Dundee is my heaven on earth

I was born in Maryfield Hospital in 1947. My mum Ruby Fisken was a long time nurse there. My dad Jim played the piano in a local band that played at the dancehalls. I used to go and sit by his side. By the time the night was over, you couldn't see anyone's heads for the secondhand smoke.

In summer, I loved going for a day at Broughty Beach. When the bus would start and stop, all the shells of the wilks would run back and forward.

Another great day was a ride over the Ferry to Fife. That boat was beautiful with all its polished wood. I always felt like a toff when we sat inside and watched the seals on the sandbanks.

We lived in Blackshades and it was a paradise to me. Walking through the woods past the fields of daffodills and tulips and ending up in beautiful Camperdown Park with its snowdrop valley. Easter days sitting with hundreds of families and rolling our eggs.

I remember sitting in the City Churches listening to the funeral of the King. Waving to the Queen Mother down by the Victoria Arch. Getting our little celebration tin from school for the Coronation and watching it on a 12 inch black and white TV after my dad climbed on the roof and swung the aerial around.

How I long for fish and chips and a big pickled onion, an onion bridie or a meat pie. Saturday down at the market we would enjoy a buster supper and a Sasperella.(cant spell it).

Nearly every Friday night mum would take me to the Vicks for the latest movie. We would sit at the front of the balcony with our feet on the hot pipes. The greatest was Saturday when the family get dollied up and we strolled all around downtown. We knew so many people. Life was so magical. I was so lucky. We didn't have much money, but then nobody else did either. Dundee is my heaven on earth.