The Stories

THE MAGICAL NAMING OF NANNA STRAWBERRY.... and an outing to New Brighton
Nanna Audrey plans a visit to New Brighton with her grand-daughter Emma and her daughter Sophie, when she finds herself miraculously bestowed with an altogether new name by her two year old great grand-daughter who could not say her name Audrey.  'NANNA STRAWBERRY'.  They have a happy adventurous afternoon together, highlighted by Sophie's determination to call out 'Nanna Strawberry' at every opportunity. On the bus, then the Mersey ferry 'Snowdrop', at the Fish & Chip cafe, and the beach, on the Royal Iris, until all the way back home to Nanna Strawberry's house.  Even saying 'Goodbye Nanna Strawberry' when leaving.  Nanna Strawberry was very happy with her new name.

NANNA STRAWBERRY  HAS TEA WITH SOPHIE
Nanna Strawberry remained very excited by her lovely new name, and decided to make a special badge.  She gathered together a piece of white card, scissors, red and green felt pens, and a length of green thread  to make a special strawberry which she could fix to a button on her jacket.  Sophie bounced with excitement when she saw her Nanna Strawberry at her front door. It was fun to be together again.
After playing and making the badge, as described, Nanna was invited out to tea with Sophie and her Mummy and Daddy. That was fun too. A Chinese Buffet was a new experience, made more fun by Sophie calling out her new name each time Nanna Strawberry went to choose more food from the buffet table.

NANNA STRAWBERRY GOES HORSE RIDING
'What are you doing for your birthday Nan?' asked members of her family as her special celebration approached. Nan had replied that she was proposing to have a horse mounted group photo.. 'Go for it' they replied, until she told them sheI expected them to be mounted too.  'No way' was the response, except for her grandson, Will, who had said 'Count me in Nan'.  In the end, one daughter, six grand-daughters and two grandsons joined the birthday cavalcade.  Sophie did not lose the opportunity to call to out  'Nanna Strawberry' when she arrived carrying an inflated pony balloon at the lunch which preceded the cavalcade, or from the saddle of her little pony when she saw her Nanna Strawberry riding the very high horse, Charlie. All great fun ! The last time she had ridden was sixty years ago at Ashfield Farm, home of her  future husband, a dairy farmer.

NANNA STRAWBERRY REMEMBERS  BILLY
Riding with her  family brought to mind the lovely ponies which belonged to Nanna Strawberry when she was young and called just Audrey, and her sister Joan,  Robin, called a bay pony, and smaller Billy, a strawberry roan..  'We had ridden them at my aunt and uncle's Moorfield Farm in Hollingworth while on holiday there. My father learned they were for sale and bought them for us.' Billy was a true character, about the same size as the pony Sophie had ridden. He was very good  at gymkhana games, similar to children's races but the children were on ponies 'Billy was very quick and nimble so he and Joan won many rosettes at the  summer pony shows we attended.'  He also had a good trick.

NANNA STRAWBERRY REMEMBERS SHETLAND PIP
When Nanna Strawberry and Grandad were Mummy and Daddy to their son and two daughters, they took them to the annual Liverpool Show to see the displays of cows, bulls, dogs, rabbits and other pets, and horse jumping.  There were lots of stalls too, and music everywhere. When they saw a raffle to WIN A PONY Daddy bought each of them a ticket.  Later that day, when back at home, the children kept watching out of the front window. They were waiting for the raffled pony to arrive !  Daddy had to tell them they had not won the raffle. This story describes what happens next when a Shetland pony called  Pip joined the family.

 NANNA STRAWBERRY REMEMBERS FISHING FOR CRABS
Grandad enjoyed driving his grandchildren to the seaside in his red Defender landrover which had nine seats. He carried picnic items on the back seats. The children enjoyed flying kites on Ainsdale Beach and going to the fairground in Southport. One day, Grandad drove them to New Brighton. The children were fascinated watching crabs crawl in water at the bottom of buckets.
Grandad said he would show them how to catch crabs. He had everything they needed in the landrover.  This story describes the fun they had catching crabs, then letting them go back to the lake.   The next story tells what happens when Grandad dropped his keys into the lake.


NANNA STRAWBERRY REMEMBERS FISHING FOR KEYS 
Grandad was packing their things back into the landrover, when Amy called out 'Grandad, I have just caught a crab'.  Cousin Jonathan had quickly put a fishing net under the crab and Grandad held his keys between his teeth while he helped drop the crab into the bucket of water. Suddenly, the keys dropped into the lake with a big plonking splash.  Oh dear, how would they get home now?


NANNA STRAWBERRY SHARES CHRISTMAS WITH A FAIRY
 Nanna enjoyed a delicious Christmas Day breakfast with her son and all his familybefore driving to the home of her elder daughter to share Christmas Dinner with her family, guests including her  younger daughter and all her family too.  She was greeted by an excited 'Nanna Strawberry' from a beautiful Christmas Fairy in frothy white dress, complete with wings and fairy wand. The Fairy happily led Nanna Strawberry to join the other guests. Lights sparkled on a large Christmas tree.
This story describes Christmas festivities with a cute Fairy and her cousins.

NANNA STRAWBERRY REMEMBERS THE YOUNG QUEEN
When the 2nd February came round each year, Nanna Strawberry remembered the day that the King died and his daughter, Princess Elizabeth became the new Queen.  In 1952, when Nanna was a schoolgirl, called Audrey.  A teacher had entered the classroom and asked all the girls to stand.
She had an important announcement. 'The King is dead. Long live The Queen'.  The new reign was an important part of history.  This story describes how Audrey recorded the next few days in her 1952 diary. She also mentions riding her pony.

NANNA STRAWBERRY TELLS STORIES TO BIG SISTER SOPHIE

NANNA STRAWBERRY ENJOYS EASTER FUN

NANNA STRAWBERRY GOES TO A WEDDING