Writing the books

My fingers had become busy at the keyboard, writing down my memory of the lovely day at New Brighton.I just wrote freely, as it came into my head. Then I let it stand for several days before reviewing it and editing to reduce word content to about 650 words. Sometimes this entailed reducing most of a sentence to just one word. I 'saved' each version in case I wanted to return to it, or in case I lost some meaning by such severe editing.

Going for Tea with Sophie was a natural follow on, also memories of crab fishing in New Brighton with Grandad and grandchildren.  My 80th birthday involved my entire family, so it would be fun to include that. It had been 60 years since I had last ridden a horse. Of course, once I started writing about ponies and horses, it brought back lovely memories of my own pony Robin and Joan's strawberry roan, Billy.  'Nanna Strawberry remembers..'. became the next focus of pony stories. I had next remembered our shetland pony Pip, bought for my children under quite embarrassing circumstances, but great fun, and ridden by all three children in turn. Come February 2016, I was vividly recalling the day HM The Queen had first become Queen, which I had recorded in my 1952 diary, so my own schooldays were added to the growing list of stories.

Into the New Year

After New Year's Eve, life went rather quiet while the midwinter of January 2016 took over. My mind was far from quiet.  I had been thinking for some weeks now that the title of 'Nanna Strawberry' positively called out for some stories about the children in my life at its various stages. Starting of course with the bestowing of my new name by Sophie. Something simple, not too long, anecdotal but well illustrated to appeal to youngsters.  Probably gifted by grandmothers who might like to add their own anecdotes into the reading of the tale.