Creating a child's paradise

There were two large bedrooms in our rented home in Les Ombrages, both tucked under the eaves of the roof.

Some of my best times were spent setting up the one room for Barry and Shawni, a combined nursery, play room and bedroom.

I sketch the postbox red bench, box and table we bought from IKEA and mention the black board that Fred hung for me. 'Also putting a pin board on the wall for learning alphabet etc (have to hide the wallpaper somehow).'

On a good day the wallpaper at 2 ave Corneille could give you a headache, I still want to laugh when I look at these old photos. The dining room was an embossed wallpaper in dark plum hues, which made for atmospheric candlelit dinners, but not much else.

Looking at this photo of Shawni at her desk, I still love the room.

Mom had made the Pinocchio mobile for her and just recently, when Shawni was packing all her things for New Zealand, Pinocchio was packed too.

My yellow wrought iron bookshelf hanging on the wall, was made by my Pa for me as a young girl and is about to get another reincarnation in my Morocco day room at Arthur Road.

I can just sit here all morning staring at the photo, each toy is familiar, each has its story, even the red lampshades came back with us and were reused in Barry's room.

I would recite the ABC and 123 for Barry as I changed him, that is his baby credenza peeping out left of photo. It was tucked under the only window in the room which looked out across the orchard.

During those long hot summer days, I would shutter the window to darken the room and leave the windows open for air. Even so, it was stuffy under the eaves. The room was a haven, a wonderful space during the cold times we experienced and the kids were happy.

Layout of the kids room, a sketch I sent to Mom in a later letter.