Tuesday 31 January 2012

Early Memories – UK II

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When we lived in Croydon my brother and I had a box full of cardboard, yoghurt cartons, tin foil and string. This selection of booty was used to make any number of costumes and toys, similar to those in the image above.

I remember that on one occasion my brother and I were making something which required quite a lot of gluing. At some point in the proceedings I remember a large striped tube of Copydex on the carpet, or rather a large pool of white Copydex on the carpet next to the large striped Copydex tube.

Needless to say my lasting memory of the event was my parents' response to the event, and a crunchy spot on the carpet ever after.

Early Memories – UK II

Bottles and boxes, tin foil and string,
Cutting and sticking to make anything.
Robots and dragons, cotton reel tanks
Paper Mache islands, masks to rob banks.
Young minds imagine, young hands create,
But young boys forget what a mess they can make.
A misplaced knee and a copydex tube
Made irate parents
- Oh and a crunchy carpet!

John Carré Buchanan
30 January 2012

6 comments:

  1. I can just imagine how your parents reacted to the carton collection.My two youngsters aged 10 and 7 just love hoarding cardboard boxes and creating unimaginable things out of it..And I have to cope with the aftermath:mess .

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    1. Aynzan, Having passed that age with my two I can assure you I know what you mean. Unfortunately the mess seems to stay with them as they get older, it just changes form from boxes and tin foil to strewn clothes and toys. As for my parents' reaction to the collection, it was better then their reaction to the glue! ;-)

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  2. We have a spot like that on our carpet too. The husband and son left the glue bottle on the playroom floor. The dog carried it onto the carpet for a good chew. :(

    Joyce
    http://joycelansky.blogspot.com/

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    1. Joyce, I know it is not funny at the time, but when you look back it is. I was once painting a wall in a bungalow when I saw my dog playing in the garden. I called him over to the window to say hello but he decided to jump through the window and put his foot in the paint pot. He then ran all over the house leaving a big foot print. Fortunately it was emulsion and came out of the carpets.

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  3. Happy days! I always fondly remember getting creative with costumes as a kid, my mum and I made me a Simpsons costume out of cardboard and felt for a party once!

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    1. Hi Patent Attorney, Thanks for your kind comment. Isn't it funny how the things we remember most fondly often involve making things ourselves. I wonder how many kids today will remember playing video games or with ready-made toys as fondly when they grow up.

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