Summer of '79

The Summer of 1979, we were still living in the same place (one room really) we used to go out as much as possible, as I remember it was a decent Summer weather wise!

I was still working as a Trainee Chef in the same Hotel, I got on with most of the Chefs, but the difference was they were all single and I was Married with a Baby, so I didnt go out with any of them, they would be drinking at the Bar attached to the Hotel, during working hours & sometimes when they had time off!

Fournately that Summer, we had a new Chef came to work at the Hotel, he was about 26 years old, about 6 years older than me, but married with a couple of kids, so I had quite a bit in common with him, his name was Bob Gaunt & he only lived around the corner from us, so that Summer we see quite a bit of him & his family, although Susan says she cant ever remember going around anyones at that time!

I cant remember his Wifes or his Kids names though, must be old age!

He at that time was a good colleague & friend to us but I cant remember what happened to him, whether he left the Hotel, although later that year, I left the Hotel & Catering Trade for a few years!

Perhaps one day he will read this Blog!

Another Trainee Chef I got on really well was a lad by the name of Mark Davidson, he was only about 18 & from Sheffield, I wander what happened to him also!

NATHAN OUT OF DANGER!

After a week or two, Nathan was released from the Hospital's Baby Unit and Transferred to the Baby Unit at the General Hospital, which was handy for us , as it was only 2 minutes from where we were living!

So over the next couple of Months, Nathan was in and out of Hospital constantly, going in for a few days then back out again, which for me and Susan was a strain, what with living in 1 room and sharing all other rooms and facilities with about 9 other families, plus still working split-shifts at work, times were hard, not too mention having hardly any money, as I was still on low wages being a Trainee Chef!

I cant remember either family helping out too much either!

As for family visits to our place, they only happened about twice the whole time we lived there!

This must of been worse for Susan, as at least I had work to get away from the strain of our situation!

We were just about out of November in 1978 and things had not really changed concerning Nathan and our situation and with Christmas was just around the corner, (our First as a Family since we got Married) would things improve!

NEW ACCOMODATION and the LAUNDERETTE

The old Launderette we used to use and it's still going strong!

We finally moved into our new place around last week in September 1978, things at that time were fairly hectic as I recall, I was also back at College, one day per week and still working at the same Hotel, It was hard for us with a Baby living in just one room most of the time!

But we did have one particular friend in the House we shared with about 9 other families, her name was Shirley (she was the person who seemed to keep things going along in the house), she I remember helped me and Susan out several times during our stay!

One thing I do remember was having some sort of bother with the Washing of Clothes, I remember there was only one machine for all the families, so being a bit particular where we washed our clothes! it was my job to go to the local Launderette, which was about 5 minutes away, so every couple of Days we were over the Launderette, washing ans drying our clothes.

We used to use Nathan's pushchair to take to laundry backwards and forwards, it was a bright Orange colour! ................. Married life was Bliss!

Another thing I remember about this period in time, I didn't have my Music Center with us, because of space etc, it was left at my Mother's House, but I still brought the odd Vinyl Record to play at a later date!

One Record I remember buying was the Rose Royce Single, "Love dont live here anymore"
this was a Number 2 in U.K in September of 1978! I still have the Single to this day in our loft!

Things were about to change again for us, with Nathan still not right after his operation!

SEPTEMBER 3rd 1978, We became Parents

These pictures were taken last week of outside the Hospital where Susan had our Son,
and the middle picture is the actual room where they both were for the Birth, the
Hospital is now closed!


I remember things were going well at work and Susan was doing fine (pregnancy wise) it was now exactly 6 weeks after we got Married, we went to bed that night on the 2nd September 1978 and everything was O.K, Then about 3 am on that Sunday Morning, Susan's water's broke!

I thought Susan had too much too drink the night before! lol

Anyway the Ambulance was'nt called until about 7am the next morning, and by about 8am, we were off to the Hospital.

I was told after about an Hour or so, to go off to work as nothing would be happening for "Hours yet"

At about 11.30 am I was getting ready for Sunday Lunch at Work, when a Phone call came through for me to get to the Hospital as things were about to happen!

As I went to the Hospital with Susan earlier that day in the ambulance, I didnt have my Bike with me, so I had to get to the Hospital somehow!

Luckily there was a Bus that ran all the way from my Work to the Hospital, I can remember to this day the funny feeling of fear I had all the way there , which was about 3 miles away, in total!

I finally got to the Hospital about 12.30pm, I remember both of us being "very nervous" as we were both still teenager's ourselves, and back then in 1978, we were classed as "too young to have Kids"

Anyway after hours of waiting and tension in Susan's room and the waiting room, things were about to happen! (I remember there was 2 other blokes in the waiting room, and both of them looked older enough to be my father!).

I had to wear a big white coat and green trouser's in the Delivery Room, and I also remember the Doctor had big White Wellington Boots on, and after speaking to Susan while writing this Post up, she reminded me that I had a pair of the big White Welly's on as well!
I cant remember there being too much Mud about in the Delivery Room!

After which seemed an eternity of pushing, shoving and sweating bucket loads for both of us, at 15.55pm on Sunday 3rd September 1978, our Son was BORN !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

What a relief! that was probably the first time in public I cried!

But Problems were on the horizon for me and susan concerning our New Baby.

PANIC and KICKED OUT!

Exactly a week after we got Married, I was at work and a Phone Call came through, Susan had been rushed to the Hospital, the Baby was on its way!

After several hours at the Hospital, the Doctor said it was a false alarm, and nothing was going to happen now, "Thank God for that", we thought!

We were still at my Nanny's House, this I'm afraid was'nt going to last much longer, as my Nanny's Brother stuck his Nose in, saying we were using Her, she told us what he had said, I can't really remember the ins and outs of the Situation, but in the end we had to move out!

This has it turned out , was the only time in my Life I had any bad feeling's towards my Nanny, she was always Great to me and Susan, this incident I fully blamed on her Brother and his Big Snout and Mouth! (yes we were bitter towards him! and never spoke to him again)

Anyway my Nanny Passed away in 1989, and to this day we still now and again take Flowers to her Grave!

So once again we were Homeless and not having a Car anymore, we had to walk everywhere, and by now Susan had about 2 Months to having our Baby!

EARLY SUMMER OF 78

By now we had about 2 Months to go before getting married, and we had a couple of Big changes going on! Firstly, I had to sell my Car, the main reason behind this was to get extra money for us when we got Married!

I remember selling the Car to my Sister's Boyfriend, for £100 and a bike, so not a bad loss on the Original price and I had some transport to get back and forth to work!

The second change we had, was we had moved in with my Nanny, who lived in the Town Centre of our Town, we had our own Bedroom and had most of our Meals out at the Hotel where I worked, so we were sorted at last!

One thing I do remember that happened at this time was, we had to convert a large Bathroom in my Nanny's House, into our Bedroom,what a nightmare that was, in the process we had to get the old Bath out of the First Floor Room Window, this took quite a while to do!

Work was going OK at this time and as I said we had about 2 months to go before we got Married!