I started writing this post a while ago when we were having a cheeky week away in Southport and due to the lack of Wifi and the nine million and twelve other things that make up my to do list but I never actually got around to finishing it until now….
I have a happy place, a place in the world that makes me happy just by being there. This place brings back many memories of family holidays when I was younger -holidays that involved me, my Mam, my Dad and my brother and I treasure these memories all the more now that my Mam and brother aren’t here with me anymore.
My happy place is Blackpool.
Yes, you heard me right, I did say Blackpool. I know lately it’s become less a traditional family seaside resort and more a party destination for hen parties and stag dos but I don’t see that side of it when we visit although I admit that I *may* be seeing it through rose tinted glasses and letting my memories influence how I feel now!
When we visit, I see the beach that I used to play on with my brother and the donkeys that I used to ride on although I’ve almost completely blocked out the memory of the time that one donkey bolted for freedom while I was sat on his back!
I see the piers that we used to love walking down after our tea on a night.
I remember the Fun House that isn’t there anymore but used to be our Sunday morning treat every time we went there and I remember the dodgems in Mr B’s that my Dad used to take us on to give my Mam some peace to get ready on a night.
We used to go at least three or four times a year and I remember one year travelling home from Spain where we’d been for our two week holiday. We flew back into Manchester airport and instead of coming home as we’d planned to, my Dad rang the B&B we stayed in and we went off to Blackpool for a few days.
Those few short days were so much fun – we went to the Fun House (even though it wasn’t a Sunday which was amazing to eight year old me), we went to Blackpool Zoo and we even got to go in the Sandcastle which was something that I always wanted to do but we never got around to. We also walked for miles around the shops because my Mam loved a good charity shop and she wanted to spend what was left of her holiday money on some bargains. She used to say that the charity shops in Blackpool were much better than the ones at home.
Looking back, those few stolen days in Blackpool after our ‘proper holiday’ were more fun than the actual holiday and the memories I have from that time make me smile whenever I think about it.
Blackpool makes me happy to be there because everywhere I look there are happy memories of my family and I don’t have the chance to make any more with my Mam and my brother so I’m hanging on to these ones forever.
And the reason I started writing this post when I was in Southport? It’s because you can see Blackpool Tower from Southport pier and even just seeing it in the distance as a tiny speck in the distance made me feel happy and content. Sad I know, but true.
I wonder if my children will have a happy place of their own?
I hope so….
