Tuesday, January 05, 2010

25 Years ago, V, 25 Hours Ago! It's my birthday 6th January 2010


This photo was taken 25 years ago for a competition, it won. At a time when women were power dressing and liberating themselves from the kitchen and their children to take up careers this photo won a competition aimed at capturing the 'woman of today'. Strange don't you think, perhaps the judges were harping back to a time different to those in which the competition was set? Actually the competition was more than just the photo it was about the woman being captured in it. This particular 'woman 'did not see herself as as second to anyone, be they man or woman, she saw herself as being their equal. She simply was herself.

At the age of thirteen she realised that her life was being directed along a path she was not prepared to take, at school she was 'allowed' to take housecraft and needlework classes whilst the boys did interesting lessons such as woodwork, metalwork and technical drawing.  The introduction of Act of Parliament provided her with the opportunity to challenge this long standing practice. Being a somewhat naive young girl at that time she marched into the Head Masters office and requested her right to be given the same opportunities as the boys, she wanted to be able to study the same lessons as them and they in turn would have the opportunity to study housecraft and needlework. That was the 1970s. She was the first girl in the North of England to use the Act to gain equal rights within the education system. There was no press coverage or fanfare the Local Education Authority simply gave their grudging approval and at the start of the next term she began studying woodwork and technical drawing. Neither of which were her best subjects.

In 1977 she met the love of her life, it was at a time when women were still barred from certain areas of pubs and other places, she did on one occasion cause something of a stir when she walked into the tap room of a pub and proceeded to play dominoes with her love. She was escorted from the premises by the landlord... oh what a scarlet woman. Perhaps she should have demurely sat with babycham in hand in the lounge,

In 1981 she and her love married. Four years later when the photo above was taken she was the mother of two young children, they are now grown and her eldest has two children of his own whilst the youngest is now a young woman herself with two step children. She is a grandmother to four lovely children who she adores. She no longer has to endure the humiliation of being treated as a lesser person purely based on her lack of equipment in the trouser department, although she has on occasions been described as having 'balls', (his Lordship suggested the use of this word), being a lady I don't normally use such terminology.

so the above picture was taken 25 years ago and the photographer, his Lordship, suggested that it would be fun to recreate it. The picture below was taken 25 hours ago.


Today I am 50 years old, and yes that is me and no there is no photoshop trickery.  So the girl is now a woman.




Urm, Captain did I tell you I had my navel pierced... sorry!

34 at confession:

Barlinnie said...

Beautiful of mind, beautiful of spirit... and now confirmed for all to agree, beautiful of body.

Wandering Coyote said...

What a great post! Go you!

And kudos to you for having such a great stomach after two babies! I am totally stoked that you got a navel ring, too (I'm a bit of a piercing freak as I have 13)!

Barlinnie said...

For the love of god... I have a mind like a sieve. Where are my manners?

Happy Birthday sweet Jude, and many happy returns.

You also made my Post of the Week.

Kevin Musgrove said...

Happy thingy St. Jude!

Good piccie. I'm twice the man I was twenty-five years ago.

mapstew said...

Happy 50th!

(See how you're getting Jimmy worked up with your magnificent tum?!) OK, ALL of us!!

xxx

Pat said...

My goodness you have worn well. Did you eat at all over Christmas? Happy happy birthday and many happy returns. Good on you for standing up for us girls - a northern lass after my own heart. What part of the north I wonder?

St Jude said...

Jimmy - thank you so much.

Wandering coyote - I was something of a late starter in the piercing area, I was in my early thirties when I had my navel pierced.

Kevin - that's the good life for you.

Mapstew - They say the new 40 is 50
Pat - I ate enough for a small family over the Christmas period, I'm not sure I will need to eat again until February though. I'm a Yorkshire lass, Leeds born and bred.

Anonymous said...

Wow, stunning photos! Not many 50 year olds have a stomach like that - what's your secret? Happy Birthday, hope you have a lovely day.

St Jude said...

