toys in the attic

[gurdonark]

"When I was a child I caught a fleeting glimpse, out of the corner of my eye. I turned to look but it was gone. I cannot put my finger on it now. The child is grown. The dream is gone"--Roger Waters

I remember the Christmas when I got my first telescope. I must have been 10 or so. It was a Sears refractor, with a moon filter and a sun filter (no wonder my perception is so rosy-colored) and a barlow lens. We opened presents on Christmas Eve. My father set up that telescope in our back yard that night, pointed at the moon. In my life since, I have never lived so close to outer space as the first time I saw that moon through that cheap telescope. In later years, I got a JC Penney plastic 200x reflector, which was even easier to use, and through which I viewed the M42 nebula in Orion, the Pleaides, Venus, Jupiter, Saturn and all the visible mares of the moon. I loved that feeling on a chilly late fall night of standing in our large side yard, scope pointed upward, catching fleeting glimpses of the visual prey, until I again bumped the scope out of position.

When I was 25, I flew cheap Wal Mart kites at a junior high a few miles from my house. As this locale was naturally extremely kite friendly, the kite rose as if by magic. At that time, I felt weighted by a world of work, lost and so alone. But my kites always flew.

Today I mailed three packages off to people to whom I have owed packages for weeks. As I drove away from the post office, I felt that a little grist of guilt had been plucked from me. I had not even known I felt very guilty, until the
little pearl was lifted, all too well polished.

I'd like to work on a little less grist and pull out a few more toys over the next few weeks.

What childhood toys would you like to play with once again?

Comments

[ex-sinnie785.livejournal.com]

What a lovely post -- and it's kites and lightbrites for me.

Those are two of my favorite things.

[gurdonark.livejournal.com]

Thanks. Lite brites. I love them. My wife and I were talking about them--I got them, she didn't. I wonder if she should feel deprived?

[marstokyo.livejournal.com]

I always coveted my sister's microscope. I guess she was always seen as the *smarter* one--she got better grades than I. I always wanted to look under the microscope at everyday things. But was rarely given the opportunity. Hers was also just a little student model from Sears. But it came in a nice wooden box with a little brass latch and I coveted it. I've sinced looked for something like that at flea markets but to no avail.

[gurdonark.livejournal.com]

Cheap microscopes, for kids, are available on ebay.
One in a nice wooden case is a few tens of dollars.
I got an even cheaper one for 10 or so recently.
It's so cool. In my closet, I have an unopened goodwill purchase which is a micro which projects on a little tv screen. I keep meaning to get some protozoa cultured, and fire it up!

Re:

[marstokyo.livejournal.com]

Ah yes, the Evilbay. I tremble at the thought of crossing that threshold.

[gurdonark.livejournal.com]

:)

It's anything BUT evil.

I just posted a dream book to you. If only I'd known, I could have posted a cheap micro to you as well :)

Re:

[marstokyo.livejournal.com]

Evil in the sense that it will drain my ever dwindling bank accounts!-- I cannot go there!!!

[marstokyo.livejournal.com]

PS. she also got one of those telescopes!

[auntiesiannan.livejournal.com]

Sit'n'Spin. Spirograph. Anything involving magnets. Hippity-Hop. Romper Stompers. Pounding wooden pegs through a little workbench. And that Fisher-Price toy on a stick that you push along the ground and wooden beads pop around inside a clear plastic dome. That thing is eternally fascinating.

Your posts make me happy. :)

[reneesarah.livejournal.com]

A huge set of blocks. When I used to have my own house a few years ago I had a set of wooden blocks on a table, and would invite friends who came over to build things. I would then take a photograph of their construction if they were ok with that. A lot of temples got built. It was also fun to take the photographs and ask other people who do you think built which structure? I would like to do that again sometime.

[gurdonark.livejournal.com]

wow. temple pictures...very cool!

Re:

[reneesarah.livejournal.com]

There were tall structures with lots of light coming in.... steps that led to altars... mazes... temple gardens.... Adults can do some fun things with a set of blocks. The blocks that are shaped like arches end up being very, very useful! (Thanks for reminding me of this bit of fun.)

[gurdonark.livejournal.com]

I love Spirograph. I got a dollar store spiroknockoff lately, and keep meaning to try it out!
Glad you like the post :)

[sun-set-bravely.livejournal.com]

I love that Fisher Price bead-popper thing! They sell mini-keychains of that toy, and many other Fisher Price classics at this website. (http://www.playthingspast.com/keychains-toys-4.html) I'm sorely tempted to buy many of them...

[gurdonark.livejournal.com]

that bead popper is awesomely cool. I'm glad auntiesiannan reminded us of it.

[kenmora.livejournal.com]

Ah the Hippity-Hop!!

What unbridled fun, and add another person on their Hippity-Hop and the fun increases exponentially.

I bought an old one with a Donald Duck head on eBay, but I'll have to wait until Bella's older to give it to her. I wonder if I can get a big one for me??

Ooh! Ooh! Pick Me!

[gregwest98.livejournal.com]

I gotta million fond memories of toys. What to pick?

The erector set maybe. Or the lincoln logs. Tinker toys. Spirograph.

Dad would often play with me and built wonderful things. Sometimes he would build toys that defy description - someday perhaps I'll try and describe some.

It was a kid's wonderland.

Forget the Gym

[kenmora.livejournal.com]

I want an adult sized park. Just like a kid's park, but 2X the size. Throw in a Jumper and a climbing wall. Someday there will be a health club like that for us big kids.

[laruth.livejournal.com]

I loved it when I used to build imaginary cities/towns with what ever I had at hand, "driving" my various vehicles through it, and imagining how every person goes through their every day life.

[gurdonark.livejournal.com]

Cool! that sounds like fun! and it was even before SimCity!