Sunday 4 March 2012

My childhood home

We all often have fond memories of our childhood and the home where we grew up, I know I do.
I lived in a victorian house in central Ballarat a beautiful big old home in Talbot st.
So many details I loved about the house I didnt even think about it as a kid growing up there.
My grandparents originally owned the house and lived there I remember moving there when I was about 4.
There were fireplaces in everyroom and the front room fireplace was made of marble it was stunning. There was a long hallway with all the rooms coming of the hallway, the foundations were bluestone and the front veranda was tiled, all rooms had bluestone windowsills. Leadlight windows in the front window. High ceilings with ornate rosettes and ornate cornices.
In the early days we had a woodstove which I remember my Nan making bread and allsorts or yummy goodies and the kettle constantly on. Later on we got a gas stove and had both for many years until the fireplace was boarded up.
We had a walk in pantry which was filled with staples flours, sugar, and it was also where all the homemade cakes and biscuits were kept in the retro aluminium canisters.
Through the 70s I remember the kitchen being allsorts of colours, Mum had a habit of painting and re arranging things quite often, so it was the hot orange and brown , apple green, lemon and brown.
The big down fall was the outside toilet oh how I disliked that as a kid, I remember being petrified of a night going outside so I used to make my father stand at the back door and sing while I was in the loo the minute he stopped for air I used to yell "are you still there keep singing ". We also had two toilets one was even further down the yard it was of those old wooden ones with a chain to pull, I dont think I ever used it I was scared of spiders.

We also had and outdoor laundry we did have a twin tub but there was an old wringer and the big old wash tub out there. We had a woodshed and a sleep out which was just a spair room outside. There was a gully trap which everything was put down , tealeaves , fat, vomit. ugh
Also we loved the incinerator oh how we used to love burning stuff in that, it looked a bit like a bbq it had a iron grid across the top which I used to have my sandpit nearby and when I cooked my pretend cakes thats where they went.
One thing it had a very small bathroom and the sink was in the pantry.
In the pantry there was a cellar where years ago they stored butter and cheese.
I can never remember the doors being locked and we lived in the middle of town, how things have changed.
I think this is why I have a love for vintage things and collecting bits and pieces as it reminds me of then. My Dad allways collected things books, antiques, samurai swords, clocks, postcards, actually to many things to mention. Mum was dolls and bears.
 Dad had a room for his office with whatever he collected at the time.
The backyard had two big apple trees and a large vege garden.
Mum grew gladis and dahlias.
Often people walking past would stop and look at the front garden with the blooms of roses, gladis, pansies, daphne, ferns, dahlias, it was allways beautifully kept.
I never remember going to a supermarket but there was allways plenty of home cooked and home baked food.
I think we may have been the first in the street to get a colour tv, which my grandfather bought he was a watchmaker and ran that business from the house. Oh my gosh we had 3 stations that was huge, we had chanel 3 chanel 6 and the big one was chanel 10. It was just to much to choose from.
My father was a pastry cook and made the best eclairs ever he did show me once how to make them so I must give them a try again soon as I havnt made them in about 10 years.
The little bottle with strawberrys on it in the picture above I found on ebay , my Mother had this in the bathroom it is Avon strawberrys and cream bubble bath I remember it well has I copped it for pouring the whole bottle in the bath/
Also the the 4711 perfume in picture my nan used to wear I think I found this in opp shop.
The old gold lipstick container I bought in an antique shop as I remember my Dad taking me to a white elephant sale when I was about 4 or 5 and he bought me my first ever lipstick it had been used but I remember I used to love the smell of it it was some apricot colour think it was some old ladys as it was in a gold container like this one.
I think with childhood memories we could go on and on for ever and go into many many subject, like our home, shops, around the area , where we used to play , school days ect ect ect.
Its just such a lovely time in our lives where everything is so simple
So I will end it here for now x

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