Early Days.. tough but good!

My journey through early teen years along with my younger sister, was both interesting and at times really fun! Our parents had taught us well and with love & respect, manners & truth we were setting a path of morals to guide us. Sadly our loving dad died when I was just approaching my 9th birthday. A combination of coal dust on his lungs & bronchial tract (from his job as a coal miner in 1940's & 1950's) plus pneumonia which overtook his organs. In those teen years that suddenly arrived almost without awareness. We had adapted from childhood into early adults, we needed to so that we could join with Mum in making sure our home/family was maintained in a good way.
We loved our naked days and our clothed days equally and we knew which we preferred when all those household chores needed to be completed. We also knew that certain 'officials' were snooping on us looking for some signs of the family unit failing. When an unannounced visit from the "Gabardine Coat" brigade happened we felt we had to justify every thing they saw that didn't meet their expectations, we soon reached compromises that just had to stay in place. We agreed that if anyone was naked when the officer arrived we would get dressed immediately. The only time that idea fell apart was when mother was due to have her bath! (We're talking here about the 'tin' bath in front of the coal fire in the back kitchen room.) just as the bath tub had been manually filled mother took off her under-slip & knickers to climb in, then a knock at the door signified the arrival of Mr Clarney the inspecting officer.
Dutifully we opened the door and invited him in, his first words to us two before he got passed the makeshift curtain around the bathtub was, "Ah it's good that you two are fully clothed, too much revealed skin isn't healthy!" Then he stepped around to see mothers bare body lowering into her metallic tub of liquid relaxation. Mr Clarney suddenly seemed transfixed! His body wanted to move forwards but his feet stuck firm, his eyes wanted to look but his nervous perspiring head would not turn to mothers direction. As he tried to regain use of his vocal chords my mother glanced up to my sister & I, then she said with total disregard, "Ok you two after me you can both get in here, I'll be another 10 minutes so get your things off then find me a towel."
I don't ever recall Mr Clarney being able to do a sprint up a cobble stoned street, but I can assure you that's exactly what happened next. We may not have the trappings of luxury in that era, but we did have fun & laughter.
More to come soon. . . . watch for Early days 2