Thursday, December 26, 2013

Boxing day edition


When I think of Boxing Days, I think of the time I spent playing at relatives with simple toys as the grown ups talked and watched tv. To be honest spending time playing with other adult littles playing like this or maybe with some sort of board game or activity is so much what I'd sooner be doing today with grown ups keeping an eye on me.

Christmas 2013

For me Christmas started with waking up rather early in anticipation following the previous nights chat and actually being sat with Mommy for a brief period in the front room still in uniform watching a church service!
Having woken up I got dressed and fixed some breakfast before the start of present exchanging that I'll return to shortly and the inevitable nya's from my cat who really, really doesn't like having his routines turned upside down by human festivities.
By around 11:30 my younger brother and partner had arrived shortly followed by my older brother and male he lives with so I get my outstanding card giving sorted having decided after lunch would be better to deal with presents.
We went to the local Gastropub, the one The head girl of Lower 6th and First Former met me within spitting distance of for a meal cos Mom didn't feel like catering for everyone, something I quite agree with as she deserves a break from that having pre-booked both table and meal options. I declined a starter, finished off a Turkey platter with  vegetables  plus cranberry sauce  and a delightful Lemon Bell sweet with cream. Service was excellent with the only real negative being the boring boy toy talk at the table.
Getting back to presents, I presented mine upon our return which for the males of species was kinda easy to arrange as much as prefer carefully selecting something for an individual as they're kind of boring and with my brothers had gotten together to buy Mommy a new tv for her bedroom as her old one was, well old, and needed an external digital tv box to enable it receive anything.
I'm delighted to say a couple of ikky boy things of the wrong size and gender aside, most of my gifts were little and even distinctly LG for once.

Mommy excelled herself  this year with this Hello Kitty  face cloth and hand towel set which will be ideal for Camp.
Also she bought me a new and very girlie  pair of pull on fur lined slippers and some cute socks.  By the way that bell's kinda old and loud!
She also bought me one of three specialty cds  I had -a Gold cd of Crosby Stills and Nash (1977 aka "Boat Album") - the others are by Hall and Oates and the Doobie Bros
Inside the pile of parcels were the 2014 Beano, Dandy and Jacqueline Wilson annuals  plus a special 75th anniversary Christmas Beano special with reprints from the past in it including some stories I recall first time around!
Hurrah for Minnie The Minx and the Bash Street Kids!

Did you know there is a place in the Wolverhampton area where you can get a Desperate Dan Pie that is massive?

My copy has a poster included.Also included was Diamond, a new hardback novel by Jacqueline Wilson continuing the Hetty Feather story. I like her books loads.
There were copious quantities of chocolates too.
I had a new torch that doesn't use old type bulbs (It has nine L.E.D. things) from my Younger brother that is a good deal brighter from my old one useful for Camp and other occasions.
A pair of the wrong socks can easily be turned around into a pair of socks suitable for a school girl soon enough - done this morning actually - so while I'd rather that kinda stuff didn't happen, there's no point obsessing over it as you can deal with and anyway not everyone is fortunate to receive presents at all. Talking of which I also did get some more 'regulation' lingerie.
I went to have my nap just before evening meal as I was starting to feel flatlined - an unfortunate side effect of being pawley and then had a Beef salad and a home made Trifle.
Here endeth  my Christmas report, typed fully uniformed and advise the next scheduled edition will be within the last day or two of December.



Thursday, December 19, 2013

Christmas entry

How many of us acted up as kids during Advent and at Christmas thinking "Well they can't do anything about it" especially with relatives present?
I can remember one year when at one party, my younger brother got it into his head he wanted to humiliate my folks and I got a spanking afterward for not being responsible in my mid teens and stopping it.

Wednesday, December 11, 2013

Golly gosh!

I've been a bit busy this week working on getting presents and cards for people as we build up to Christmas as I'm not really super organized at all in the way you hear of people who have this all wrapped up sometimes literally by October.
Me I'd sooner be indulged, fed rice pudding and play with my plushies before bathtime instead.
It's what becomes of being a little.

