Wednesday, June 25, 2008

The Chronicles of Bertie: Early Spring 1967

The following excerpts are taken from the exercise book entitled My News written by Bert in 1967 and lovingly preserved (thank you Pearlie) by his loving mum this past 41 years. Bert has given permission for me to reproduce his writings.

6th February – 7th March, 1967

Thursday 6th February, 1967

I have a cup. It has a picture of rabbits on it. I take my tea out of it. I like it very much.

Tuesday 31st January, 1967

My Daddy had a little calf on Thursday night. I like it. It is black and white. I like it. I stroke it and it licks me.

Tuesday 7th February, 1967

I have a Johnny seven. I like it very much. It is five pound. It is very big. There are seven guns in one.

Thursday 8th February, 1967

I have a toy crane. I like it very much. I lift things with it. It is made of plastic. I lift bits of paper.

Tuesday 14th February, 1967

I have five toy aeroplanes. I like them very much. They come apart. I make them fight.

Wednesday 22nd February, 1967

My Daddy had a cow that calved on Monday. It is in a Gallagher’s box. I like it very much. It is black and white. My Daddy gives it milk.

Tuesday 27th February, 1967

My Mum got an electric cooker. The colour is creamy. It has an oven in it and a little place for warming plates in it. I like it very much.

Thursday 2nd March, 1967

I have a toy tank and it fires caps and goes by battery. I like it very much. It is painted ginger and green and it is a British. It has caterpillar wheels.

Tuesday 7th March, 1967

My Mum baked some pancakes and Dad brought some up to me and I liked them very much. I got one for my lunch and one this morning. I like them when they are warm.

9th March – 3rd May, 1967

9th March – another black and white calf is born. Once again it goes into Gallagher’s box. Bertie reports that he ‘likes it very much.’

20th March – Bertie is looking forward to his Easter holiday staying with Aunt Maggie in Whappstown. He writes that he ‘likes it very much up there’.

5th April – Went to the town. Got another toy aeroplane (spoiled or what) He writes that he ‘likes going to the town very much.’

6th April – A red and white cow broke loose. The vet came and gave her some ‘medson’.

7th April – He bought three motors and three aeroplanes. His friend Tommy Taylor bought four aeroplanes but didn’t bring them to school. Bertie said, of his haul, that he ‘liked them’.

10th April – There was yet more bother with cows. Bertie’s Dad had to sit up with one that was going to calve. Owing to the uproar Bertie did not go to bed until about 11 o’clock.

11th April – Bertie writes that the cow produced a black and white calf and that he ‘liked it.’

12th April – Bertie’s mum’s goose hatched an egg. Bertie knows that baby geese are called goslings but he and his mum prefer to call them ‘weddywumps’. He is looking forward to lots more weddywumps. He says they are nice fluffy wee things. We must assume that he ‘likes them very much’ for he doesn’t say.

17th April – There is another black and white calf born and Bertie ‘likes’ it. Better still his friend Clint comes to play and they have ‘great fun.’

18th April – Uncle Bobby brings Cousin Willie down and ‘great fun’ ensues.

25th April – Four more weddywumps are hatched. Bertie ‘likes them’.

26th April – A barn is dismantled as it was ‘falling to bits.’

3rd May – Teacher won’t let Bertie say weddywumps any more so he reports four more ‘gozlings’. They are yellow and one died.

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

That is SO so funny!!! If only he was as easily pleased now you'd have the most content man ever Nelly!

Photo made me chuckle too.

I remember my parents got a letter home after I innocently described my father as a 'dealer' in a similar news jotter.

Mikey x

Anonymous said...

I think I like Bertie very much...

Anonymous said...

Ha ha, this is brilliant. Set me up for the day. I like it very much!

Nelly said...

Mikey - he actually still is very easily pleased.

Anna - I like him very much too.

And three cheers to Pearlie for preserving those memories.

Anonymous said...

I like it very much.

Mudflapgypsy said...

Marvellous!
I liked this......very much.

Anonymous said...

When he talks about Nelly I bet he likes her very much!

Anonymous said...

I adore this post Mary - how endearing. It mad eme smile.
Mel. xx