Queen of the May Pt 5

Christmas week arrived so we started to get things ready, the menfolk doing their thing and Mum and me were in the kitchen cooking and baking. When we weren't doing that, it was more knitting and sewing, Yep, Mum was enjoying having a daughter and making the most of it.

Come Christmas Eve Day, Dad and boys were told to disappear for the day while we cleaned the house from top to bottom, and all the other little jobs that had to be done. We also had the neighbours and their daughters dropping in form time to time bringing and receiving gifts to and from our family.

Christmas dawned, and we kids knew not to get out of bed to early or wake our parents by making too much noise. That was fair enough, after all, they do work all week and don`t get many lie in days. It didn't bother us kids that much as we didn't open presents until the afternoon.

To be honest, I was starting to wonder what lay in store. After Christmas Dinner, Dad and the boys went into the lounge while we cleaned up, then we joined them. Present started to get passed round and opened. The boys got everything they had asked for, toys, computer games, books and clothing. I didn't get a thing I asked for, instead, I got Barbie dolls, more dresses, underwear, and jewelry.

Then I was taken out to garage where I found a new bike. It was pink with Barbie all over it. I was a bit disappointed but didn't show it and thanked everyone.

On Boxing Day, we went to my grandparents houses. Of course they had been told what was happening, so were expecting their new granddaughter. And of course, some of my cousins were there with their parents.

When the snide comments and teasing started. my grandparents soon put a stop to that and eventually everyone enjoyed themselves. The rest of Christmas period was spent either visiting someone or more knitting, sewing and housework along with lesson on how a lady sits, walks etc. Although there were some criticism, it wasn't done in a harsh way.

As soon as everything started to get back to normal, I told Mum that I needed to go to the bank to deposit my Christmas money. I had just over ï¿¡300 to put into my account, so we went and got that done as well some shopping for bread and milk.

Before long, it was back to school, I had an appointment with the physiotherapist who told me I could get rid of my crutches as long as I didn't over do things and continued with my exercises, I could go back to school full time. But I had to use a walking stick until I was sure of myself.

School wasn't too bad, although I couldn't take part in PT or dancing. Instead, they had me doing my exercises, the boys did woodwork or metal work as a craft lesson, but I had to do sewing and what they call domestic science.

In our history lesson, we learned that our village was 1000 years old this year and was mentioned in the Doomsday book. I and I suppose the other kids always wondered about teams of people that came every summer and dug holes all over the place. Now we knew they were looking for the old Saxon ruins and had found a few.

We also found out that the village population hadn't changed much over all those years. 1000years ago, the population was 250 and today it was 235, with 2 more due to born soon. Some of families could be traced back to the original villagers.

It`s amazing what you can find out these days. Queen of the May has been celebrated for 500 years in the village and the way the nearby town is growing, the village would be swallowed up in a few years time.

We had been back at school for 2 weeks when it announced I would be given my communion the following Sunday, except for the congregation, it was going solo event. The girls asked if I had tried walking in heels yet and I said "Don`t be daft! I've just gotten to where around to where I am getting around without crutches!"

But they all insisted I should get a very low heel and try. Yep I thought a very low heel, how about flat? Of course they started to come to the house now that the snow was starting to disappear and made the heels suggestion to Mum.

Damn it! She agreed with them, so she got me a 1 inch heel. Every night that week I had to wear them around the house, and she was a drill sergeant in disguise.

The next day, when I got to class, Ms Platt told me to take off my shoes. Once I had them off, they were snatched away and I was given a pair of black shoes with a 1 inch heel. I was told that i would be wearing them inside school and I could get my school shoes back at the end of each day.

Just to make sure that I didn't accidentally forget to bring them with me each day, I was to give them to Ms Platt.

Damn it! They think of everything. So, with the exception of getting to and from school, I would be wearing heels all the time.

On Saturday afternoon, I was picked up by the Vicars wife and taken to the vicarage were I was staying overnight. They are a nice couple and totally down to earth. If they disagreed with you, they told you so and didn't beat about the bush. They always made time to visit the old, handicapped and the sick, and would listen to all our troubles.

It was quiet night, they didn't act as I expected and talk about religion, we had a meal in the evening and watched TV or Videos, I quite enjoyed the peace and quiet and around 9:P.M. went to bed.

I lay there thinking for a while and all things considering I was quiet enjoying wearing girls clothes. OK, it took longer to to get ready, but they were a lot nicer than drab boys clothes I was used to. The only thing I hated was the cold around my legs.