When I was a little girl, my mother would sometimes take me to Gran's house, for lunch and afternoon tea with my Aunty Edna.
My grandmother no longer lived there by that stage of her life..it was then the family home of my aunt, uncle and cousins.
Mum and I would travel by train and bus and then take a short walk from the bus-stop to Ethel Street, where I always loved turning the corner and spying that pretty pink lantana hedge.
It grew right along the front fence, past the gate and down both sides of the pathway to Gran's front door!
The house was very old and large with a big shaded verandah running around all sides.
Inside, the ceilings were extremely high and all the rooms seemed voluminous to this small girl.
I recall the feeling of being transported to a Victorian house from one of my favourite novels.
There were the 'good rooms' where only exalted guests were received, and where I was only allowed to peek into accompanied by a grown up!
My much older cousin's large expensive "walking dolls" stood in all their finery in the living room and if I was very lucky, my aunt would let me see one in action before we left for home!
We would spend our vist sitting at the family table in the big kitchen, surrounded by cupboards of various sizes and designs.
While the adults chatted over their tea, I would look around and wonder what lay stored up in all those old wooden cupboards.
I imagined they held delicious homemade pies and cakes, perhaps...or fizzy ginger beer and even fruit wines?
Such things seemed to appear on the table as if by magic!
Eventually, I would leave the talk and wander out to the backyard, where fragrant roses grew on big bushes and budgerigars sang and whistled from their fancy cages.
As I remember it, time somehow always seemed to slow down whenever I was there, at my grandmother's old house.
Memories.. can be funny things I suppose.
Perhaps I just choose to still see those magic days through the romantic eyes of a day-dreaming child.
All I know is that 40 years later...I still dream of having my own big shady verandahs, and a pink lantana hedge!
Delicate floral patterned teacups and saucers are my favourite collectables. And I particuarly like winsome pictures and miniture victorian ladies shoes.
