A Bit of History

I know this is a rather strange photograph, but I wanted to record in my blip journal a little bit of family history.

This Tupperware lidded bowl dates back over 50 years to the very early 70’s, when we were living in Rayleigh. Mum and Dad loved to take us out on day trips, and often drove up to north Essex. A favourite was Colchester Zoo, which at that time had been established for less than a decade. Mum would prepare a picnic, and chopped up individual salads for us which went into the lidded Tupperware bowls to keep fresh. As well as the bowls being different colours, we had our names - embossed with a Dymo plastic label-maker - stuck on the lid. This was because we all had something or other we didn’t like to eat, so everyone was individually catered for. Quite why I’ve ended up with my sister Susan’s bowl at the flat will forever be a mystery. At that time she had a toddler (my niece Sharon) and a baby (Sally), and they would come along with us on outings. I don’t know what happened to all the other bowls, but I can’t bring myself to throw this one away as it evokes so many happy memories. When Mum and Dad eventually moved up to live in north Essex, they continued to support Colchester Zoo and we still had a family day out there every year with the next generation of children until the early 2010’s. By then we had stopped taking picnics, preferring to eat in the zoo’s café. Last year, Colchester Zoo celebrated its 60th anniversary and is still a major attraction.

The clear-out of my kitchen at the flat is nearly complete, and I‘ve parted with another lot of clothes too. There are two bags of donations for charity, plus four bags of rubbish and several old and unwanted electrical items for the recycling centre. I’m finding it easier to sift through my own stuff and get rid of it. There’s still plenty more to do, but I’m pleased with the progress today. Still no news on exchange of contracts or a completion date, so fingers are remaining firmly crossed.