2014-11-11T09:57:23+00:00

Episode 41: Revelations…..

November 11, 2014/Judy E Martin/8 Comments

My younger sister is responsible for me starting this blog! She had heard on the local radio show some funny comment that I had made,that got read out, and encouraged me to start blogging as she thought I had unique way of telling stories about the absurd, ridiculous, as well as mundane and everyday!

Now that was a challenge! I do love words…. I love stories…making people laugh. I have been told that I am quite a good raconteur, but would all of this be enough to blog about? would anyone read it? and what would I call it? After all, the one thing I had decided was that I could not use my real name. I would be so embarrassed if people who knew me saw it and hated it, or if I unintentionally offended anyone I knew. who I might have mentioned in one of my stories.

Anyway…with anonymity in mind, in order that I would feel less inhibited about what I wrote, Edwinas Episodes was born. The reason I chose Edwina is because it is actually my middle name (after some mad aunty of my Mum’s). I really didn’t know how I was going to start, but with the help of a computer literate daughter we suddenly had a website…How exciting my own website!

I knew that Ii was going to blog about the ordinary, random, silly, and often embarrassing things that happen in my life, I had to think of pseudonyms for my husband and daughter, and although they are not the most original, they ARE the most apt! (Mr Grump would much prefer to be known as ‘Mr Still Got It’ ), and Miss Hap as something cool and trendy; so cool and trendy that me as the exact opposite, could never find the right word to describe it!

In the two months that I have been blogging, I have been completely over-whelmed with the response I have got to it. I have even amassed 70 followers! That is absolutely amazing to me, as I know one of my sisters, plus my sister-in-law read it regularly but neither of them follow it, so that meant that other people actually liked it! Now, I even get regular comments as well! That is fantastic, and really means a lot. It is so lovely to interact with other people, and share their experiences as well.

There was one thing bothering me though. Someone commented on what a nice name Edwina was, and it is a very pretty name, but it is not my name! My blog is all about humourous stories and events from my life which are all true. I felt a bit fake when I received comments from people who have used their own names, and they have addressed me as Edwina. Particularly as there are some people who regularly comment, and I have built up a really lovely rapport with them. To top it all off, a family friend of 40 years who is like an Uncle to me read my blog and wrote a lovely comment, but used my real name!

So although I am still too shy to put photos of myself up(don’t want to spoil your image of me as a beautiful, sexy slim, foxy lady) , plus I want to keep Miss Hap and Mr Grump anonymous to save their embarrassment, I am going to ‘out’ the dog, (her name is Roxy), and myself. I am Judy..and thank you so much for reading my blog.

Episode 39: Nobody’s Perfect….

November 9, 2014/Judy E Martin/12 Comments

We all have our little faults, (some more than others) and I know I certainly have mine! I just got to thinking about the little pet hates that I have…silly little things that really drive me mad…..

People that don’t change the loo roll, preferring instead to leave the empty tube on the holder! Of course you don’t really notice this until you have actually ‘done your business’ and are in need of it! If this happens in my house (which it does all the time), then it’s not too bad as I always make sure there is a supply close at hand, but if you are somewhere else and there is none anywhere, it can be a bit of a problem as you are in rather a vulnerable position!

Leaving milk out of the fridge! This is a real peeve of mine at work…I do like my hot drinks, and the first thing I usually do when I get in is have a coffee. However, it is somewhat annoying if someone has left the milk out of the fridge, and a hesitant sniff confirms that it has gone off (sometimes it has even gone like cottage cheese)! It really is the ultimate in laziness not bothering to put the milk back once it has been used.

Leaving shoes right behind the front door…I hate it when I get in from work, fling open the front door then nearly get knocked out as it bounces on said shoes, and comes hurtling towards my face.Miss Hap is guilty of this one as she just comes in the door, kicks everything off and leaves it where it lands. This means that once I have avoided concussion from the door, I then have to tread carefully so as not to trip over the school bag chucked on the floor!

Text talk! I hate it when people abbreviate words so much I can hardly understand them when they text e.g.’cul8r m8′ (I do know what that one means now) or something! I know I am old-fashioned and everything, and yes it is a bit of a pain to type out every single word in full , but if someone is going to send me a load of seemingly random letters and numbers put together that doesn’t mean anything to me , then what is the point!! I would say that mostly younger people tend to do this, but actually my elder sister (in her late 50’s) is one of the worst offenders. It takes me ages to decipher her messages sometimes!

