Mauri, you asked if we could tell some funny stories to lighten us all up. Eamon lower-case will approve of this too. To put this story in perspective, I must tell you that when the children were small, my mother called at my house every single morning after 9 o'clock. I was always delighted to see her tall frame passing the kitchen window. Before she left, she would have washed and put out a line of white nappies on the line. She then invariably took the oldest child up to her house to give me time with the youngest, who was a sickly child. (Colette). Anyhow, one wet Saturday I was in the kitchen with the 4 children creating havoc and my nerves at breaking point. I looked up to see my mother and Aunt Annie passing the kitchen window on their way to town. More to myself than anything else, I muttered, "Here's these 2 bloody nuisances coming". I had forgotten that the kitchen window was open and that my mother and aunt could hear my words. However, on coming into the kitchen my mother was killing herself laughing, as was my aunt, and I realised they had heard me. I didn't know what to do in case I would make thing worse. I needn't have worried. My mother, being very maternal, knew that I was an emotional wreck at the time and could see that I was at the end of my tether that particular day. She never took heed to what I said. However, on nearly every occasion after that, upon entering by my back door, she would exclaim, "Here's the bloody nuisance coming". I wish she was here now.

Delightful Ann! It pays not to be too serious and take things easy!

Good one Ann, sounds like your Mum had a good sense of humour. Mauri

My previous story comes across as me being very ungrateful and ungracious, but it wasn't like that. I didn't tell the story as well as I should, so don't get the wrong impression of me.

Another story concerning my mother happened on Christmas Eve. The house we lived in then had a downstairs bathroom, which was great when the children were so young. On this particular Christmas Eve I had the 3 youngest in the bath, telling them about Santa coming that night and that it would be good if they tried to get to sleep nice and early. Shortly after this I heard a knock at the back door, left the bathroom to open the door, and there stood "Santa Claus", all dressed in his red robes and with a white moustache and long white beard. I was a bit frightened because it was the time of the Troubles and this could have been anyone masquerading as Santa - stranger things happened in those days. However, "Santa" shook my hand and headed towards the hall, opened the bathroom door, and nearly frightened the life out of the children who were still in the bath. Trea was probably too young to understand, but Malachy was scared stiff and immediately lay down underneath the water, where I thought he would drown. Colette, being more astute than the others, looked down at "Santa's" feet and recognised my mother's shoes before even I was aware of who it was. Because Malachy was so frightened my mother took off the hood and false whiskers and revealed to the children who she really was. They laugh about it now and remember that night even to this day.

Hi all,


Twice I have tried to answer this post with a similiar story but was Spammed so I give up.

Pat