Christmas is coming – The Roundhill Days.

Richy and Maureen were going to London, Christmas shopping on the agenda.  On her return, Maureen showed me a rose made of self adhesive ribbon, we both loved it, so the next day was spent at Harrods wrapping department learning the art.   Couldn’t wait to find out how to do them, soon the two of us were churning them out, what a great job I loved every minute.   Wrapping gifts that year was very exciting, how any of the family were able to open them beats me, a cascade of roses, if only I'd had an Iphone.

Lee (Loopy Lou) had just been potty trained, Maureen and I would take her shopping in Hampstead High street, loved it, Jean Muir on one corner, individual small boutiques, you can’t beat them.   However, Lee had a fixation with regard to loos so we spent most of our time asking all the shops if we could use their conveniences, have to say, always enjoyed the florist, Loops would sit there surrounded by flowers.

Marc Bolan entered our lives, wouldn’t have a clue how Rich met him but he often turned up along with his wife June, could totally relate to June but for me Marc was an enigma, he was very outspoken and he managed to break down all our taboo’s.   The final straw for me was when they turned up and he got onto the conversation of having sex.   Maureen’s parents were there, Flo and Joe, Maureen was happily ensconced at the far end of the room picking tracks on the juke box.   Suddenly Marc asked a question that no one in the room wanted to know the answer, are you still at it Joe?   The silence was deafening, I looked over at Maureen, her whole body went rigid, she really didn’t want to hear the answer. Joe (who I hasten to add was a lovely man, he killed a rabbit driving back home one night and went to confession next day) just said of course and left it at that.   Relief all round.

Larry Gelbart and his wife and family were renting up the road, great fun, still think of his programme Mash as one of the greats.   His kids were around the same age as the Starkey’s so we saw a lot of them.   One day we found 4 year old Jason with a copy of Playboy leafing through the pages; it was given to him by one of Larry’s brood, obviously more streetwise.

Lulu and Maurice Gibb were also part of our lives, they would often visit, with girly presents for Lee, always knew she would make a great Mum. 

That year Elsie, Richie’s Mum phoned me, “do me a favour Barbara, make sure the booze is out because they always forget to offer us as drink.”  Of course I did and by the following year Rich was the first to put it out, but that is another story.

We had already planned a New Year bash before I left for home on Christmas Eve, Rich decided it would be fun to invite someone out of our comfort zone, Gilbert O’Sullivan was the choice, poor bugger, fish out of water springs to mind, what were we thinking??????   Youth can be cruel at times, however, not worn down with life can be pretty special too.  Maureen was such a generous caring soul, she bought me a beautiful Jean Muir dress, knowing I could never have afforded it.   Still treasure the gift to this day, unfortunately it is a size 8 and I am nearly double that now.

Next instalment is the Tittenhurst years, did we have fun there.