ABBA

 I’ve had a long love affair with Swedish pop sensation ABBA. Ever since they burst onto the charts in the mid 1970s they had my heart (ousting the Bay City Rollers from top slot). So you can imagine my delight when the ABBASOLUTELY FABBAULOUS SHOW toured Newcastle last week.

I have SO many happy memories involving Agnetha, Frida, Benny and Bjorn.

#1: The day all the girls in my fourth class spontaneously broke into When I Kissed the Teacher when the much-adored sixth class teacher, Mr Malcolm, walked into our classroom. I can still remember the smiles, the happiness…and how that seemed to last the whole day. :) When I Kissed the Teacher is still one of my favourite ABBA songs.

#2: Being allowed to go to the drive-in with my older cousins to see the ABBA movie. It was one of those iconic “I’m a grown-up” moments (completely false, mind you, but I adored my cousins and I can still taste my excitement).

I now have the ABBA Movie on DVD!

#3: When I was an undergraduate—back in the old, old days (early 1990s)—my flatmate and I would religiously rock up to The Castle every Wednesday night for FABBA—an ABBA tribute band. We’d dance non-stop until the wee small hours, and then drag ourselves off to classes the next day. That was back in the days when a late night didn’t wipe me out for a week. ;-)

My battered Arrival album and a 45 of Fernando (B-side is -- swoon -- Tropical Loveland)

I loved Muriel’s Wedding and Priscilla Queen of the Desert when they came out. I swooned over both Mamma Mia movies. So it will come as no surprise to you that I was one of the first out of my seat at the theatre last Thursday when ABBASOLUTELY FABBAULOUS SHOW kicked off proceedings with Does Your Mother Know? Yes, much dancing and crazy good times were had. :)

You wanna know what else is putting a smile on my face? ABBA has just announced that they’re reforming to record two brand new songs!

TWO. NEW. SONGS. Coloured me excited.

Okay, it’s your turn now. What’s your favourite musical crush?

The nose knows!

I visited a pre-school the other day and things were a little different to when I was a three year old some thirty forty (mumble) years ago. There were i-Pads, for one thing, and funky looking climbing frames that looked like someone of my advancing years could well get stuck in.

But one thing was exactly the same as it had always had been and it set off an explosion of memory. It was the smell. It was a mix of hot sun on linoleum and the aroma of paint and crayons and sweaty sneakers, and the disinfectant that in my day Miss McTaggart used to mop up any "accidents". As soon as I recognised those familiar smells they were immediately followed by powerful memories of fun and friendship.

And it got me thinking about the power of smells in my life - the heady aroma of the first coffee in the morning - rich and mellow and warm. The smell of much needed rain on my parched garden - sweet and toasty and fresh. 

And then there's the seductive power of a perfume bottle. Maybe it's because my husband's a winemaker - a man whose nose is his livelihood-that he loves to buy me perfume. He was the very first person to buy me a bottle almost thirty years ago.  I remember it was "Paris" by Yves St Laurent and every time I smell it I still I get those same warm feelings as I did all those years ago. I tend to change my scent every year or two. My favourites in recent times have been "Allure" by Chanel and "L'eau d'Issey" by Issey Miyake. Right now I'm wearing "Flash" by Jimmy Choo and it has to be one of my all-time favourites.

What about you? Are there scents that hold particularly strong memories for you? Places or perfumes?

Dear Me,

My boys are getting to the age where they have to make important decisions about their lives...which university, which course, what path? What kind of a person do they want to be? It's an exciting but stressful time and I remember it well. When I was sixteen I desperately wanted to be a nurse, but was told by my careers teacher that I was too short and that 'short people never get anywhere in life' (no word of a lie). So I decided to train to be a teacher instead. But my head teacher told me, 'We think you should do this course-' *hands me a pamphlet for a fancy new degree called Media Studies*. Back then I did what I was told. So I did that degree and worked for a year in a corporate environment but wasn't happy. THEN I took my career into my own hands, applied and was accepted to train as a nurse (short people can do stuff after all!!) It seems I was easily persuaded and eager to please everyone else instead of choosing my own path from the get go.

