ABSTRACT THURSDAY - CELEBRATION

When I knew that celebration was the theme of this week’s Abstract Thursday, I wondered whatever I could blip but then I noticed my black Wedgwood vase.

This was given to me in March 1971 and I can be sure of the date because it was when I "celebrated" leaving work to have my first baby, who was born in May of that year, so it is now almost 45 years old.

I worked in a local solicitors’ office at the time and my boss was Mr. Hobbs - who was quite a challenging man to work for.  

He never invited me to call him by his first name and in those days, I wouldn’t have dreamt of calling him “Len” without being invited to.  He was quite a scruffy individual and his room was always messy, but I got to know him quite well as I tidied his room and did the filing each morning, when he would often chat about his family.

When he dictated letters and statements using a dictaphone, he was always changing his mind and never went back to correct what he had said previously, so it was a constant battle, knowing whether I had typed the right thing or not.  He never gave any punctuation, unlike others, who liked everything done just so, with commas and paragraphs in the places they wanted, but Mr. Hobbs just dictated as if it was one long sentence and I had to punctuate it as I felt best - he didn’t give me much back to re-type, so I guess I did a good enough job!

When I told  him I was pregnant he still let me carry lots of files up two flights of stairs without helping me, but we got on very well together despite the way he was.  

He was known to be quite “tight” with his money and rarely gave to a collection when people left - so in the end, those collecting used to walk straight past his door!  

However, on the day I left, he gave me this beautiful Wedgwood vase, which would have cost quite a lot of money in those days, so I knew he did have a heart somewhere inside!  I have looked it up on the internet and it is described as an “Elegant Vintage Wedgwood Matt Black Basalt Footed Trumpet Vase” but for me it will always be “Mr. Hobbs’ Vase” complete with my memories of him and faffed around with for today’s challenge in my RoundWorld app.

More hydrotherapy this afternoon with my friend, Caroline - so I am hoping that we will both benefit from an afternoon together!

“To have memories, 
      happy or sorrowful, 
          is a blessing, 
for it shows we have lived our lives 
     without reservation.” 
Tan Twan Eng, The Gift of Rain

P.S.  Thank you for your kind comments and stars for my tulip yesterday for Wide Angle Wednesday.