Annuals

Long,warm week here a one item is delayed as it went "up north" with little real reason and so has make its way towards me with some rerouting which is annoying but what can you do?

Been working on tidying a few things up here betwen the heat  and one thing there's a fair few of is books, specifically annuals of various kinds.

We usually kept our eye peeled and ears opened for any advance information that years annuals and back when I was a younger child such an adverisement and an order form were fairly common in publications your parents, relatives and that saw plus often the catalogue companies carried a number so together with a new school jumper you might of recievd a copy of the Tiger annual for the upcoming year.

There are a number of cubs annuals here, some officially endorsed others not and today they remain popular with people so go to any "antique" or auction house and you'll see them and f course on Ebay you'll find a load listed too.

Part of the reason is they do take people back to that time in their lives (some of us haven't left it!), others may be replacing copies lost or taken away as they got older and it was felt they didn't need them anymore.

Condition plays a part, spines on book can and do get damaged by tiny, excited hands, bindings get a bit worn and dust jackets at least a little feathered at the corners but I'm relaxed over much of this cos while I did take reasonable care of books, for me the fact it was owned and loved matters a lot.

So long as its not falling apart and is at least a "good reading copy" I'm fine.

Annuals despite all the digital world are still around although scouting and girl guides ones have stopped this century.

Weekends, steam and risks

 Friday, for most of us the last day of the school week and the start of the weekend, so you'd make your way back posing by the door before setting off.

Then weekends could mean doing other things that were messy, smelly and rather fun like using Oxford commas (lol) thanks to the wonders of Meths!

Turn of the decades me had a little steam engine that run on Meths as for that matter did my History teacher, P.O.C. who even showed one one day when we had a few spare moments and didn't mind going a bit off subject although he did put the link between steam and the industrial revolution in it must be said.

I enjoyed the smell of the thing although when I used it, I certainly wasn't in "sunday best", seeing puffing away and back then nobody raised an eyebrow at being handling meths and lighting it at the age of 15.

Given some my mates were smokers at that age perhaps we had experience of handling stuff current generations perhaps might lack.

It's like Bunsen burners back then we knew how to handle them and lighting up but not a few schols don't do that sort of hands on sort of science terrified about health and safety today but really the best way to be safe is to learn first hand how to handle things.

Performing a real "risk assessment" and handling ready for the real world.

Of bears and things

 Not feeling that great today I'm afraid so I'm upstairs and resting which kind of takes me on to something that is very much a part of this life.

Perhaps for some the last memory you might of had of handling a teddy bear might of been toward the last days of your schooling when it may of been your teams mascot.

I can recall being seen with a teddy much above thirteen was seen as a a wee bit embarrassing if you were a boy especially if you were sharing spaces such as a dorm or a tent camping.

I was never really like that at home although they could only be the odd one on a shelf at home and not seen to be had been played with although I'd hid the odd small one in my room to put by the pillow at night.

You really wanted him always with you like taking him out but unlike girls who get away with cute stuffy backpacks we never could once we started to be seen as  "big boys" not least cos teddy is the one thing you could tell your secrets to and just listen.

Although he's a bit dear at some £116.99 wouldn't you want a schoolboy  teddy with his very own satchel and gift of a cone of sweets for your class?

Reflections on Fridays in the past

Friday's eh?

Crackerjack from the past, today the one slot for Blue Peter we all had our "must see" television programs on that day which was the gateway to The Weekend where school lessons stopped for two whole days, weekly boarders went home and the rest of us may of gone on a excursion.

That was always the thing about weekends beyond World Of Sport and the Final Results on Grandstand with the teleprinter final results soming through at the bottom of the screen plus Match Of The Day if we got permission to be up late on Saturday.

Having come home by bus or train uniform was off which was as well as although it was smart you may well of stood out in your immediate district garnering some attention.

Girls seemed to come from another planet and not always that very demure having been chased from one end of the high street to the other in my teens by a gaggle thereof.

No sooner that you'd got used to that and been in Church where all the grown ups would be asking you how you were and how it was going  you'd be preparing  for the cycle to continue.