Louisa at 16

So I was thinking about my boys and what would be the best advice to give them? What would I (at the ripe old age of *mumble mumble*) have told me all those years ago?  Then I came across this  book called Dear Me which features letters from celebrities to their 16 year old selves. It also has letters from Joe Public and makes interesting reading. There are lots of 'trust yourself' and 'don't settle for...,' 'you are beautiful, believe it...' and there are some truly heartbreaking ones too, counterbalanced with silly and fun and honest and loving. I did wonder whether it's a good idea to look back- but actually, I think it is, because we can see all the mistakes we've made, all the growing we've done, all the wise things we've learnt and realise how much we've faced and survived...

So here's my attempt:

Dear Louisa

Sixteen feels so mature right now, but, trust me- life is just beginning for you. You will have some challenges, some things will rock you completely, some things will knock your confidence...but you have the strength and resilience to overcome them and come out the other side a better person. You will also have some amazing, wonderful, happy experiences and have a life filled with love - you just have to let it in.

Trust your intuition and your instincts. Don't let anyone tell you that you can't achieve your dreams. Because you can. And you do. You just have to work hard. Stick to your guns! You'll save a lot of heartache that way. But let yourself make some mistakes, we all do. That's how we learn.

Cherish your girlfriends, because they will hold your hand and lift you up, they will be by your side. Give them that love right back and don't get sucked in to the bitchy gossip thing. STOP SMOKING! NOW!!! Never ever wear your hair without a fringe. Ever. Go on that trip to Ireland with the students union- if you don't you'll regret it for a long time. Eat. Enjoy it. Love your body at every stage of your life and don't keep looking back to when you were thinner, younger...you are pretty damned okay whatever size you are. Spend more time with your mum creating memories and write down Nana's story now, even though it seems boring to you at 16 you'll regret not writing it down when you're older. And when you go on holiday to celebrate the end of your exams (I won't spoil the surprise of where and with who)- it's probably not such a great idea to dance on that table. Just saying...

Don't fret about finding The One. He's out there and when you meet him, you'll just know. Trust me on this.

Finally, stop worrying about everything. It doesn't help, it wastes time and stops you enjoying the good stuff.

Louisa xx
p.s. There's this company called apple, (funny name, I know) they make 'computers'...as soon as you see shares going on sale, buy lots!

So, what piece of advice would you give a 16 year old these days, or what would you tell your 16 year old self if you could? I'd love to hear your thoughts xxx

A house full of memories

by Barbara DeLeo

It's nearly the end of the school holidays here and for this last week the kids and I have travelled down to visit my mum and dad in the city. 'Granny' and 'Pops' live pretty close to the centre of town in a beautiful old house that's home to lots of wonderful treasures and trinkets. Although I didn't grow up in this house it's full of the things from my childhood that bring back amazing memories and I thought I'd share a few with you.

This is the piano I learned on from the age of five. My maternal grandmother was a music teacher who travelled by horse and buggy around the farms of the district teaching piano and singing. Years later she bought this for my mother who eventually taught me and I learned for twelve years. From when my kids were tiny they've loved to "play" Granny's piano, often in pairs and often all four together. Thankfully, one of my girls is starting lessons this month so it'll be lovely hear the next generation playing on this grand old lady the next time we visit.

My mother was from a farm and we spent every single one of my childhood holidays there with my grandparents. In the vast farmhouse kitchen there was a word burning stove, a rack that you would haul up to the ceiling to dry the clothes, and this amazing old clock that would chime on the quarter hour day in, day out. It now sits on the mantelpiece at Mum and Dad's and still has the power to fill me with a sense of calm with its quiet tic-tock.

My mum has always loved antiques but she's not usually one to hoard every little thing from throughout her life. One thing she has kept is our special toys and this one was mine. She tells me she bought Mr Foxy from a church fair and I love the fact that he's a fox dressed up in hunting attire. The perfect revenge! 'Foxy' accompanied me on many of my life's great adventures but I especially remember cuddling him when I had to visit the doctor for stitches once. I've thought about taking 'Foxy' home with me but he seems like the sort of gentleman who'd prefer the quiet and dignified company at Mum and Dad's rather than the madness that is our house.

As it's only the kids and I on the trip this time and there's room in the car, Mum has asked that I take any of my treasures back home with me. This is one of the things my grandparents gave me when they left the old farm house and I'll be taking it back home with us tomorrow. It's the butter churn that my grandmother made butter in all through the war years. It even has brand new butter wrappers and butter paddles inside. Isn't it a beauty!

 Do you have any special family treasures that have been passed down through the generations?