New Brighton seaside in 2015

NEW BRIGHTON seaside in 2015

We had travelled to New Brighton using the bus which stopped opposite my house. It  took us close to the Town Hall, and we had walked from there to the Mersey Ferry office for tickets. Only Emma had had to pay, Sophie being two and I had a free bus pass. The sail on the brightly coloured ferry named 'Snowdrop' was fun, Sophie often giggling as she called out 'Nanna Strawberry' . The funfilled sound of 'Ferry Across the Mersey' completed our enjoyment.  From Seacombe we took a bus to New Brighton. Fish and chips at an outside table overlooking the lighthouse and fort, then a walk along the promenade to the beach near the fort. The beach was shiny wet and puddled from the seawater which was still ebbing away in the tide. It was wonderful to be there with my greatgrandchild Sophie and her Mummy. My new name  'Nanna Strawberry' still shouted by Sophie at intervals, usually with a chortle, which made Emma and I laugh too.  An hour or so later, we returned to Seacombe by bus and this time sailed back to Liverpool Pier Head aboard the 'Royal Iris'..Sophie was excited to see the Liver Birds on their rooftop. When back at my house, after hugs all round, Emma secured Sophie into her car seat and prepared to drive away. A childish voice called out
'GOODBYE NANNA STRAWBERRY'.   What a lovely name I had been given on that lovely day.

Introducing Nanna Strawberry

For most of my life, my name has been Audrey, except for intervals of 'Doo Dah' and 'Dodo' while at school, and  'Aud'  by my parents and sister Joan from time to time. My yorkshire born father had his own nickname for me. Then it developed into 'Aunty Audrey', or Auntie, by nieces and nephews and the children of close friends, into Mummy, then Mum, by my children, and into 'Nanna Audrey' in latter years, by steadily increasing grandchildren,  a name which seemed to be adopted by my children too, as parents, so that they and their children were seen to be referring to the same person. Me.  Then, as grandchildren matured, some preferred to call me 'Nan'.

On one fantastic summer day in 2015, something very magical happened.  I was given an altogether  new name, a truly beautiful and inspired new name. Thanks to the difficulty my great grand-daughter Sophie, aged two, going on three,  had in saying my name Audrey.   It happened like this.

I had enjoyed my cereal and toast breakfast while looking out of the window at the clear blue skies ove my back garden and the golden sunshine filtering through the trees which surrounded it, when the thought came to me, 'I wonder if Emma and Sophie would like to go to New Brighton with me today?'  So I telephoned  Emma who quickly agreed it was a great idea, and said they would soon be with me at my home.

 I greeted them at my open front door, Sophie tightly holding her Mummy's hand with one hand and a red beach bucket  in her other hand. She looked rather apprehensive.  Her Mummy explained.  'Nan, Sophie is worried,  she cannot say your name Audrey so she calls you 'Nanna Strawberry'.  I told Sophie that I would LOVE to be called 'Nanna Strawberry' - it was a lovely name, all my very own ! Sophie beamed with relief !   

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