VINTAGE (WONDER?) POD
One of the best moments about being home was finding an old diary that I thought I had lost forever. I had thought lots about where it could be, but had resigned myself to the fact it gone forever. I didn't really know exactly what was in the diary, but I just wanted it. I'm such a nostalgic and silly old Pod you see. So when I pulled out an old suitcase from the bowels of one of my dad's sheds (yes he has more than one...posh eh?), and midst other 'things' found the diary, well, as they say here in Oz, I was stoked. Or as they say back home "ee, i wa made up".
There were so many funny entries, and some that were quite telling (see Saturday January 10 for example), and of course memories came flooding back. And Pod loves memories. He would pay for them. In January 1981, I would have been three months away from my 10th birthday.
Monday 5th - I remember the lost library books, because I remember finding them. They were in what we called 'the bogey hole', which was a small cupboard under the stairs. The bogey hole, amongst other things, housed Mrs Toe, our hamster. Not only was Mrs Toe extraordinarily good at death defying acts of escapism and agility, she was possibly the world's strongest hamster. In the dead of one night, she was caught in the spotlight of a torch (we were investigating what we thought was a possible burglary), wheeling a crumpet (pikelet to some) across the terrible 70's carpet, toward her cage. She was literally wheeling it along with her tiny front paws, like a man would wheel along a massive tyre. I could go on about Mrs Toe (I may tell you at some point about the time when we thought she was dead and almost buried her alive), but for the purposes of this story, the point I am trying to get across is that she was most determined. And so the library books had been used to keep the lid to her cage firmly down....hence me remembering losing them.
Tuesday 6th - you will see at the bottom of that day 'missed cubs'. That is because the first time I ever went, I was blindfolded and shoved into a dark cupboard and made to feel and identify various objects hanging from the ceiling. The first was a rasher of streaky bacon, the second was a plastic bat. I didn't make it to the third. The only time I ever went back to cubs was when I heard they were teaching us how to make cream horns......
Saturday 10 - 'played Wonder Woman'. Mum had a gold rope belt (the lasso of truth), she had thick gold bangles (bullet deflecting bracelets made from impenetrable Amazonian metal), she had knee high yellow PVC Mary Quant platform boots.....she didn't have an invisible plane, but the outfit was almost complete. What was I to do? I loved Wonder Woman as well as Diana Prince, who was always so wise. I recently got hold of the DVDs, and I have to say, they are better than I imagined. I still wish I could twirl and change into a superhero, though perhaps not Wonder Woman anymore.
I love the fact that I know now, that on Saturday January 10, 1981, the most important thing I did on that day was playing Wonder Woman.
Ah the memories.
Be playful folk, and remember:
One of the best moments about being home was finding an old diary that I thought I had lost forever. I had thought lots about where it could be, but had resigned myself to the fact it gone forever. I didn't really know exactly what was in the diary, but I just wanted it. I'm such a nostalgic and silly old Pod you see. So when I pulled out an old suitcase from the bowels of one of my dad's sheds (yes he has more than one...posh eh?), and midst other 'things' found the diary, well, as they say here in Oz, I was stoked. Or as they say back home "ee, i wa made up".
There were so many funny entries, and some that were quite telling (see Saturday January 10 for example), and of course memories came flooding back. And Pod loves memories. He would pay for them. In January 1981, I would have been three months away from my 10th birthday.
Monday 5th - I remember the lost library books, because I remember finding them. They were in what we called 'the bogey hole', which was a small cupboard under the stairs. The bogey hole, amongst other things, housed Mrs Toe, our hamster. Not only was Mrs Toe extraordinarily good at death defying acts of escapism and agility, she was possibly the world's strongest hamster. In the dead of one night, she was caught in the spotlight of a torch (we were investigating what we thought was a possible burglary), wheeling a crumpet (pikelet to some) across the terrible 70's carpet, toward her cage. She was literally wheeling it along with her tiny front paws, like a man would wheel along a massive tyre. I could go on about Mrs Toe (I may tell you at some point about the time when we thought she was dead and almost buried her alive), but for the purposes of this story, the point I am trying to get across is that she was most determined. And so the library books had been used to keep the lid to her cage firmly down....hence me remembering losing them.
