Wednesday, 9 July: Now for the swinging 60's

1969 - and ah, the lads from Liverpool!

In 1969 I was seventeen. n' Jonge dame van Huis Heemstede, Universiteit van Stellenbosch(trans from Afrikaans: A young lady of the House Heemstede, University of Stellenbosch). This photo was taken during my first week at university and the badge is my residence pin (something like a sororiety pin). I made the dress myself and it may have had a prim white collar but its length (or lack thereof) made up for it - a real mini skirt!

But I really yearned to look like Twiggy, the face of 1969!

In 1969, even I could spell Chappaquiddick. President Nixon had been inaugurated and South African news broadcasts brought us daily updates on Vietnam. We listened to the radio to form a picture of Neil Armstrong's 'giant small step for mankind' as South Africa did not have television at that stage.

Woodstock rolled in August but I was safely tucked away in New Dakota as an exchange student while Joan Baez crooned. I was a very straight teenager (don't regret that) - I never smoked grass, wore flowers in my hair and it took years before I made my first visit to San Francisco. But I loved the Beatles and Bridge over Troubled Water was my current favourite. I tried to have my hair cut like Mary Quant and wore thick eyeliner and pale pink lipstick but it just didn't have the same super-duper effect.

I read John Fowles The French Lieutenant's woman but skipped Portnoy's complaint. I wore mini skirts, maxi skirts and bell bottoms. I thought lasagna was the most sophisticated dish to order and cool still just meant chilly. Everything was fabulous, fab or fantastic!

I studied English lit at university with a year break while I was in the US. I discussed philosophy (didn't ever made much sense) and politics (hot stuff) in the only cafe in the student town of Stellenbosch to show how highbrow I was. I scored A's for Shakespeare, English novel and the Romantics. DH Lawrence made my blood tingle.

When I am 64 (Beatles)

When I get older, losing my hair
Many years from now
Will you still be sending me
a Valentine Birthday greetings, bottle of wine
If I'd been out till quarter to three
Would you lock the door
Will you still need me
Will you still feed me
When I'm sixty four
You'll be older too
And if you say the word
I could stay with you
I could be handy, mending a fuse
When your lights have gone
You can knit a sweater
by the fireside
Sunday morning go for a ride
Doing the garden,
digging the weeds
Who could ask for more
Will you still need me
Will you still feed me
When I'm sixty four
Every summer we can rent a cottage
In the isle of Wight, if it's not too dear
We shall scrimp and save
Grandchildren on your knee
Vera Chuck and Dave
Send me a postcard drop me a line
Stating point of view
Indicate precisely
what you mean to say
Yours sincerely wasting away
Give me an answer, fill in a form
Mine for evermore
Will you still need me
Will you still feed me
When I'm sixty four

I wrote a straight A essay on the title to this song. Wish I could read it now. In just seven years I will be 64!!! How ever did that happen?