I had an appointment this morning to collect two pairs of glasses from the optician. I decided to have two pairs as they had an offer and the only extra I had to pay for was the lens thinning and coating on the second pair.
It seems sensible too as with my double vision I can't manage without prism lenses. The double vision was caused by a muscle in my left eye failing. It happened overnight a couple of years ago and I was suddenly aware of pavements moving across the road, hedges turning sideways and cars seeming to be on the wrong side of the road. It was scary when it first happened. I managed at first with an eye patch until I got my first pair of prisms.
I've worn glasses since I was about seven years old. I remember the headteacher calling my mother into school and teling her that I needed an eye test as I was writing things down wrongly when copying from the chalk board. I had a pair of little pink glasses that Mum paid for. The same head teacher had discovered that my step-sister, who was ten years older than me, was partially deaf. What a treasure she was although she was quite frightening at times too. When I was at the school there were about thirty five of us pupils three teachers, a secretary and two cooks. Also a lady who used to watch over us outside at playtimes. I remember the head teacher was very fond of music and we had to keep a little book in which we wrote about various composers like Handel, Mozart and Beethoven. She played us music each week. We also had a school 'band' with castanets, triangles, bells and tambourines. We also used to sing. She would come around each one of us as we sang, putting her ear quite close to us. A few she tapped on the shoulder and they had to go and sit on a bench. They were what she called the 'grunters.' It all sounds very strict now but it didn't seem like it at the time.
Well I don't know how we got from glasses to music but there we go. Below is a school photo. I'm third in from the right on the second row down between two boys and in front of the girl with blond hair and a very white dress
It must have been before I had the little pink glasses.
I remember having glasses from a very young age. My first pair were National health circular ones and were pink. They had elastic instead of side arms as I was only about 2 years old. (so my mum told me).
ReplyDeleteWell that has certainly bought back some memories for me x
I remember those round glasses, for some reason my Mum didn't want me to have them and bought a pair for me to wear. How young you were to have to wear them. Glad to have brought back some memories for you:)
DeleteYour eye condition sounds so frightening, it's a good job a pair of glasses can fix the problem, getting 2 pairs sounds a good insurance policy. I've only had to wear Reading glasses over the last 10 years but couldn't do without them now. 😊
ReplyDeleteIt was very scary when it happened as I didn't know what was causing it now I know I can cope with it. It's good to have two pairs of the right prescription:)
DeleteSo pleased Rosie you have some glasses that help solve the problem as it must have been a frightening experience at the time. Good idea to have 2 pairs. I do have reading glasses but I suspect I should visit the optician as my long distance vision is getting poorer. Lovely to see your school photo and read of your memories. I have a feeling the only school photo I have of me is the one from the first year at Grammar School and its a long photo as the whole school is on it!!!
ReplyDeleteIt was frightening, my eyes changed in a split second from okay to things hurtling down the road towards us on our side of the road, wewerre out in the car. Paul sort of worked out that if I blocked an eye I woud see okay with the other and it worked until I got treatment. I too went to Grammar school, I was ten when I passed the eleven plus to get there. Always the youngest having an end of August birthday I felt like a fish out of water at a huge school after the little one:)
DeleteI enjoyed reading that Rosie & the photo so reminds me of some of mine, although we live on different sides of the world. Of course, maybe it's our era of time, seeing we are only a year apart. What a wonderful teacher to notice these things & tell your parents. I started wearing glasses, age 17, so not as young as you. Thanks for sharing some of these lovely stories so far this month. Take care & hugs.
ReplyDeleteWe used to have individual photos taken too each year. Not sure why the group one was taken but not all the school are there, my friend Wendy, with whom I'm still in touch, isn't on the photo. Glad you are enjoying the stories, it's sometimes hard to know what to write about:)
DeleteYour village school sounds lovely. I had a similar experience for a while. Just two classes, infants and primary. All the children in the primary class being taught by one teacher. That must have been so hard creating the work for every age group. Well done on the new glasses. That’s an eye condition I haven’t heard of. I can imagine how worried you must have felt when it first happened. B x
ReplyDeleteIt was a lovely school and I was happy there. It was a shock when I got to Grammar school with all the pupils and class sizes. We had three classes - baby class, middle class and top class - they were called and middle class was the one with different ages and abilities. The eye condition was pretty scary but I'm used to it now:)
DeleteYour eye condition sounds scary so I'm glad that you got checked at the opticians and now have two sets of specs which will help. I've been wearing specs since primary school. My poor eyesight was picked up when I had to copy from the blackboard and the teacher realized there was something wrong. I was too shy to tell her. In later life I've another unstable eye condition but somehow I'm managing. I'm enjoying your daily blogs for October. I don't always comment, but appreciate what you share. Have a lovely day.
ReplyDeleteYour teacher spotted your eyesight much like mine, copying from the blackboard. I didn't know I had a problem with my eyes. I did have measles and never knew if that caused the eye problem even though I was kept in a darkened room. Sorry to hear that you too have an eye problem. Eyes are so precious. Glad you are enjoying my daily posts:)
DeleteSuch a sweet little girl Rosie! I hope your new glasses help a lot with your vision. I've had glasses since I started secondary school. I always thought that no-one could read the blackboard prior to that! I like hearing about your schooldays. Imagine being called a 'grunter' at school today! Looking back there were so many things that we didn't question that would be classed as unacceptable today such as having the blackboard rubber thrown at us by the teacher! :)
ReplyDeleteWe all look angelic don't we? We may have been sent to school in best clothes for the photo. Yes, the grunters were mostly boys but occasionally there would be a sweet voice probably from those in the church choir. Oh, yes the blackboard rubber. I remember our chemistry teacher would fling one over our heads if anyone was messing about on the back row, we all used to duck as it came over the benches and stools in the lab:)
DeleteI need glasses to drive, but rarely drive.
ReplyDeleteMe neither especially not now:)
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