Tuesday 6th - you will see at the bottom of that day 'missed cubs'. That is because the first time I ever went, I was blindfolded and shoved into a dark cupboard and made to feel and identify various objects hanging from the ceiling. The first was a rasher of streaky bacon, the second was a plastic bat. I didn't make it to the third. The only time I ever went back to cubs was when I heard they were teaching us how to make cream horns......
Saturday 10 - 'played Wonder Woman'. Mum had a gold rope belt (the lasso of truth), she had thick gold bangles (bullet deflecting bracelets made from impenetrable Amazonian metal), she had knee high yellow PVC Mary Quant platform boots.....she didn't have an invisible plane, but the outfit was almost complete. What was I to do? I loved Wonder Woman as well as Diana Prince, who was always so wise. I recently got hold of the DVDs, and I have to say, they are better than I imagined. I still wish I could twirl and change into a superhero, though perhaps not Wonder Woman anymore.
I love the fact that I know now, that on Saturday January 10, 1981, the most important thing I did on that day was playing Wonder Woman.
Ah the memories.
Be playful folk, and remember:
35 Comments:
Great post - I love your blog! And you're right. Your Wonder Woman costume is better than mine. Far better!
palyed Wonder Woman....in an other country, but I did the same!!!!!
Hi Jamie , how are you?
I am in a strange periodo, sad and happy....why? I had hurt again my leg...but the other one!!!!!!
not so badly as when I was in Hamilton but I stop running and you know how I feel....another Osteopath...not so good as you, but I trust him!!! Any way...Gues who is coming in July in Venice? Nicole, I can't wait!!!! Then we will move to Bretagne during my Holiday in August, It sounds great to me!!! Now only you and richy...I wait for you!!!
un sacco di bai
Simona
This is funny! It reads like a book!
childhood diaries .. I wish I still had my first one. I destroyed it when I was about 10. I had an entry in it that I didn't want to remember so I burned the entire thing, instead of just the page. Of course, didn't work - I still remember what it was that I was trying to forget, 25 years later
pod
i am speechless with wonder and smiles
OMG. I love this entry. I think this is more than you've ever written before! Can you please show us each and every page of this diary (which, by the way, is quite hilarious)?
oh, how wonderful! So very funny and sweet.
I remember that awful cub game. I went to brownies, and we heard the rumours though we never ever DID anything so smelly or scary.
Very intrigued as to how you enjoyed mats and art.
Your diary has certainly opened up a vibrant conduit to quite a lot. Mrs. Toe! What a wonderful round bubble of your childhood you've written.
This is an incredible post. Very touching and oh, so personal. I adore seeing such depth revealed.
Dennis has the ezzact same handwriting as Pod do.
a look into the wee pod. lovely tale, sir!
I love it! "Played Wonder Woman", that is awesome POD.
Dennis wants yellow boots!
Splendid that you are back. Our good fortune that you found the diary.
What a beautiful post! I LOVE the diary, oh yeah! Thinking of you sitting in your rain puddles and later on finding library books, then playing Wonder Woman.
Is it any wonder we all love you so so so much, Pod??
Mrs. Toe!!
Hope you're inspired to write more memories. Your memories sparked my own memories of that time. Mary Quant? Oh yeah!!
Ah the memoirs...
all of the sudden i remember the song auld lang syne.
I really wish there were photographs of you dressed up as Wonder Woman!!
just stopped by to read about Mrs. Toe again. Bless her little soul.
Hey you! In case my log in doesn't work it's Littlepurlone (aka Rosie's sister) here. I just popped by to see how you were getting on - your photos are just even more phenomenal than ever you clever old thing. Really really laughed at the hamster rolling the crumpet, and then paused in wonderment - in hamster terms rolling a crumpet equals discovering the wheel - clever old rodent! I think that would make Rosie chuckle lots too....