Soap and flannels! Now I know this one might be a bit controversial, but you’ll understand why in a minute! Let’s take a bar of soap first. When first opened it is all lovely and solid, and smells nice..but after a bit of use, it becomes all soggy, snotty and slimy. I hate it when I go somewhere and there is a rotten piece of soap on the wash basin, that has seen better days. God knows how long it has been there or who has used it, YUCK! Similarly with flannels.. The problem with these is they are so unhygienic.I know my Mum is a huge fan of the flannel (as are many elderly people) and when she stays with me or my younger sister, the flannel comes out on display in the bathroom (along with the bar of soap I might add). Sometimes it is even draped over the bath! Now the thing with flannels is that they also get very slimy..when I am washing patients at work and they mention they have a flannel, I always offer them the disposable wash clothes that we have instead. I mean some of them only have the one flannel which is used for everywhere! The thought of washing your face with a flannel that has been wiped around sweaty armpits. cheesy feet, not to mention other more ‘intimate’ places, seems to defeat the object of feeling fresh and clean!

My final pet hate was kindly given to me by Mr Grump and is something that annoys him about me! I very rarely eat leftovers (or second-hand food as I call it)! It’s not that there is anything wrong with the food, I just don’t fancy it! Mr Grump qualified many years ago as a chef, so he does cook some really good meals. The thing is once I have eaten and enjoyed it, that is it. If there is any left,I don’t want it again the next day, and if he freezes it and gets it out for another day, it doesn’t look very appetising in the tupperware box, and I don’t want it! Anyway, he eats the leftovers himself so they don’t get wasted.

Episode 35: Remember, Remember The 5th of November….

November 5, 2014/Judy E Martin/2 Comments

Good old Guy Fawkes. Thanks to his botched attempt to blow up the House of Lords and King James 1st with it, we get to celebrate November 5th with fireworks and bonfires, which stems from the celebrations that occurred after the failed Gunpowder Plot of 1605.

In keeping with British tradition, it has absolutely bucketed down with rain all day. That’s such a shame for those that have built bonfires ready to set alight tonight, The weather has literally put a damper on everything as it so often does, but where there is a will there is a way, and it will take more than a bit of rain to put people off their celebrations tonight.

I remember a couple of years ago on bonfire night, myself, Mr Grump, Miss Hap and a friend of hers decided to climb right to the top of the nearby Downs by candle light with a load of other people,where we would be rewarded with a spectacular bonfire and firework display once we reached the summit.Mr Grump was going to catch up with us halfway up as he had not finished work yet….

Me and the girls waited with all the others at the starting point, but soon realised that we were at somewhat of a disadvantage as most people had sensibly bought lanterns, and torches etc, we of course had nothing! Never mind, we could just tag along with people who had a light in order that we could see where we were going. In theory this was a good plan, however in practice they were pretty fit people, striding along up the hill, and it didn’t take long for me to lag behind, puffing and panting. We waited for the next group with lights and started the long climb again, but I was totally out of condition, and was concerned that I was going to have a heart attack, with all the wheezing and blowing, stopping and starting.

At last we made it to the top, just as Mr Grump caught us up (He had been really crafty and parked his van on the road about halfway up the downs, cut through the fields that were cordoned off for the ‘experienced walkers’) and was with us in record time! It was a beautiful sight right out across the downs where the whole town could be seen. Different coloured fireworks lit up the sky and it was a wonderful sight t behold and well worth the effort.

Tonight though for our family, we will not be venturing out, As I sit here by my back door, I can hear the whizzes, bangs and pops of a few locals letting off the odd box of fireworks The dog gives an occasional bark to show her displeasure at the noise , but she is surprisingly unafraid, As I have just returned from the doctor’s with a throat infection, fever, and a week’s worth of antibiotics we have decided to stay in the warm and dry.(That’s what you get for giving up smoking)!!!

I remember when I was young, you very often used to see a group of kids (usually boys) with a rickety old trolley which had a lumpy, home-made effigy of a Guy sitting drunkenly in it, with a sign asking for ‘A penny for the Guy’. You don’t see that so much now though which is a shame. Some of those ‘guys’ were pretty good, normally made with someone’s dad’s old jumper and trousers stuffed with newspaper so it would burn better on the bonfire.

