1965  Rose Cottage, Lossiemouth    

Michael was born on 24th May 1965 while we were at Lossie.  I used to go and see Dr Lyon our GP who gave me regular injections to make sure Michael didn’t miscarry  and I had to be sure to rest for a day or so each month. 

The local Health Visitor organised some relaxation classes for several of us who were all expecting babies about the same time.  These were held in the sitting room of Netty Shea’s married quarter.  Netty’s toddler Sarah thought this was a huge joke and  given half a chance would bounce on the tums of unsuspecting mothers-to-be.  Elizabeth Murphy, Wendy Staples, Netty and I who were all booked in to Maryhill, the Elgin Maternity home  had weekly lessons lying on Netty’s carpet  breathing  deeply and trying hard to relax – hoping Sarah would not land on one of us. 

Dear Sarah was a bit crosseyed at this stage of her life and when she visited my kitchen she would appear to be looking in one direction but in fact would be heading in another. This meant that whenever I saw her approaching from the back gate, I would rush round and put everything out of reach before she arrived.  

I thought it would be a good idea to knit a  pram cover out of blue wool and went for some thick fisherman’s knit and large size needles.  This  blanket started to assume enormous proportions and was very heavy to carry around.  Dear Auntie Elsie Thompson (widow of a fisherman who was ‘auntie’ to all the fellowship wives) invited me to tea and ‘bring your knitting’.  I had to tell her I would – if I could carry it.  Eventually, the only way I could manage the thing was to sit up in bed and spread it out on my lap and knit from one side to the other and then turn it over with both hands and knit back to the end of the next row.  When it was finished, I realised it would smother any poor child underneath it – and it was relegated to a floor rug – which came in very handy – and still survives as a matted square still capable of many years of use – if you don’t inspect it too closely.