'I can't believe how the years have flown'

'I can't believe how the years have flown'

Avril Patterson reflects upon her long life and notes the importance of her family.

Avril Patterson

Trinity College Dublin

2010

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Avril Patterson

Reflections

Life Story

Lisburn,Co. Antrim

2010's

Pamela,Stephen and the family moved from Priory Park to Lisburn to live in 1999. After my friend Eric's death in 2002 I developed a painful knee and decided after 12 years to sell my home in Priory Park and move in to live with my daughter and the family in Lisburn.We now live in a farm house and keep hens,ducks and three geese. We also have two dogs,two cats,a rabbit and a tortoise. I keep busy helping in the house with the ironing and helping to prepare the vegetables for the dinner. I enjoy the greenhouse and grow sweetpea and roses which are my favourite flowers.This year will be my 80th Birthday. I can't believe how the years have flown. I am also looking forward to the birth of my great-grandchild,as Rebecca is expecting a baby in December,A Christmas Baby.As a Christmas present one year,Pamela had a copy of our home and shop in Danube Street built. It was a dolls house ' a replica of the shop.This shop was in the Patterson name for about 30 years. The building is now demolished. I started collecting pieces for the dolls house/shop over the years. My grandson Luke made some of the fruit for the shop as well as little pieces. It has been the talking point for many years when we have visitors.

Irish Research Council for Arts,Humanities & Social Sciences (IRCHSS)

Dr Kathleen McTiernan (Trinity College Dublin)

Dr Deirdre O'Donnell (Trinity College Dublin)