As for the fireworks, well we had never heard of Health and Safety back then. The Dads would be out in the garden letting rockets off out of milk bottles! Everyone would be ooohing and ahhing especially when the ‘Catherine Wheel’ was lit. Oh this was the showpiece,… Hammered in to the back fence it would start to turn very slowly , then speed up, twirling around and around shooting wonderful sparks and colours out as it went, then… Bang,,,it took off where it was not hammered in properly and everyone would be ducking and diving to avoid getting hit!

Things then calmed down with sparklers.Little kids would be waving them around in the air making pretty patterns with the glowing ends.Then the food which would normally be a huge warming stew or jacket potatoes cooked in the fire, plus other winter goodies….Ahh, yes, those were the days…Now though organised displays which people are encouraged to attend, charge and arm and a leg for 30 mins of fireworks which you can barely get anywhere near, and if you are lucky a measly hot dog or burger which are flabby and tepid!

Episode 33: Workday Woes!

November 3, 2014/Judy E Martin/2 Comments

Isn’t it horrid going back to work after a week off?! It’s back to the early mornings, (I know I’m up early anyway, but at least I didn’t have to BE anywhere last week), restricted tea breaks, (this is the killer for me, at home I drink tea all day long) plus eating my lunch at 10am (well, I already had my breakfast at 6am), and then going for hours before dinner. .. (notice how my life revolves around food and drink)?!!

To add insult to injury, I was awake extra early this morning due to hearing a loud ‘BANG’ coming from the direction of the open window. The wind had picked up during the night and coupled with the lashing rain, made for pretty horrendous weather. The feeble roller blind was no match for this rogue weather and it was billowing back and forth in the wind like a yacht in full sail. Unfortunately Mr Grump has a lot of clutter on his windowsill, and the offending noise that woke me up was the sound of his aftershave being cruelly pushed off the precipice by the out-of control blind!

So there I was at 4.30 am wide awake. I slammed the window shut with a flourish, as Mr Grump snored blissfully on, totally undisturbed by any of the noise, and resentfully got myself ready for the day ahead. I woke Mr Grump up at the more reasonable time of 6am, and chuckled to myself as he started moaning and whining about the foul weather, and how soaked he and the dog were going to get! Never mind he’s got a waterproof coat, and the dog loves water!

As my car failed it’s MOT and is not roadworthy until the work is completed on it (ongoing saga), Mr Grump and poor old Miss Hap had to take me to work (This went down well with both of them, having been turfed out of bed extra early to accommodate me)!

Work as usual was busy, and of course it took me all of 5 minutes to get back into the swing of things, especially as half of my patients were still there! I have to say that by the end of my shift though I was tired (poor old girl, a bit of running around and I’m knackered)!

As I was leaving the ward I checked my phone and noticed Mr Grump had texted to say he was going to be late picking me up and suggested I go and have a coffee in the canteen. Great, I just wanted to get home, but I dutifully went to the canteen and bought some crisps as well as a drink (well I didn’t know how long he was going to be , and I was starving)!! I waited 15 mins .. no word..I texted him…not ready yet.. my friend who was working a long day comes down to pharmacy which is through the canteen…”thought you’d gone home,” She was shocked to see me in there (I never hang around usually), “Just waiting for my husband” I smiled…

Ten minutes later she comes back through… “Still here, I will be going on break soon so might see you in a min” No Way, I thought to myself.. Another 10 mins and FINALLY he phones. At last. I go outside to wait in the car park. It is lashing down with rain.. where is he? Everyone is lighting up outside the back door where I am standing… I really want a cigarette..My friend from earlier comes out with two others going to the secret staff smoking place (the woods). I wave as they pass me, smiling through gritted teeth..Where the HELL is Mr Grump? When the smokers return from their illicit cigarette, we all try to avoid each other’s eye, me shrugging further into my coat, hood pulled low as we have exhausted all of the pleasantries.

I now phone Mr Grump in a rage, I’ve had enough. I don’t care that he has a job to do, or that he s good enough to come and pick me up from work, and who cares that the bloody traffic is bad because of the grotty weather, and the world and his wife have got their cars out? I am HUNGRY and TIRED, and that is not a good combination, and not only that, it is only Monday!

