Friday 11 February 2011

Birth Day

 I'm going to bet not too many people my age have a photo of themselves being born. Well, this is me arriving into this world, 53 years ago today. It was 7:25 in the evening. That's my dad in the back by the window. He was an avid photographer and convinced someone to snap this shot (plus one of me halfway out but that was a little too graphic). Given that he developed his own film in a makeshift darkroom in the bathroom, there was no worries about some photo shop censoring anything!

I have the telegram my dad sent to my mum's parents, announcing my birth.



It's pretty cool all the stuff my mum saved. All my report cards from school, little pictures I drew. For that, I am ever grateful. Things I was too young to remember much of are preserved in a big brown manila envelope.

So no big plans for the day yet. Other than taking the dog to the vet for her shots and buying a bathroom vanity and some paint. I'm going to see if I can paint left handed...

17 comments:

  1. What wonderful treasures!

    Happy Birthday!

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  2. Happy Birthday, have a wonderful day whatever you do!
    Sx

    Pleased you didn't show the graphic shot - you know how squeamish I am!

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  3. Happy Birthday Pam! xo

    I love vintage memorabilia. You are so lucky to have those. My mother never snapped a photo and threw EVERYTHING out, with the weird exception of our report cards. Weird to me because my brothers and I drew ALL the time. Two of us are artists now and the third paints watercolours and writes fiction in his spare time.

    I hope you have a great day (and I suggest you tie on that sling!). And you have two years on me so we are close in age.

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  4. happy happy, lady! and may all your birthday wishes come true!!!

    it is, indeed, wonderful to have such things saved from childhood - while i don't have a photo of my own birth, i do have the congratulatory letters etc that went along with it - i've put all my little accumulations together in a family tree blog - for my children and theirs -

    again, happy happy birthday!

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  5. The person I bought the photography business from told me "Never go anywhere without the camera"
    Looks like your Dad figured that one out a long time ago.
    Well not that long ago...
    Cheers, Sausage...
    ps. I snapped a pic of my wife and her brother 2 days before he died, his partner always complained that I took to many pictures. I am glad I took the camera that day....

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  6. A big happy birthday to you from the East Coast! That's a fantastic pic. You're right. I can't think of anyone who has a similar photo. Thank you for not posting the other pic. It'd be too graphic for my delicate nature.

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  7. wow. That's a picture. I thought when we were born, men stayed out in the waiting room with a handful of cigars.

    Happy Happy Birthday to you!

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  8. HAPPY BIRTHDAY! I'll leave the singing to Map. ;)

    You're right, no photos like that. But I do own an overstuffed baby book (as 1st born) that would make the FBI proud. And I too have a telegram...from Dad's best Navy buddy welcoming me into the world.

    Ah, the world was cool then. :)
    (And I'm almost a month older than you)

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  9. Hope you're having a grand day! :¬)

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    (I typed the x's with my left hand!)

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  10. Hope yer havin' a grand day! :¬)

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    (Typed with my left hand!)

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  11. Happy Birthday, Dear Ponita!

    *MWAH*

    I never was in the delivery room and I never will go there, tough man your father. Tough daughter.
    I hope you'll enjoy this day. Sei umarmt!

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  12. Thanks, everyone, for popping in and all the birthday wishes! Glad I didn't make anyone too queasy. ;-)

    I have many megabytes of photos on my computer, and a big box of photographs. Been taking pictures since my late teens. And I keep them all.

    Boxer, my parents weren't 'normal'... but then, my dad always said normal was boring!

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  13. Happy birthday a little late! Amazing photo. Xxxooo

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  14. Oops not sure if my happy birthday went through, so...again, belated birthday wishes! Xxxxoooo

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  15. xxxxxxxxxx
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    (I tried to leave these yesterday, but the blogger imp was in a bad mood!) :¬)

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  16. I am damn sure I commented here last night ... hopefully I did not say something wrong?

    Belated Happy Birthday, dear Ponita!

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  17. Happy Birthday Ponita!
    That's a wonderful photo to have.
    Hope there is nothing amiss with your right hand.

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