CRICKET ST THOMAS MILK PASS TO MEMORY LANE

CRICKET ST THOMAS FREE PASS TO MEMORY LANE

It just happens that my favourite family group photo is an old Cricket St Thomas Dairy pass for free entry to the grounds of Cricket House and zoo for customers of the dairy. It closed down shortly afterwards so it didn’t get much use. 

At that time it was famous as the venue of ‘To The Manor Born’ one of our favourite sitcoms. Noel Edmonds and Mr Blobby came and went after a series of disputes and now it’s a Warners Hotel. (No children except for guest entertainment at Xmas or other festive occasions). The public can still go into the grounds and some good events are held there such as outdoor concerts etc but everyone pays now.

I like  the photo because it reminds me of the time we all lived crammed under the same roof in our small village farm house. We even had my parents with us for a time and after dad died mom came back and we looked after her for 15 years till she died aged 109. Now there's just three of us.

We’ve been lucky. They all settled within a 10 mile radius of our home in Combe St Nicholas although our eldest daughter and son are both now amicably separated which is good in some ways because the grandchildren get easy access and stability and we still get them.

 Our youngest daughter, a vet, never married and is still happily together with her partner in a lovely bungalow with land in a village called East Lambrook which has a great pub and a famous Marjorie Fish Garden.

Oh the irony of life!

That leaves one, our youngest son. He’s still at home, or rather sometimes still at home when he’s not in Thailand with his Thai wife. (Knows when he’s well off.) No overheads means more spending power and flights to Thailand are not cheap.

The Home office is deaf to his predicament - heartless bureaucrats all. Unless he can prove income of 18.5K the fact he works hard never claims on the state and she would never be a burden as we would provide for all their accommodation and needs doesn’t count for anything. They have caused him much heartache and sadness as he can’t get a work permit in Thailand either. They’re only interested in money and Westerners are there to be taken.

Anyway when I look at this photo this is what I see but it’s a while ago now when I could still turn an attractive woman’s head.  Doubt whether I could now.