Image Courtesy of Pixabay

Episode 32: Middle-Aged Madness

November 2, 2014/Judy E Martin/41 Comments

Today I am feeling decidedly middle-aged! It is not something that I really want to admit (especially to myself), but I am a whisker away from the half-century milestone. I can feel it’s malevolence reaching out to me, trying to drag me over to the ‘other side’ where youth is a forgotten memory, and old age starts to creep into every pore, ready to assert its authority over my still-protesting mind and body…..

My husband, Mr Grump, has already metamorphosed into the moany, moody old git that comes with age (if you let it, and Mr Grump embraced it wholeheartedly). Oh, how he loves to complain! Mind you, there is something to be said for it at times,(see, I knew I was getting old)! We once had vouchers for a free meal as he had complained bitterly about the appalling service we had received, which was matched by the atrocious food, at a local restaurant chain. Having said that, we were a little hesitant to use them in case there was a repeat performance!

Apart from the obvious wrinkles and middle-aged spread,(fair enough not everyone has middle-aged spread, but it has decided it wants to attach itself to me, and it’s a bugger to get rid of), I find that I am (God forbid), also starting to get a bit crabby. Where has the laid back, easy-going person that I once was gone? Why has this moody, snappy, person invaded my body and started influencing my mind? I know I am not the best of drivers, but why does everyone else on the road have to be such an idiot? People cutting you up or driving like maniacs, I have even been known to mutter the odd ” Dick head” or worse under my breath (I’m too much of a wimp to yell it directly at someone).

I was always so quiet and shy, and although I still don’t like to draw attention to myself much, I have marched over to a neighbour’s house complaining about some misdemeanour their offspring have done to my daughter (Miss Hap), only to be utterly shown up when it transpired that she had started it!

You would have thought that having an 11-year-old daughter would keep me young, but no! I hate it when she plays her music too loud, (now I am even turning into my mother), I also don’t understand half of what she is saying with all the ‘street talk’ or slang. or whatever it is they speak!

I find myself reminiscing about ‘when I was young’ (that’s it, I am beyond hope now) and how much better everything was back then. It’s funny how memories become distorted over the years, I’m sure I wasn’t this perfect, well-behaved little angel that my memory portrays me as being!

I am going to try to fight this middle-aged monster that wants to consume me. I’m sure I could still do a cart-wheel (if there is a large enough space and an ambulance on standby)… I still scrub up reasonably well (if I have a good few hours free and a ton of Polyfilla handy), and as for being grumpy, (well Mr Grump has got the monopoly on that, and there is no way I could compete with him), it is only because other people don’t know how to drive/behave/etc.. nothing to do with me!

Episode 31: Let’s go NaBloPoMo!!

November 1, 2014/Judy E Martin/4 Comments

I have decided to take part in ‘NaBloPoMo’ (National blog post month) which entails posting every day throughout the month of November. Although I have only been blogging for just over a month, I have found that I am really enjoying it! I also love reading other people’s blogs; there are so many interesting, talented and funny people out there, and I am thrilled to be part of this huge blogging community….

I don’t have any special talents; I am useless at DIY (the clock in my front room is hiding a lovely gouge in the wall where I was let loose with a drill once), I am not at all arty or crafty (I do attempt sewing on a regular basis, despite the fact that most of my projects involve a lot of swearing, unpicking, wonky seams, and items that don’t quite fit properly).However, I DO love words, and making people laugh if I can…..

As we all know, life can be a struggle at times, we all get days where everything goes wrong, or we feel hopeless, or useless (I get those all the time),and there are other days where everything goes perfectly, or something has struck you as funny, and has left you with a smile on your face all day!

We all need a bit of laughter in our lives; yes, things do go wrong of course, we have all had moments where we have felt stupid or made fools of ourselves, but rather than dwell on them, cringing with embarrassment, I prefer to just write about it, and laugh at myself (or others)! If I can make someone else smile or laugh whilst reading my silliness, then so much the better!

You can expect from my blog, just the musings, ranting and silliness that makes up everyday life, which I hope most people will be able to relate to in some way, I do not lead a glamorous life, or go travelling to lots of wonderful and exotic places, nor will there be delicious recipes to tempt you, or beautiful things that I have made to inspire you, No, afraid not, (well I might post the odd pic to show off if something that I have made if it actually turns out as it is supposed to, for once)!

