Looking Back: Did you hate Sundays when you were a child?

Last Sunday we drove out to a shopping mall. Not the best idea. It was manic.

It was only necessity that prompted it. It wasn’t just the queues to enter the car park, it was the busy roads and pavements too. With motor vehicles, cyclists, runners, walkers, and family groups.

The shopping mall was full and so were restaurants and bars.

Now I’m not knocking it. But what a change from the days when I was growing up when Sunday was traditionally a religious day when church was the norm for most people. And even those who were not religious accepted Sundays as family day when father was at home, and it was a day of rest for him.

Not that it was much of a day of rest for mother who spent much of the day in the kitchen cooking and then washing up.

Also, many men’s idea of Sunday relaxation was in the local pub, staggering home for their Sunday lunch followed by a nap.

Teenagers particularly hated Sundays. There was nothing open. No cinemas, shops, or swimming pools, libraries or sporting events and it was before the days of televisions or telephones.

So, what did we do as children? We played outside, after returning from church. With few vehicles the street was our domain. We had hoops, skipping ropes and yo yos.

Boys played at Cowboys and Indians. My sister and I had dolls and dolls prams. (Sexism was alive and well!)

We played at games like What time is it Mr.Wolf? We chalked on the pavements outside our house to play snakes and ladders and hopscotch.

There were elimination chants like Dip dip dash, my blue sash and we played hide and seek although that was fairly limited!

We could hear the sounds of the Billy Cotton Band Show and Two Way Family Favourites through the kitchen window.

Mother would have a little weep.

Sometimes because of the sentimental music and at other times if the Yorkshire puddings hadn’t risen!