My family of other animals (Life's a Journey Link-Up, Week 21)

This post is part of a weekly series of ‘link-up’ Posts which reflect on life’s journey, old memories and family stories (see below for more info).

My Childhood Fantasy Pet

We were in the car. I was, at a guess, about 7 years old. Mum was driving (as per the norm) and my aunt was riding shotgun. I remember it SO clearly…

“Where are we going mum?”

There was an air of excitement about the journey, even though I had no clue about the planned destination. I think it had been badged as a ‘surprise’.

“OK”, said my mum. “What is it that you want more than anything in the whole world?”

I pondered this for a millisecond, my seven-year-old brain whirling with the knowledge that I had been banging on about one particular thing which I desperately wanted for months. I had sustained a relentless nagging which I seriously doubted would ever actually pay off. Could it really be that? Wow, I really had better parents than I had thought!

“Is it a……hhhorse?” I ventured, tentatively.

“Ah. No.” The reply, accompanied by a stifled snigger, spoke volumes. It had been too much to hope. Probably some crabby relative we’re visiting or something equally boring.

“Try something a bit smaller.”

Oh well, in for a penny…..“A…dog?” I offered.

“Bingo!”

Had my mother really just agreed to buy us a dog?! I leaned forward between the two front seats and screamed (this was the pre Clunk-Click-Every-Trip era) and planted huge kisses on both womens’ cheeks.

Folly, our wonderful dog

This was the day that Folly, the Terrier cross-breed entered our lives.

She was small & black, with a curious ginger beard and a white throat. She had only half a tail – an unfortunate case of mistaken umbilical identity by her mother at birth. She was a beauty, much loved, gentle and loving, and she was our constant companion for about 7 years until her sad demise in 1981. She gave us 7 delightful puppies (an unplanned pregnancy!) in around 1978, which crawled all over each other in the garden shed like little mice. My brother and I adored and named them all, and begged to keep one. Sooo not happening.

The pups were all black, with one exception which was a ‘nude’ colour. He was, infact SO nude when he was born that we nick-named him ‘Kojak’. He was destined to be our favourite from the off. Parental common sense prevailed and we found good homes for them all.

In the intervening years, pets have played a huge part in my life.

There was:-

• a Guinea Pig named Suki
• a pair of gerbils (Bubble & Squeak)
• a scruffy mongrel dog, Sam, whom I inherited from a scruffy mongrel boyfriend. He simply like me better. Who wouldn’t?
• a hamster called Scratchy, and
• a fierce (and also inherited) English Bull Terrier called Sweep (another case of love me, love my enormous killer white dog).

All of the above sadly departed.

Latterly, as children arrived, pets made a resurgence. So much so that my life is now dominated by furry friends and I am a veritable Doctor Dolittle.

Meet, respectively :-

a) Dandy & Rosie, our Border Terrier brother and sister (we went for one and came home with two – don’t judge me).

b) Tarzan, the Siberian puss – yes, I know it’s a stupid name.

c) Pancake (an even more stupid name), the vegetarian lizard  – in a bid to finally satisfy my eldest’s unquenchable thirst for animals to ignore and for mummy to feed & tend.

We are critter-lovers, I cannot deny it. They bring a degree of joy and fun to our family life which is irreplaceable, along with a degree of chaos which I could well do without.

What about you? Who were the memorable pets who stole a place in your heart, or represented a special time in your childhood? Write your Post and share your memories here.

Tarzan

Pancake, our flat lizard

Post an entry to your own Blog  and use the Linky tool (link below) to enter your memories into the fray. If you like, just leave a comment and join in that way, but do join in.

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In next week’s Linky we will take a look back at some TV classics from childhood.  I’ll show you mine, if you show me yours, kinda thing. I am dying to hear your stories, so please come back and take part!!

No rules, just take the theme and write, then come back and join in with the Blog Hop on Tuesday…

More about the Life’s a Journey weekly memories series.

Other posts in this series:-

Week 1 - My earliest baby photo

Week 2 - Old School Portrait

Week 3 - Earliest Writings

Week 4 - Bestest Friends

Week 5 - Teenage Crushes

Week 6 - First Movie Memories

Week 7 - The Song You Snogged Your Hand To

Week 8 - Homage to Grandparents

Week 9 - Favourite Childhood Books

Week 10 - Tying the Knot (again)

Week 11 - Blue: Girl Guide Uniform Shambles

Week 12 - Cuddly Companions

Week 13 - A Rope, Some Pals and Jelly on a Plate

Week 14 - Pink NHS Specs, 1975

Week 15 - Regrettable hairstyles of the 1980s – The Mullet

Week 16 - The Lo-Tech Times of Childhood

Week 17 - Rollermania! 

Week 18 - Old Teen Magazines

Week 19 - Becoming a Parent

Week 20 – First Parent-less Holidays

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