I will however, be writing about myself and my family, mainly Mr Grump (long-suffering husband),and Miss Hap (beautiful, feisty, but clumsy daughter, hence the nickname). I do have a load of other family members who might make the odd appearance now and again, plus we have a beautiful little dog, who also gets a mention.

I work part-time in a very busy hospital ward, and along with my fellow nursing staff, look after 27 elderly patients, which in itself can be pretty challenging as well as rewarding at times. Occasionally funny things happen at work which I also like to write about. In fact, I like to write about anything and everything.

So in a nutshell, that’s me and my blog. Please feel free to leave any comments, it’s always lovely to hear from people, I hope you find something here that resonates with you, and raises a smile!

Episode 30: Halloween Hiccups!

October 31, 2014/Judy E Martin/5 Comments

Ahh good old Halloween! How it has changed since I was a little girl. Back then it was a case of us terrifying each other with ghost stories, and a bit of apple bobbing if you were lucky, and if Mum was feeling extra festive, we even got a toffee apple!! No dressing up for us, and we would not have been allowed to go around ‘Trick or Treating’

For my daughter’s generation it is totally different. I have already been stockpiling sweets for the last few days as we have loads of ‘Trick or Treaters’ coming round. I actually enjoy seeing them all in their costumes; I love the effort that has gone into some of them, and the way that the local kids all participate, as do a lot of their parents.

We live on a large square which then branches off in a big loop. so there are a lot of doors for the kids to knock on. In the past I have often gone with Miss Hap, either as part of a large group, or just me her and Mr Grump. Either way, people have been pretty generous, and Miss Hap’s Halloween bucket is normally full to the brim with all sorts of scary and sweet delights!

This morning we were all up pretty early, and i decided to crack on with putting up some decorations. Mr Grump had got himself out of it by going off to the scrap yard to get some parts for my car (it failed the MOT).He did however, kindly get out all the bits from last year, so that Me and Miss Hap could put them up.

It was not as easy as I thought it would be. Every time I opened the front door to put the decorations on it the dog would make a dash for freedom! Luckily she came back with a bit of coaxing. I then shut her in the kitchen for 2 minutes whilst I balanced precariously on a chair trying to hang something up on the little roof bit. Well the dog kicked up such a racket with her pitiful barking and yelping, that I rushed the job, and although ‘Happy Halloween’ is up over the door, it is looking a bit droopy and sorry for itself!

Anyway i managed to finish off the inside decorations without too much trouble, (or tripping over the dog who had been let out of the kitchen, but insisted on getting under our feet). Mr Grump of course came back when everything was done, but seemed impressed with it. I was mad though because I knew we had some little lights that went across the kitchen window that were shaped like bats and were different colours, but I couldn’t find them anywhere.Miss Hap by now of course had already gone out to play in the unseasonably warm weather outside, as she had done her bit helping me, plus pilfered some of the sweets out of the bowl!

I decided to get on with some other bits, and as usual there is washing to be done. As I went to get the detergent out of the kitchen cupboard, I saw the box with the bat lights in on one of the shelves. Oooh, great, I pulled the box off the shelf, but everything else cascaded downwards and landed in a heap on the kitchen floor. Bugger it, what a mess!! Well that is Mr Grump’s domain, he puts all sorts of odds and ends in that cupboard that we neither use nor need (well excepting the lights and detergent of course). I shouted up the stairs that I had found the lights, and that by the way there was a mess on the floor.

He was crabby. He had just finished shaving his head and bathing the dog (who was running around like a mad thing shaking water all over the place)! He tidied up the mess in the kitchen then came in to sit down for a minute. I reminded him that the lights actually needed to be put up now I had found them, and for some reason he got a bit snappy and cross!

I think I’ll send him to the door tonight when the kids come, as his face would be enough to scare the pants off anyone! Having said that Miss Hap would probably gorge herself senseless on all the sweets that would be left, as the kids would be legging it as soon as they glimpsed old Sour Puss!!

Happy Halloween!

Couldn’t resist the pics of our dog!!

Episode 28: Dressed to Impress

October 29, 2014/Judy E Martin/Leave a comment

Don’t you just hate it when you try to make an effort to look nice but nobody even notices!……

This morning dawned pretty grey and miserable; to brighten my own mood I thought I would wear something a little different from the long skirts, and trousers…I know I am approaching fifty, and perhaps carrying a little more baggage in certain areas, than in my youth, but hey, I am not over-the-hill yet!!

