Monday 20 July 2009

My one and only Fan

When I was a little girl I used to holiday at my Grandparent's home in Northumberland. One day she took me into her bedroom, which I was rarely allowed into, I remember clearly because it smelled of Beeswax and the bed looked like it had been ironed. She opened the bottom drawer to a solid oak chest of drawers and dug out three beautiful, old fans. I remember one of them was lace and another had huge peacock feathers and then there was this one. I was mesmerised. With its Mother of Pearl stems and hand painted picture, it caught my heart as she placed it in my hands.
She explained it was over 200 years old and only I was allowed to play with them, on occasion, not my brothers - the fans were our secret. As I fluttered the gold sequined antique in front of myself I couldn't have felt more regal or special.
Grandma is no longer with me and I don't know what happened to the other fans, but this one was given to me. Thinking about it though- I wonder now - was it really the fan that made me feel so proud and special and pretty back then? Or was it perhaps my Grandma ?
TTFN xxx

8 comments:

  1. Aww that is such a beautiful post with such lovely memories. The fan is stunning X

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  2. What a beautiful gift from your Grandma!.I love the mother of pearl stems and the picture is so pretty! Fond memories!
    Rachel x

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  3. How beautiful & such a lovely memento!

    Jayne

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  4. What a precious memory. Lovely fan.
    Cal x

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  5. What a lovely post. The fan is stunning.

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  6. It might be your one and only fan but what a special one.

    Such a lovely post,

    Victoria xx

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  7. You have some wonderful memories Fleur.

    Oh and I fell in love with the space ship fabric, just need to buy some.

    Feel no fear after Wednesday. You will be fine and dandy. It was just the bloodcurdling nature of the scream that made me quake.

    Lisax

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  8. The fan is so pretty! memories are a lovely thing to have.

    love Lou xxx

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