Sunday, March 04, 2012

Retro rattles

What have we been doing this weekend? Well, I decided that it was time to unearth from the attic what I remembered to be one of the world's largest collection of rattles. Daughter 1 particularly, as a baby, took a lot of entertaining if I were ever to succeed in doing the dishes or changing the beds. Above, you see some of the items with which I used to attempt to divert her. Since I hoped to be a granny one day, I didn't get rid of these once the youngest (Son) had passed the rattle stage. These are only the small baby toys. I have lots more for later stages of development.
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I spent quite a long time washing them.

Grandson tested them out today. That yellow one beside his foot is Daughter 1's very first rattle. I referred to them as "antique" rattles but she took slight exception to the term and suggested "retro".
He had fun with them, whatever they are.
Meanwhile, Mr Life began tackling my list of Things I Want You To Do Once You Retire by making a door for this shelf. It holds our hats and scarves and gloves and can get rather messy in the winter, when we keep going in and out, taking such items on and off the shelf. I didn't take a "before" picture but you can imagine what it looked like: a shelf.
And now look: a wee cupboard. There is a slight unforeseen snag, which is that since the door folds down to be horizontal and sticking outwards (see first shelf picture) and I am not as tall as Mr Life, I now can't quite reach the back. But a plaintive cry brings Mr Life running, so that's ok.
Then, neatly swerving from my List, he made himself a little work station (this is it folded up, but it's like a little desk with a light) for working on his model railway layout (not that he has one yet but he has ambitions. No, I don't really understand why either, but you know. If it makes him happy.). As you can see, this doubles as a cat lookout station.
And my amaryllis is flowering nicely.
As are my supermarket daffodils.
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I sometimes wonder how we cope with the excitement.

9 comments:

  1. Fantastic that Mr Life is building a model railway workbench. That will be Mr Fixit when he retires too!

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  2. My children had that double-sunshine rattle, too! My eldest is 14, and the youngest is almost 12, so that rattle qualifies as "classic" rather than retro, since it seems to have been in style for some time. I have it tucked away with other various baby toys, in case I ever have grandchildren. The number of toys I refuse to part with is staggering. I am going to be one sad old lady if my children never have children. Seeing as how my oldest is only 14, though, I am hoping those grandbabies aren't coming along too soon!

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  3. Your last sentence had me laughing outloud! You have a teasure in that handy husband of yours.

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  4. That would be tReasure!

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  5. Anonymous7:43 am

    Later Daughter 1 did suggest that "classic" might be acceptable. As for the work station - it is not folded up but simply upside down whilst the varnish dried. Of course, at the time the photo was taken, the varnish was dry otherwise Sirius would still be adhering to the bottom of the work station! Mr Life

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  6. Your blog is all the excitement I need just now. And you make me smile a lot.

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  7. Oh, I can quite see the attraction of a model railway. What a handy chap Mr Life is, my other half is totally unhandy - but we do know a great handyman, thankfully.

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  8. If you want excitement, come over to our house - a doorknob broke off in my hand yesterday. It seems even closing a door is a game of will-it-break roulette at Chez Riveter!

    We have no babies to entertain you though, only cats.

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  9. I recognise some of those rattles. Our children must be of the same vintage!

    I kept lots of their cuddly animals and the Brittain`s farm.Theses now have a new lease of life, after a good wash, and come out to play whenever little Granddaughter arrives.

    Did you keep their children`s books too? I did and they are like a treasure trove when I go rooting around in attic boxes.

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