Friday Fish 'n Chips

Many families have their own routines, whether they are daily, weekly, monthly or annual. 


I can track back through our photo albums and know that every year some things remain absolutely stable. Not just the standard Christmas and Easter celebrations - but Sunday Lunches, the Harvest auction at church, the Summer Fete. 


Some of these events go back to my own childhood. On Fridays after school we always went to my Gran's for tea. Saturday mornings were spent at my Granny's where she would indulge her grandchildren with comics, jaffa cakes and coke (a real treat for us then). Christmas was a big family thing and Boxing Day was always spent at my Aunt Esther's with Uncle Fred entertaining everyone with really really bad jokes!


 And ..... even fish and chips .... although for us it was usually a Monday after Ballet lessons!


Obviously we went through the stage where we grew a little distant as teenagers and young adults. Then we had our own children and Mark and I rejoined and embraced the idea of family routines and "traditions". 


The annual Easter Egg hunt in Grandy's back garden, Saturday French stick and cheese at Nanny's house, before Dad (Mark) would go to cricket (in the Summer) or Rugby (in the Winter) and delicious Sunday lunch at Grandy and Grandpa's.


Then August 25th happened. The day Mark was killed in a car crash. The blog for the whole of that story may be told another time but it will probably take several blogs just to cover the emotions.


Life changed. Everything changed. Nothing would ever feel the same again.


BUT ..... I had a 4 year old, a toddler aged 2 and a 4 month old baby. Life has to go on - and it does.


This is when the family traditions and routines became SO important - Children need stability and in our case their stability had been ripped away. This is where Friday Fish  n Chips became a constant event in our lives.


The younger ones would sit on the counter as Grandpa gave the order and the older ones would help carry the bags back as the chippy was only a short walk from Grandy and Grandpa's house. As the children grew .... even the Fish and Chip shop joined in - regular little treats for them all ..... Christmas and Easter gifts. 


This continued for my brother and sister-in-law's children too and as the grandchildren have grown they have learnt so much at this dinner table. 


Table manners, conversation, debate, teasing, family jokes ..... just so much more than can be listed here! If the  children were a little naughty they would even know it and plonk themselves on the naughty step!  


Nowadays, Grandy and Grandpa have extended their generosity to the boyfriends and girlfriends. We can't all sit around the table so the younger generation sit in the conservatory but are still able to join in, they all know the hierarchy of who gets served first for desserts !


And this is the kind of yucky smalchy gooey stuff that bonds a family together.


It is so important to give a child roots and wings .......... These are the roots !