Edinburgh, Portobello High School

Dot

My great Gran was often called Dot because her real name was Doris and she was always the spot of attention.

Doris Morphy was born in 1913 and sadly died in 2006 when I was four years old. I didn’t see her much but when we went to my Granny and Granddad’s in Corbridge, we used to pass her old folks’ home. I remember we always used to buy her a bag of jelly babies.

My mum remembers her most by her great laugh and her musical mug. Her mug is a musical mug that plays Auld Lang Syne when you wind the handle. We have inherited it and we always play it on Rabbie Burns’ Night.

She claimed to be able to predict her dreams as everyone in her family was associated with a different animal and, whenever she dreamed of something happening to that animal, she knew something was up. For instance, when my Grandad (her son) was at boarding school, she could tell when he was ill. She would phone up and ask if he was, and they would always say ‘Yes, how did you know?’. My Grandad has confirmed that that is true and did happen.

She always made my mum feel very loved. I always think that when I grow up I want to be like her.

Nancy

I pick my great, great Grandma because I have never seen her before. People say that she was beautiful and very nice and caring. Her name was Nancy and I find that a very nice name. She always used to act a little bit crazy, but no one ever cared. She always wore bright red lipstick in all her photos. I never saw her in person. I would ask her so many questions you wouldn’t be able to count, and also tell her “I love you.”

Sandra's friend, Eliza

When I was in school, I had a friend called Eliza. She had long chestnut hair, blue eyes and a soft voice. She always had a smile on her face.

We went to a school in Aberdeen. We played hockey for the school, and we made an excellent team! The strip was red, and itchy.

Eliza was never in a bad mood. She always cheered me up, but she knew when to leave me alone. We spent years together. We would go to the pictures and eat bucket-loads of ice cream.

We tried to keep in touch after school. However our relationship petered out. I have lived in Edinburgh for many years now, sitting in a chair in Spring Gardens Care Home, surrounded by so many people whose stories I am yet to hear.

I will always remember Eliza, but I have a new life here. I sometimes feel a little lonely and incomplete without her. If I were to see her now, I most definitely wouldn’t recognised her, given how much I’ve changed and how much she must have too.

My Uncle and his Girlfriend

My Uncle and his girlfriend went to Australia

In an enormous Jumbo Jet.

They took a newspaper, hoping to read it later,

Packed into their cabin luggage.

My Uncle looked through the small windows,

And sang to an air guitar,

“Oh what an adventure! But I am still a bit sad,

Very sad to leave family, I am, I am,

What an opportunity we have.”

Juliette said to my Uncle “You intelligent scientist

What an insightful true thing you say.

Oh let us have fun, too long we lived in London;

But where shall we stay in Australia?”

They flew on and one, for a night and a day,

To the land where the kangaroo roams,

And there down below Adelaide they saw

With a house right for them, and a job, a good job,

At the Science Media Centre for Uncle Joe.

“Dear Juliette, are you willing to stay for some years and give this a go?”

Said Juliette, “I will”

So they decided to stay, and cleaned their house the next day.

Taking in the old cat who lived in the garden.

They dined on barbeques, and slices of fruit,

Which they ate with a satisfied grin.

And hand in hand, on the lap top on the decking,

They chatted by Skype to me, to me, they chatted,

And they promised to return by the end of five years.