Memory Lane

I've got something new to worry about. My earliest memory. I don't seem to have one. Have can you not have an earliest memory? I've been wracking my brain and the best I can come up with is at nursery school, sitting on the Red Table with Andrew Stephens, being the boss (what a surprise!), listening to stories outside in the garden read by the lovely kindly teacher who seemed ancient but wasn't really.

Apart from that I remember my elder brother not being pleased that I was around and showing it... Don't worry though, I got my own back in female ways such as taking all the tyres off his Dinky cars because we had a little tyre rack and then they all got hoovered up. That was years later though.

I've heard some people can remember back as far as 2 years old. I'm just hoping that as I get older I can remember more. When I get to 80, if I ever do, I'm hoping I'll have a prestigious memory and remember what I used to get up to in fine detail so people will come and interview me to find out what it was like to grow up in a 1960s standard-type family. Maybe I'll sing them nursery rhymes in a quavery voice as by then no one will ever sing them to their kids and yet will be full of nostalgia for those who did.

I remember more clearly when I started school - my uniform, classroom where we all fought to use the wooden crane and I was very sensible. Perfect pupil type. When asked what I wanted to be, I drew a picture of a mummy hanging out washing and said I wanted to be a mummy. There's ambition for you! Later I wanted to be a long-distance lorry drive where I could have a dog (although I prefer cats). Funny how I never wanted to be a something in admin.

Well, I have a lot to look forward to in old age, I can see. There's lots to fill in there!