The Book of Me, Week 17: Toys & Games

This is my entry prompted by The Book of Me, Written By You project created by Julie Goucher of the Anglers Rest blog. The concept: a series of blogging and writing prompts that help family historians capture their own memories and write about themselves. Go to http://www.anglers-rest.net for more information.

This week's assignment:

The continuation of the 15 month, weekly writing project about my life and memories, created by Julie Goucher.

This week’s (week 17) prompt is – Toys & Games

Can you remember your first toy, or game?
Do you still have it?
Who did you play with?
Did you play board games?
Have you inherited any of your family games & toys?

I'm female, and as a child I was very girlie.  So, as you might expect, the first toy I can remember is a baby doll named Sally.  I don't know that there was anything special about her to anyone else but me.  She met her demise when I left her out in the rain in my neighbor's yard, when I was about five.  Just in time to move on to....

I don't remember Ken looking so blah, or Barbie looking so b-itchy.

Midge--Always the best friend

BARBIE!  Oh my, how I loved Barbie.  One Christmas, my mother had clothes made for my Barbie, and "Santa" (Dad and Grandpa) assembled the "Barbie Model Playhouse," where there was a stand for Barbie that moved her from backstage to the front of the runway (via a motor).  When Barbie got to the front of the stage, she made a 360 turn, then returned to the back of the stage.  I loved it, but my dad joked about it being the most difficult Christmas gift he ever had to put together.

Skipper- I related to her the best

I had Barbie, Ken, Skipper and Midge.  My brother got GI Joe, and we would sometimes play together, loading the dolls onto his Tonka trucks and letting them take rides around the living room.  We even took them to a friend's house to play.  I traded my brunette Barbie for a blonde one, since my hair was light, but I regretted it because I never thought the blond was as pretty as the brunette...lol.


We were lucky enough to have an enclosed porch--it was called a "Florida room," with the walls entirely made up of windows.  On rainy days in the summer, we'd play Monopoly, Life, Parchesi, card games and and occasionally put together a jigsaw puzzle.  It was so comforting, somehow, to be protected from the rain, with the feeling of still being outside, and playing games with my brother and friends.  (My brother was notorious for his cheating, tho...little stinker.)

I have nothing left from those days except for a few little trinkets.  My sister, being 7 years younger than me, was still at home when I moved out, so what became of the games is a mystery to me.  I'm always envious when others talk about their family heirlooms, pictures, etc., that they treasure, and I don't even have much in the way of pictures.  But I do have my memories, and no one can take them away from me.