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Wednesday 29 June 2016

Hand-me-down Humdingers

I wouldn't say my parents are hoarders but, OK yeah, they're hoarders. At an amateur level at least. With my dad, it's spanners and screws and stereotypical man stuff. And Mum? Mum has an inordinate amount of tupperware. It's just not natural. However, I am willing to overlook it due to the fact they fed and clothed me and, let's face it, are the reason I exist and all that.

And it did come in handy when the boys came along as they kept hold of lots of stuff from my childhood. And when I say lots, I mean LOTS. Suddenly, all this stuff appeared from their attic: books, toys, cot, playpen, mobiles, blankets, dolls, jigsaws, even unopened packs of Terry nappies.

It is nice to reminisce, especially when I can snuggle up with little O or baby R and read them the stories I was read when I was their age. Of course, these books are several decades old and I have to admit that some of the content is quite questionable. And that's putting it nicely. Still, I can strategically place a hand over some images or skip a page if necessary.


Take the 'house' book, as little O calls it. It's good. It encourages counting and storytelling, identifying colours, and matching and naming activities. All great things, I thought. However, when I saw the 'whose are these' page for the first time, I nearly laughed out loud. 

Hmm, who does the iron belong to...let me think.

Another cracker, as my Dad would say, I found in the 'holiday' book. It's full of cats and dogs and pigs enjoying a day at the seaside, with a hippopotamus taking the starring role. It's a jolly story: mummies and daddies relax in the sun whilst children build sandcastles, and Al the lifeguard stands by to help swimmers in trouble. And of course there's the obligatory hot dog stand and sunbathers puffing on cigarettes, surrounded by their discarded fag butts...wait, what? 

Thank goodness times have changed for the better and we now have Frozen and the Equal Pay Act. And we're now much more aware of the harmful, active and passive, effects of smoking. 

And, if next time we're at the beach and little O asks for a cigarette, I'll know why.


One Messy Mama

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7 comments:

  1. That made me splutter my tea and laugh out loud, thanks! Kinda wish my parents had kept a bit more old stuff... but then again, I'm glad they're not hoarders :) #globalblogging

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  2. Haha!!! How lovely to be able to reminisce about your childhood! Oh we were definitely raised in a very different era, weren't we!! Thanks for sharing #globalblogging

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  3. Haha that book! I would not be okay with a book asking my children, who has the iron? (You know being a secret feminist and all lol) it's so interesting how the times have changed! Really sweet that your parents kept so many things for you, my mom has done the same but not in any logical way, she has lost a few things on the way but mostly photos and videos are saved. There is literally three hours of video of just me laying on a mat haha! My poor brother only had a short video where he's running on the grass (second child syndrome). Thanks for sharing with #GlobalBlogging!

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  4. When I was working as a registered child minder, I kept everything from a piece of ribbon off of a present to empty cardboard boxes, to use for junk models or arts and crafts, it would drive my husband mad, recently we moved house and he had to throw away stuff he had hosted in the shed!#triamphanttales@_karendennis

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  5. Oh I wish I had things to look back on but after countless moves and stuff going to my Nans we lost quite a lot over the years. So funny what you can come across though! #triumphanttales

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  6. oh wow how things have changed!! Its like that 1950's housewife guide to pleasing your husband... so out of date but highly amusing!
    Thank you for sharing this with us at #TriumphantTales. I hope to see you back tomorrow.

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