Dear Prime Time member,

Hasn’t it been a momentous week? The news about the Duke of Edinburgh which, although shouldn’t have been entirely unexpected, still came as a shock. Listening to his life story, I myself had not realised how much he had sacrificed in the early years of his marriage; normally expecting twenty years of so having a ‘normal ‘ life and career, but instead taking on very quickly the full-time roll of Queen’s consort. I learned a lot about him that I had not known or had known but forgotten!   I expect this may bring back memories for you too, some poignant some peaceful, of loved ones lost; either recently or in times past. It’s times like these we really miss hugs from families and friends. I pray that God’s love will sustain you all.

Di’s letter last week was suggesting we remember things in our past, invoked through sights, sounds and smells. I suppose my favourite would be the smell of new mown grass, reminding me of caravan holidays in the Lake District. But my very earliest memory is of sitting in a tin bath in front of the fire. Did you have one of those? Then we progressed to a weekly bath in an upstairs bathroom, but only one filling of water for all of us. I was third in line! And yes, old newspapers came in handy...... well, we did come from Yorkshire. The latest loo roll shortage didn’t faze me a bit.

Di and I have obviously got a lot in common. I also got married in 1969 and watched the moon landing actually on our honey ‘moon’  on the hotel television.  I also made my blue bridesmaids dresses on an old treadle machine in the basement of the YWCA I lived in at the time; and ironed them with one of those flat irons that you only see now in the servant’s quarters of National Trust houses.

Now, can anyone visualise Di as a cowgirl? Well, that gave me a chuckle. The nearest  memory I can get to that is having a crush on Hopalong Cassidy, a goody two shoes cowboy on TV in about the fifties. Does anyone remember him? I saved for ages to buy his  annual. Can anyone remember the name of his horse?  Mind you, he did have a very deep sexy voice. (Hopalong, not the horse).

I asked husband for his earliest recollection, and found out he doesn’t  even remember getting married (which I can assure him we did!)

It’s been lovely going down Memory Lane but I just wish my short term memory was as good!  All those jokes about going upstairs and forgetting what you had gone up for are no longer funny!

Lockdown is gradually starting to ease, the weather is warming up and we must find the courage to emerge and start living again. I must admit I haven’t found Penny’s seven daisies yet,  although I have seen seven snowflakes, and lots of bright cheerful daffodils. Zoom has been invaluable, but I can’t wait  to start meeting you all again. I hope you feel the same.

Keep going. We are nearly there!

With love and many blessings,

Olwen x

Olwen Downhill

Primetime Team Member