I was born in West London over 60 years ago, just before the end of World War II. My father was quite a lot older than mum and was too old to fight in the World War II but was a driver in World War I. That meant he drove a horse and pulled a gun behind him. I was always a daddies girl although I was born on my mothers 35th birthday. Up to this day my sisters think I was spoiled but as everyone wanted a boy I think I was a bit of a disappointment. So I followed my dad everywhere. And he used to take me on the crossbar of his old bicycle. I suppose I may have been a bit spoiled but one thing I know I had a very bad temper and was extremely stubborn. What's new hubby might say. But all jokes aside I have matured and cooled down. Grown up ???? Nah !!!! What's the rush lol. I always wanted to be a nurse. This didn't happen for a long time.

I was definitely no angel and bunked off school all the time. I don't really know why. We weren't allowed to play with the kids in the street because not only were my parents not married but they didn't tell us. I guess in those day's it was seen as something to be ashamed of. This was Daddies second marriage. In those days divorces were hard to get. I was fifteen when they finally got married but somehow to me they were always married. My mum was brought up in a home and we think she had some mild learning disabilities. Don't think she really went to school and had no proper home life. When I look back I feel so proud of how my mum loved us and worked so hard to get us Christmas presents. As they got older mum and dad were able to have little holidays and getting a postcard from mum used to reduce me to tears. She could hardly write but she still sent them and was I proud of her. I really miss her. I lost my mum in 1974. Dad followed her four years later. When I was eleven my life changed dramatically. Mum had a stroke and was away from us for about 6 months. During that time I bunked off school more than ever and they said dad could not cope so I was put in a home. Of course I hated it there but thought it was my own fault. These days kids are not put away for that. However when I was home on holiday at the age af fourteen I went to a fairground where I was dragged away and raped by a gang of men. Of course I was too ashamed to report it and have suffered low self esteem ever since. I came home at the age of fifteen and worked in various factories. At the age of 16 I lost my job because of taking so much time off sick with my tonsils and dad said I was out of control so they put me in a convent. I loved it and changed my religion to Roman Catholic. I had toyed with the idea of being a nun but the sisters diplomatically told me there was nothing wrong with being a wife and mother.

Always was a chatterbox lol When I was a teenager I gave birth to a son I called Andrew. I had him adopted due to peer pressure and have not been able to have any more. Since then I have been in a few abusive relationships and I was beaten up and bitten on my face by one partner in my early twenties and have a scar on my face which he caused me to have. I spent most of my life saying I was in a car accident but would rather be truthful here. This is when I said enough is enough. After we split up I met my first husband who I lived with for eight years. He was a lovely man but we just were incompatible. While I was with him I did get accepted at a London teaching hospital to train as a nurse. That is one of the things I am most proud of. And I found out then that some people actually liked me. I got on so well with most of my patients. I have always been a loner as they say. Could never really get close to too many people. I don't think I really trusted anyone. One of my biggest problems has been and still is an eating problem. I comfort eat and am endlessly trying to lose weight. I have taken all kinds of pills over the years to help me lose weight and and at one stage I was addicted. When we were kids the pantry or larder was locked and we couldn't get in there so it has been said this was the start of my problems.

I started going to the Notting Hill Carnival and I vowed I was going to play one of those pans if it killed me to learn. I ended up playing a base pan which consists of six full oil drums and played with one or two bands in competition and on the streets of Notting Hill. Then I started going to Trindad every year for their carnival and met my husband Kelvin. He was there on vacation visiting his family. We have now been together for seventeen years and married for fifteen next month. Of course we have our ups and downs but he is my best friend. Doesn't talk much but is always there to listen and support me when I really need it. We have no children together but Kelvin has three daughters, eight grandchildren and two great grand's with one on the way from his first marriage. We are buying our house which is a thing I could have never imagined doing. We were brought up to think only rich people bought houses. Of course we have worked really hard to achieve this and this is another thing I'm proud of. My self esteem has gone up dramatically because no matter what, I have Kelvin. I am battling my weight still because as Kelvin would say I love eating.

I do have two sisters by my mum and dad. Unfortunately I don't get along too well with the one sister I have in this country. My other sister lives in Miami and we are really close. Her son Darren and I are really close. He is more like a son to me. I went to Miami to spend the whole of March with my sister who I hadn't seen for almost fifteen years since Kelvin and I got married in New York. I am now trying to work out a way to go back as soon as possible.