I was four years of age, I remember it perfectly, I could testify about every detail without hesitation...
Or was I three? Hmmm, memory, don't fail me now.
Let me take a moment to explain before I set the scene. While away from Hive mostly these last few months, I have missed my favourite EVER initiative, the "weekend engagement" prompt dreamed up by 
I have numerous fun, embarrassing, exciting, harrowing tales but the one I settled on was my "earliest happy memory". It is the most exciting memory I could've shared with you but it is one that visits me often and bring a melancholic smile to my face.
Like many of my earlies memories and coincidentally, (or not), my happiest ones too, there is one lady who features in the vast majority. She was the lifelong inspiration for all that is good within me and a lifeline from some of the worst times and most of all a bloody good friend.
My Nana, not Grandma, not Gran, not Grandmother... Just Nana. I mention her often in nostalgic posts as she is most probably likely responsible for my being here today and certainly takes all the credit for my being able to show love as an adult.
Thankfully she lived long enough to see me become a man, she secretly told me several times that I was her favourite because I needed her most (which was true). I spent so much time with her till she sadly passed in 2008 when I was 36 and capable of living my life without her.
The day she died, the memory I am about to recount kept playing on an endless loop in my mind.
I was three years old, maybe just turned 4 and my Nana had taken me on a day-trip by coach to what would much later become my all-time favourite place in the UK and has been the destination of many, many happy family holidays in the years since.
BLACKPOOL.
We set off at the crack of dawn, while it was still dark outside met the other people at the pick-up point for the coach trip, most of whom my Nana knew and set off for the 3.5 hour journey. The sun was shining brightly when we arrived to a warm September morning.
The reason she took me in September is that the Blackpool illuminations were switched on at the end of August that year and they were quite the spectacle to behold. The thing I fell madly in love with though, a love affair that lasts to this day, was the Blackpool tower.
5 inches shy of 519 feet tall, it captured my imagination and never let go.
By night the tower comes in to it's own and becomes even more spectacular and can be seen for many miles around.
There are a myriad of attractions to explore in Blackpool but that is for another post for another day. So there I was this wide eyed tot enjoying the attractions, the sights, the lights, (think of an insane sugar-rush on steroids), with my favourite person in the entire universe. My Nana took me to Blackpool Pleasure Beach, an amazing theme park, way ahead of it's time.
The countless tens of millions of pounds spent to construct this amazing collection of roller-coasters, log-flumes, carousels, characters and theming were utterly wasted on me because my Nana bought me a cowboy rag-doll. I loved it instantly, both for what it was and who had given it to me.
Long story short we headed back to the coach late at night ready to head back home. We were all set, cosied back up in our seats enjoying the illuminations from the window, when I let out a scream... My cowboy was gone!!!
My Nana leapt from the seat, telling the driver he would have to wait a few minutes to set off, while she exited the coach and re-traced our steps around the waiting area of the coach station... She returned a few brief moments later having rescued Noddy, I know, I know that's a bloody appalling name for a cowboy, but like I say I was four at the very latest, cut me a little slack people!!!
BUT everything I have recounted so far, is just background to add a little context, this is not the part that makes this memory sit front and centre in the recess marked "dim and distant past" of my mind, that bit comes immediately after this.
A few minutes later. I held my cowboy close to me and snuggled up to go to sleep against my Nana, the greatest person I had ever known at that point and quite possibly even to this day. The day had been amazing, fun, exciting and awe-inspiring but I knew that this part was my favourite part of the long, tiring day.
Snuggled up cosy next to my Nana, the person who made me feel safest and the most loved in the whole world, I had a feeling that life could, would never get better than this. My heart overflowing with nothing but overwhelming love for this amazing lady, I went to sleep, happy and content.
In truth that tiny paragraph is the most resonant, important part of the memory and the bit that stays with me most about my first ever happy childhood memory, but can you imagine what a 54 word count post would have done for my reputation... shudder... I think not.
Even now, all these years later, my eyes are filled with tears of love and joy for this lady I was so bloody lucky to have in my life. I am happy to say that when she became old and ill health struck, I was there daily, helping with tasks, shopping, to arrange medical appointments and most of all chat and have a bloody good laugh as she never, ever lost her sense of humour.
To pay back that love and care was a privilege, and to be honest, to just share some small part of how wonderful I thought she was with you Dear Reader, helps me feel that I do her memory justice.
I'm disappointed that I cannot lay my hands on a picture of Nana right now to share in this post but all of the photos have been put away to accommodate Christmas decorations and tree(s), maybe I should share our own personal OTT illuminations with you this week!
Thanks for accompanying me on this happy, slightly emotional trip down memory lane, you an ever welcome travelling companion. Me and mine wish you and yours all the very best for this festive season and all that you could ever hope for from the fresh, blank slate that is 2022.
Thank YOU for taking the time to read my post and if you're one of those amazing people who like to hit the comments section... Then I doubly thank YOU!
Either way I want you to know that you are appreciated!