Polergirl - I would love to say that I work out at the gym or that I eat healthily, but the truth is I don't do either.

white rabbit said...

Yikes! What can I say? I agree with Jimmy and resist the temptation to elaborate.

Happy birthday!

Meg said...

Wow, you go, girl! You never cease to impress me with your utter awesomeness. Also, the photographs are amazing. And happy birthday, too!!

Happy Hour...Somewhere said...

*sigh* An inspiration in more ways than one. Your picture inspires me to know it is possible to look good...even if I am 52. You also remind me of my long ago school days. So many things have changed since then. I wish we still had classes like you describe for our kids. I have told my daughter to greedily learn any new skill that comes her way, whatever it may be.

Looking forward to reading your blog~!

St Jude said...

White Rabbit - it's only a tum sweetie.

Meg - I just live life to the full and try to find as many adventures as I can.

Happy Hour - there is more to life than our looks. Don't forget you are as young as you feel, we are just a couple of girls at heart. xoxo

Kim Ayres said...

Happy Birthday St Jude. I'm rather gobsmacked to see a stomach in that condtion that's grown babies in it. Impressive.

Hope you have a great day :)

St Jude said...

Kim - I have to bow to my genes.

diney said...

I'm 55 and fairly fit, but your amazing photo has made me get out the wii fit tonight!!! Happy birthday from one already there!

St Jude said...

Diney - welcome. you go lady.

Charlie said...

You. Are. Something. Else.

Happy birthday, dear Jude.

St Jude said...

charlie - urm, is that good sweetie?

Luka said...

Happy Birthday! Looking mighty fine, mighty fine indeed.

stinkypaw said...

Wow! I'm impressed... I've never had a tummy like this and doubt very much I'll get it by the time I hit 50. You're an inspiration! Happy Birthday, all the best xox

Unknown said...

Happy Birthday to you!
Very beautiful by the way.

UberGrumpy said...

Happy birthday! That's a handy thing in your bellybutton. What do you normally hang from it?

white rabbit said...

The roof of the Sistine Chapel is only a - whatever the ceiling equivalent of a mural is.

Or a Muriel as Hilda Ogden used to say...

Chris Pittock said...

Happy Belated Birthday. I have to say if you hadn't told us that the photos were taken 25 years apart, I would never have known.

I think that 'Jimmy B' said it all in the first comment.

St Jude said...

Malou - Thank you sweetie.

UberGrumpy - Oh my shopping, my car keys, you know the usual stuff. ;0)

White Rabbit - Ah dear Hilda, when were we talking about murials?

Mr Pittock - welcome back hun. I've missed having you around. Don't be a stranger again and by the way I know where you are now and I'm following you. :0)

ditzymoi said...

Happy Birthday St Jude ~ I tend to forget what little freedoms and rights we had to struggle for back in the 70's, and I have to say those are fantastic pictures, then and now! I don't think mine ever looked that good! Im honored to have such a good friend as you and I am sending you all the best wishes for a fantastic year :)

PS...hahaha you are 6 months older than me !

white rabbit said...

St J - you said 'White Rabbit - it's only a tum sweetie'.

I replied 'The roof of the Sistine Chapel is only a - whatever the ceiling equivalent of a mural is'.

It's a rather elliptical compliment.

Oh never mind...

St Jude said...

Kim - Oh six months and counting hun, 50 is a fabulous age. You are a lovely friend and I am so glad that I found you. xoxo

White Rabbit - Oh by gum, it's coming to something when you have to explain it to the old gal. sorry my dear I was clearly showing my blonde side. ;0}

savannah said...

happy belated birthday, sugar! xoxoxo

Green-Eyed Momster said...

Happy belated birthday! I'm sorry that I haven't been around much.

You're HOT! Wow! I want to be hot like you when I grow up!
;)

Hugs!!

St Jude said...

Savannah - thank you hun.

GEM - You are hot in your own special way hun. ;0}

Brett said...

a be lated happy birthday, great photo(s) and post.

St Jude said...

Thank you Brett, so nice to see you again.

 
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