19 SEPTEMBER 2011 : OUT IN THE WEST: If you were born to be shot, you will never be hanged : Nana Bell.

If you were born to be shot, you will never be hanged : Nana Bell.

THE YAAN.

Today I went a few suburbs west to the area where I grew up. The faces on the streets are much changed from when I was a girl I the 1950s and 1960s. It was pretty much anglo- saxon and celtic and gaelic back then. Not that I knew that. Those white faces were all that I knew with an occasional Other thrown in. Irmgard Klump from Germany, Irene Chee from China and a white Russian girl whose name eludes me tonight.

Over the years, a mosque has been built and many different faces of many different kinds were amongst the people I saw today. In fact, the whole face of the City is different from the one I saw as a child. I rather like it.

The house where I grew up. The one that my Dad built. No 27 Paxton Avenue is being demolished or renovated. I have only been back 3 times since I left in the early 70s and it took me aback somewhat to see it being done over today.

I was heading to my old Auntie Jean’s at Roselands. I have known and loved that face since I was born. In this year of losing another well-loved face, it was a comforting thing to see her white hair and crinkled smile. For a little while today, I was Lindy Lou or her Lucy.

She’s the one who told me about Nana Bell’s saying : IF YOU WERE BORN TO BE SHOT, YOU WILL NEVER BE HANGED.

YAANING AT AUNTIE JEAN’S.

THE WEDDINGS OF THE 3 BELL SISTERS.

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27 PAXTON AVENUE BELMORE.

THIS IS WHAT I SAW TODAY.

AND THIS IS WHAT IT WAS LIKE IN THE PAST – FOR ME.

ENOUGH YAANING- BACK TO THE PHOTOGRAPH ALBUM.