After a bit of rummaging about in my wardrobes I found a short and sassy leopard print skirt…ooh I think that is just the job, Now where is that little lacy, black strappy top with the ruffles? Got it! Great. I know it is horrible out today but we’re not going out and the heating is on so I won’t get cold. Normally I would wear leggings with a short skirt, but today I decided to push the boat out and wear tights..(having said that, I opted for opaque ones, just in case I had to put the rubbish out or something as equally as glamorous, and I didn’t want to frighten the neighbours)!

I just had to squish my poor body into some sort of ‘shapewear’ (what kind of shape it was meant to achieve, I am not sure of, but I still looked like a sausage bursting out of its skin) and admire the finished result! My long hair was a freshly enhanced blonde (Mr Grump had dyed it for me yesterday morning, we have no secrets in this house) and i was ready to make my entrance to the admiration of Mr Grump and Miss Hap.

Unfortunately…this being reality, I had a load of washing to do as usual, so I filled my arms with the assorted garments, and went downstairs to the kitchen to shove them in the washing machine, before wowing Mr Grump in the front room. Needless to say he was in the kitchen, which was just as well really as the strap of a bra that was sitting on top of the pile in my arms had got hooked around the kitchen door handle,halting my progress. Mr Grump. kindly unhooked it for me, as well as the clasps at the back of the bra which had somehow attached themselves to the ruffles on my top!

This was not the effect I wanted at all…Once I had viciously shoved the washing into the machine, I smoothed myself down and asked “do you like my outfit?” Quickly realising what the correct answer was he replied, “very pretty” then buggered off to get some shopping!

Oh well, I know Miss Hap will think I look nice. I know I am by no means a ‘Yummy Mummy’ but I do try to do the best with what I’ve got to work with, and that is no mean feat, I can tell you! I walked into the front room where she was sprawled on the settee and was greeted with the usual “I’m hungry, what’s for breakfast?” Not a compliment in sight!

Whilst I have been sitting here typing this, there was a knock on the door, and some big bloke was there with a huge parcel for Mr Grump. As I was grappling with the parcel, bending down to put it on the floor, I noticed an appreciative look from the delivery man as he asked for my signature….I HAVE still got it (only just)!!! 🙂

Episode 26: Sulky Sunday

October 26, 2014/Judy E Martin/Leave a comment

Today has been a bit of a strange one really…a sort of hodgepodge of a day,where I can’t seem to settle to do anything!….

For a start I woke up at 5am! I know the clocks had gone back an hour and everyone loves an extra hour’s sleep, but because I always end up getting up so early it is a bit of a pain…still, I filled my time constructively,playing games on my tablet, whilst watching a bit of catchup tv!…

Mr Grump had to get up early today as well (if you call 8am on a Sunday early, I call it a lie-in)!!! He and my nephew were off to a friend’s house to do something with their roof ( God only knows what they were doing, but as it involved heights and DIY combined, I decided not to ask and just to leave them to get on with it)! At least it got Mr Grump out of my hair for a while, although I was a bit cross that he was doing odd jobs for someone else when there is a little matter of some painting that needs to be done at home still!!

Anyway after Miss Hap and I had feasted on a delicious fry up, we decided that we really ought to have a bit of a pamper session. As neither of us are able to wear nail varnish during the week normally what with school and work, we decided to make the most of having a bit of time off and out came our collection of polishes.(I only had two bottles of rather boring pink, so had to rely on my 11-year-old daughter’s rather extensive collection of nearly every colour imaginable)!

As we had such a varied choice, we decided that it would be criminal not to use as much colour as possible,so we painted each others’ toenails in five different shades, (Miss Hap rather liked the blue and painted an extra bit on one of my toes too for good measure)! I As she has only got little toenails, I managed to blob a bit of polish on each one, but we were both pleased with the results, and I decided that I would go for the lovely blue for my fingernails, (We had a bit of a disaster with that though, I thought they had dried and went to take the joint out of the oven, but where I had put my hands in the oven mitts, it had smudged a bit). Never mind, I just went over the dodgy bits and they are as good as new!

