familiar handwriting and I wondered how she could have known so soon, but sadly it was a letter telling me that her younger sister Kay had died on the very same day. So I saw her again at Kay's funeral, nearly 6 years ago.

Today we got together again on a much happier occasion. We had decided to get our mums together again. Mum and Tracey's mum, Joan, whom I called "Aunty Joan" throughout my childhood, worked together in our primary school canteen. They would finish about 20 minutes earlier than us, but when we passed them on our way home from school, they would still be dissecting their day on the corner of the road where their paths home parted. We would go home, get changed, get our bikes and reunite and often they would still be there, gabbing away. They told us today that it had been a horrible job.

It was lovely to catch up with friends we first met 42 years ago! They were still as lovely as ever.  Tracey always used to have my back at school (quite useful when you are growing up in Salford!). Aunty Joan was always so kind and hospitable, putting up with us constantly asking for sleepovers.

Now I have some photos and some gorgeous sunflowers to remind me of a lovely day. 

As we used to sing at Guides; Make new friends, but keep the old. The new are silver, the old are gold.