Anyhow, planning but not promising to be say hi more often. Can't overstate how impressed I am by your photos. I recently did an education project with a photographer and some young offenders at the gallery (www.aspex.org.uk) where I work - www.edmundclark.com - he was amazing to work with and takes beautiful photos which I thought you might be interested in. Lots more to say but fighting fatigue and the urge to polish up my bullet proof wrist guards....
Making a mental note to come by soon
Poddy, I was waiting to comment on this post until I got out my old journal to see what I was doing on January 10, 1981. Evidently I made $6.00 babysitting that night and my dog was pregnant with puppies (which I 'couldn't wait' to see). Not that earth shattering either and simply cannot compare with Wonder Woman!
Gah-lee Pod, we had the exact identical penmanship way back when! ahaha! I'm glad you're still snappin' pictures. I'm gonna write about one of my fave photographers on my next post... He makes me smile!
Take care luff. 'til next time!
Too funny. Diana (wasn't that her mother?) would be proud. I always liked Superman, Flash, and Green Lantern better.
I like the texture of this photo, the paper, the notes in graphite and ink, the cryptic but evocative references... the suggestion of personal archeology. "Played Wonder Woman," heh. Would like to have seen a photo of that one.
Mister Pod! I am so glad your blog found me.I have tripped merrily through your entire blog and loved every every post. You are an inspiration. More more more!
Poddy, what a find! So glad you managed to lay your hands on that diary again. The memories it brings back are just amazing...
Do you remember what "daddy bought me home" was about ?
Thanks for saying yes to my 'demande en mariage" !!!! LOL
all i do is play and nap--pretty much.
That was all kinds of awesome :-)
Linda Carter, Linda Carter!
P.S. - I played Wonder Woman too. I also played the Virgin Mary, Batgirl, the Bionic Woman, The Flash, and Green Lantern. ;-)
SARA - you shoulda seen me in it!
SIMONA - oh! sorry to hear about your poorly leg. i shall send a little soothing moment across to you. hope to see you soon! saccis of baccis x
CATLIN - it's a funny ole world out there!
COOK - you should have just ripped the page out!
LETTY - has your lovely voice retuned yet?
STE - stupidly i decided to leave it back at me dad's!
FIFI - ah for the olden days!
TUT-TUT - if only one could venture back...if only for a moment
LAURIE - thanks. a lovely thing to say!
DENNIS - yes but i was only 8 then, and have become much more refined. i can only hope the same for you ;0p
RAINDOG - i think wee pod is still about if you look closely enough ;0)
M-FILER - who'd have thought?
SHELLY - good to see you sir!
REYA - ah! i feel the love, and i know that you do too, despite my terrible record of attendance!
DELI - if only you knew the song about mrs toe!
ANNALISA - well, perhaps i could recreate the outfit fr when i see you next? tee hee
CHED - bless all their little toey souls hey?
LP1 - what an absolute joy to see you again! really fab! hope you are well. i know you're out there somewhere. i hope rosie will laugh at mrs toe too. she surely was incredible! see you soon you big loon x
GARY - i'm sure you've had earth shattering moments though hey? ;0)
ROBOT - good to see you gangsta!
T_BIRD - i think her mother was called hippolyta of all things!
JOE - 'ello joe. that's why photography is so important!
MIRANDA - oh thank you! i am a bit crap with posting of late! i shall do my best!
MADAME - yes. my mum and dad separated, and so i must have spent that weekend with dad. see you at the altar?
EDWARD - lazy git!
DOLL - the romanticism of ones' youth hey?
JD - you played the virgin mary? erm......i am concerned ;0P
I guess I'm a little late with this, but I heart this entry.
The problem with rereading childhood diaries--for me anyway--is that despite all my convictions to the contrary, the diary holds irrefutable proof that I'm the same damn fool I've always been.
I instantly love you because of Jan 10th. Not to mention you're a brilliant photographer...great blog!
Oh Pods, a time when life was simple eh? When losing your library books and missing cubs was a big deal. Precious memories x
Wonderful post!
I'll never be able to eat crumpets again without smiling! :D
if only I had been as dedicated to note taking!
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