Something I always wanted and never got
You have to be in your 50's to get it
You have to have been a comic book reader in the 70's to get it
You had to be a somewhat weird child to get it
They're the Who's of the " under water set " and I contemplated ordering them every single time I saw them.
Look how dapper the MR looks - with his tail cleverly and strategically placed !
________________________________________________________________________________
I did however wear a shackle around my ankle ( aptly named " Footsie :" ) and hopped on one foot feverishly for hours and hours.
I can vividly remember one Easter - dressed in a little pink wool coat - with pale pink patent leather Mary Janes - ( those shoes made the best clicking noises with a footsie ) and an EASTER HAT - and as I was gaily hopping up and down on the pavement with that shackle, my hat fell off - which a mean boy jumped up and ran off with.
I tried to chase him but it's hard to run when you're in shackles - so I quickly took it off - and flung it in his direction where it promptly landed with a thwack across his forehead -
I was reprimanded for behaving in such an unladylike way - especially at Easter time -
but that mean boy kept his distance in the future.
You don't mess with a girl and her toys - unless you're a boy with numchucks -( nunchaku )
My Brother spent a good 2 years walking around the house swinging those harbingers of death around -
I was always terrified of it landing on my head...............but he stayed clear of me with them ( because of my footsie I presume )
Or maybe it was my :" clackers " that scared him off -
These were every bit as dangerous as " numchucks " if you knew how to use them !
_________________________________________________________________________________
I don't recall owning a " Flatsie "
But I can still remember the commercial to this day -
Flatsy Flatsy
They're Flat and that's that
I hated it because my brother mercilessly tormented me with that little jingle ................referring to my underdeveloped chest.................which was the main reason I never wanted the doll to be honest with you.
He ruined it for me
_________________________________________________________________________________
I DID however wear an imprisoned doll around my neck...................
Only letting her out in the evening for a little fresh air.
________________________________________________________________________________
And I was a Barbie fanatic -
Clothes - furniture etc..................
One day I came in to find a Batman figurine laying on top of my Barbie doll !
In her bed !
I screamed - disgusted beyond belief - and whipped the Batman into the wall - breaking one of his arms off
( I obviously had an anger problem LOL )
My brother went crying to my Mother that Suzy had broken his Batman -
I cried back that Batman was laying on top of my Barbie
Batman and Barbie were punished - after my Mother fixed his arm - banished to God knows where for a week or two -
So were we. ( well not banished - but punished in that we couldn't play with our favorite toys )
My Brother kept telling me that wherever they were, they were surely kissing
In fact - THIS is what he sang to me the whole time
BATMAN AND BARBIE UP IN A TREE
K.I.S.S.I.N.G.
I realized I was fighting a losing battle - so when they came out of hiding I arranged a pretty wedding for the two of them - my brother agreed to it.
I had it all planned out - and they walked up a makeshift aisle - ( I think the JOKER was marrying them or maybe it was the PENGUIN - one of those diabolical men was the Priest anyway )
and then - just when they were about to kiss - a sanctified legitimate kiss - Batman bonked her on the head.
Hard.
Really hard.
Holy Violent Bridegroom !!!
MOMMY - I screamed - Terry almost broke Barbie
My Mother threatened to take them off us forever - so somehow they managed to co - exist.
As did my Brother and I.
( but between you and I - Barbie was always the more sophisticated and mature of the two )
_________________________________________________________________________________
My closest moments spent with my Brother ( before 2 more Brothers came along ) was climbing out of bed on Saturday mornings - making a bowl of Captain Crunch or Honey Combs - tiptoeing to the darkened living room and laying on the carpet with drapes drawn ( probably 6 inches away from the screen ) and watching cartoons - starting at 6 o'clock in the morning.
Our bonds were formed somewhere between The Jetson's and Tennessee Tuxedo.............
By 10 the drapes were flung open and we were enemies again - you can only lay beside someone on a carpet for so long before the torment starts.
Still - we always knew another Saturday was just around the corner ..................
_________________________________________________________________________________
Oh the wonders that I find
In the playground in my mind
In a world that used to be
Close your eyes and follow me
Where the children laugh and the children play
And we sing a song all day
( kudo's if you remember that song ! )
_________________________________________________________________________________
Ok enough about the past - let's talk about the future - does everyone know that Harper Lee has a new book coming out in July of this year?
It's called GO SET A WATCHMAN
For all of you that loved To Kill a Mockingbird - this one starts with Scout as an adult coming back from NYC and reminiscing with Atticus about the summer it all happened.
It was the original book she wrote - until the publishers ( at that time ) told her they were more interested in the summer she was remembering - hence To Kill a Mockingbird was born.
So it's a sequel that was originally a prequel LOL
I'm dying to read this ( TKAMB's one of my all time favorite reads )
It's available for preorder ( which I've done ) from
AMAZON ( affiliate link )
( one of the cheapest prices I've found on line actually - which is why I'm letting you know about it )
This is like discovering gold for me - very very excited !
I'll read TKAMB once again ( probably the 10th time ) just before I start the next one
_________________________________________________________________________________
What else? Oh yeah ! I'm working on a dresser ( that's been sitting in the porch since we moved in -
John says - Thank God you're finally painting that
Suzan says - Why? You don't usually care ?
John says - Well you can sell it and make room in the porch
Suzan says - I'm NOT selling it - I'm painting it for our bedroom
John says - THERE'S NO ROOM IN THE BEDROOM FOR ANOTHER DRESSER !!!!!!!!!!!
Suzan says - Don't be silly - I'm taking the one that's in there out and replacing it with this one
John says - So you're going to sell the one in our bedroom?
Suzan says - No - I'm going to use that one for the downstairs bathroom as a vanity
John says - BUT WE HAVEN'T STARTING RENOVATING THAT ONE YET - WHERE ARE YOU GOING TO KEEP IT ???????????????
Suzan says - In the porch, of course, there's room for it now that I've taken this one out of it.............
John promptly got up and left the room.
Which is best really - I like to be alone when I'm painting............................
_________________________________________________________________________________
I asked John to make supper the other night - while I painted
John says ( in a panic ) Let's order in
Suzan says - No John - we have too much food in the house to order in - c'mon - you never have to cook
John says - What'll I make ?
Suzan says - Surprise me
John says - You didn't take anything out of the freezer
Suzan says - There's breaded fish in there - we'll just have that
John says - How do I make it
Suzan says - Read the box !!!
John reads the box and says - THERE'S NO INSTRUCTIONS - JUST INGREDIENTS
Suzan says - Turn the box around
John says - What vegetables should I cook ?
Suzan says - Asparagus please
John says - I have no idea how to cook them
Suzan says - You cut the stems down and put them in a pot
John says - How much do I cut them
Suzan says - Never mind, I'll do the asparagus
And while I was in the kitchen I cut the potatoes for the fries ( fish and chips ) and put the fish in the oven.
Suzan says - PLEASE watch that the fish doesn't burn
About 20 minutes later I heard him mumbling ( cursing? ) in the kitchen
John says - It's impossible to get everything ready at the same time
I went into the kitchen and finished everything up.
As we were getting up from dinner
John says - You're welcome
Suzan says - For what?
John says - Well I made supper
And he believes he did.........................
So he obviously lives in a playground in his mind too
_________________________________________________________________________________
Have a wonderful weekend everyone !
Love to all
Me