Grace’s Birthday
Grace, age 6 – Alexandra Lucas Family Archives
September 27th was my mother’s birthday.
It was her sixth in this photo and she is standing in front of her mother and beside her sister, Alma. Judging from her sister’s expression, it was probably one of her brothers taking the picture.
I notice the hand embroidery on her dress and wish I could do that. Alas, not my forte. My grandmother made all Grace’s clothes and darned everyone’s socks late at night when the house was quiet. This, of course, embarrassed my mother immensely. She yearned for some of those store-bought glad rags.
The year would have been 1922.
This is when she got roller skates and didn’t take them off for stairs or anything else for that matter. Up until this moment, she had been walking most places on her hands.
It occurs to me now as I write this, her parents must have decided on this particular gift to lure her into an upright position. If so, it worked.
Grace was the youngest of seven children. Her sister, Alma, the eldest. No wonder my grandmother looks a bit tired.
These three shared a lifelong bond and I’m delighted to have known them.
Happy birthday, Mum.