Adventures with my mother

When I was a small child, my mother - as a conscientious single parent - would spend most of her days off engaged in taking me on entertaining activities. As she had the heart of a child herself, and worked long hours as a registered nurse, these activities were usually as fun for her as they were for me (or more so!)

One regular activity was a trip to Brighton or Eastbourne piers. Although Eastbourne was closer to home, gas prices were low back in the late 60s, and the extra few miles for more exciting amusements often won out. Once I was old enough to be okay without constant supervision, my mother would settle herself in for a few games of bingo, and I'd wander free to spend my half crown pocket money on the slot machines and arcade games. I got pretty good at figuring odds, and gauging whether my penny would roll into the right place to push a bunch of other pennies out into the winnings tray, while my mother did well enough to win the occasional troll doll or tote bag.

Another activity we'd enjoy while gas was cheap was a "Mystery Drive". Before we left home, I'd get a piece of paper and write down a random sequence of 'Left', 'Right' or 'Straight On'. Then we'd get in the car and follow it as best we could. Dead Ends were always a problem, of course, but we discovered some cool places while doing this. Then there was the time we ended up in Scotland ... (Kidding! That was a deliberate planned trip!)

Of course there were times when there was absolutely no money at all to spend, but we'd still find plenty to do. The local 'rec' was perfect to take a soccer ball and kick it around, and a little further on, there were woods to be explored, trees to climb and games of make-believe to play.

History was a pervasive part of life, especially living where we did. In the photo above, the 1066 battlefield is just off the right hand edge, where William the Conquerer shot King Harold in the eye. I joke that by the time I was five years old, I'd seen more historic castles than most people see in a lifetime, but that was pretty close. Battle Abbey, Hastings, Pevensey, Bodiam, Arundel, Lewes, Leeds ... all within an easy hour's drive.

At the time, and through my later teenage years I felt that my mother tried almost too hard to keep me amused. I'd have been quite content staying home, amusing myself in my bedroom and saving my mother all her hard-earned money. These days, however, I think I'm beginning to understand these times were as much for her as they were for me. I can still recall her standing in the middle of a field of cows, trying so hard to get "my" Action Man Hang Glider into the air.

Yes, it was as much for her.