Mr Grump came home just after lunchtime unscathed, and decided that he was going to play on his Playstation (he very rarely plays on it but when he does it is usually a marathon session). I casually mentioned that I might like to go and look at some paints this afternoon….nothing! I asked if he had a particular colour in mind for the hall etc….nope!! He did however moan at me this morning when I dared to mention how grubby the paintwork is looking, “I thought it had gone past springtime” he says huffily “Well we need to do an Autumn clean as well as a Spring one this year” I replied.

With no offers of decorating forthcoming, I decided to sulk for a bit and set about the ironing!! Of course, he wasn’t bothered about me viciously brandishing the iron about on our poor, unsuspecting clothes, steaming them into submission with a frenzy…oh, no, of course not, he was sat in front of the tv, eyes bulging, killing baddies…..Men!

Episode 22: Toy Story!

October 20, 2014/Judy E Martin/Leave a comment

When I was in town yesterday, I noticed that there was a brand new toy shop ready getting ready to open shortly, probably just in time for Christmas, and it got me thinking about how different my expectations of toys were when I was growing up.

One of the earliest toys/games I can remember getting in the early 1970s, was a miniature post office set, with its own stationary and stamps, as well as bank notes and coins (the new decimal ones), postal orders etc. This set kept me and my younger sister amused for hours, We would take it in turns to be postmistress, and dish out money, stamp letters, and so on.

My brothers, had Meccano and Lego, and would build all sorts of things with it, as well as put together Airfix models, which they would sit huddled over, deep concentration on their faces,as they would try to glue together some fiddly part or other! We all used to play the family games like Frustration, Ker Plunk, Buckeroo, Mouse Trap etc, as well as Monopoly and Cluedo. These games, however usually ended in a family punch-up as inevitably one of my brothers would cheat, which would annoy the rest of us, and a lot of shouting and arguing would ensue! This, was all in good fun though and it wouldn’t be long before we would all play something else.

I remember also having this doll which I think was called ‘Tippy Tumbles’. She was battery operated and did forward rolls at the touch of a button. I was enthralled by this doll. The other dolls I had were either Cindy dolls, which I just used to dress in different outfits, or other baby like dolls which would close their eyes when laid down to look like they were sleeping,,They were not as good as my Tippy. Unfortunately though, she didn’t really last long before she got broken !…

Other things I remember playing with as a child were fuzzy felt, sticklebricks, and spirograph (that was fun making all these crazy patterns with the different stencil things)..I also loved to read (still do) and I would have a large collection of books in my room,which I would read over and over, especially those by Enid Blyton (Oh how I wanted to go to a boarding school like Mallory Towers)!

Although a lot of the games and toys that were around when I was younger are still available now (in some cases they have become popular again), children are more interested in the latest video games, or the trendiest apps!..

I must admit that I love an app as much as the next person, but then I am old and past it, and am entitled to while away the odd hour or so on trying to level up in Candy Crush or Farmville, or even beat my sister on 80’s music on Quiz Up, but it does seem a shame that today’s kids would rather get out their phones or tablets to play, then sit down around a table playing a good old board game!!

A lot of the kids also don’t have the patience to painstakingly piece together little bits in order to make a model aeroplane or complete a jigsaw puzzle; they are used to getting things now and do not want to wait for the end result. Some children don’t even like to read books anymore, which is a shame as they are missing out on so much; what it is to become immersed in a story. I still have some of my books from childhood where I have written my name and age proudly in the flyleaf as they were very dear possessions.

As for dolls today, they have really come a long way, they eat, drink, speak and even poo!! The children now are so much more informed than we were, and their expectations of toys and games are a whole world away from what we were happy with . I wish the toy shop lots of luck…I think they might need it!

Rhyme and No Reason!

Blogger, author and rhymester who likes to find the humour in life.

Tag: family

Episode 41: Revelations…..

Episode 39: Nobody’s Perfect….

Episode 35: Remember, Remember The 5th of November….

Episode 33: Workday Woes!

Episode 32: Middle-Aged Madness

Episode 31: Let’s go NaBloPoMo!!

Episode 30: Halloween Hiccups!

Episode 28: Dressed to Impress

Episode 26: Sulky Sunday

Episode 22: Toy Story!

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Judy E Martin

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Blogger, author and rhymester who likes to find the humour in life.

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