Wednesday, December 4, 2013

Authority challenged

“Right Jo” “Tell me who do you think is in authority right now?”  “You Miss”
“Who has the Final say around here, out with it, Missy?”     “You Miss”
“Good girl. Then I shall pull your knickers  right down and spank your bottom so you learn to respect MY rules in MY house you cheeky girl”     “Thank you Miss”  

My attitude toward authority isn't very good with generally speaking only my school ever managing to keep that in check, as I tend to think my wants can override yours even when it's that You are the authority.
Some of this probably does stem from how I feel various professionals disrespected me, failing to adequately consider how my disabilities do limit me, concentrating too much on my physical ones at the expense of the learning and developmental ones plus too many others allowing me to get away with making cheeky demands thinking such 'compensatory attitudes' for my real needs was the best thing.
In reality as my Junior Headmaster knew, I needed the same rules, the same boundary setting as any child including an exchange like the one the start followed by a spanking to get it to sink in for me.

Friday, November 29, 2013

I'd like to try school based roleplaying

For some of us age play can and does connect into other things such as school based role playing that also taps into areas such as being retaught lessons we missed growing up in school or by being 'reparented' at home with loving new parents who would guide us and also discipline us.
For me, dressing up in a traditional school uniform subject to the sort of rules prevalent between the 1950's to the very early 1980's having to face things such as the Cane and the Paddle for breaches of them would be the very 'ticket'.

Sunday, November 24, 2013

Advent 2013

As we're slowly getting toward Christmas and slowly being the operative word  having been without the internet for over 48 hours (rant) my mind drifts back to how we always used to count it down.

That's right the Advent Calender, and that's mine for this year, ready to be put up on living room wall and being with milk chocolate, also consumed!
Guessed you'd of thought it just had to feature that cat!!!

Friday, November 15, 2013

Traditional school role playing.


When I think about school and the idea of age playing it, that's to say you act like you're say a pupil at it, what goes through my mind is way in which those of us of a certain generation recall having our moments where we had infractions dealt with .
It wasn't for the most part an era where near enough every other week a new syndrome or condition appeared connected in some way to your being educated and even if like me you had a physical disability and were labelled as Educationally Sub-normal at one point, you still were expected to try to learn even in a school that may accept your disability as that.
I was disciplined at school like any other child and I knew others who were taken off their crutches or wheelchairs to be spanked like the rest of us because while having some restrictions on how far you may learn was accepted, the idea that you may in effect be excused from trying to learn wasn't.
The same applied to your behaviour say in the playground as syndrome X didn't mean you were told you can't really help it, you were expected to at least try to and be subject to the same strict rules as everyone else.
If I was to age play then, I'd need in school role playing situation the punishments of the time era we'd be set in and accept I was to get them like every other adult school boy or girl there including getting the cane.
It might be just the thing for me.

Monday, November 11, 2013

Style chart

(Click on to expand)
This great drawing by Guinevieve is a great attempt to defining by example the various styles of Gothic & Lolita fashion many follow that deserved sharing.
Also I cut and made some classic 'Bunty' paper dolls from the 60's with their dresses having been shown a website that had scans of them so I could print them off which was rather fun as my Nan used to buy me it. 

Friday, November 8, 2013

Set homework?

In accepting the premise of 'doing' school based age play, one area that's likely to figure in it is the setting of homework rather like the way back in the day our actual schools did.
This usually was done to encourage you to work hard under your own sense of discipline developing in you self-discipline which to be truthful I do lack and to which on completion you'd be marked on.
I think some sort of school role play that included it would be beneficial to me.

Wednesday, November 6, 2013

Sorting one's draws

Hi folks.
Seeing it's the start of that cold season, Winter, and I need to distract myself from some of the bad stuff I referenced last week in passing, I've been going through my draws (there's a British pun somewhere in there!) sorting through the condition of my stuff.
One discovery was some of my socks had holes starting to form at the heel and as they went back a few years where my prevalent mode of presenting was slightly different bordering more on Goth I thought it was time for a change.
I bought several pairs of these white school girl socks with bows on because they go more my with my uniform which is what I wear most of the time and the bows are really rather cute which I'm sure will look great when I'm in alg company which is where I'm increasingly headed.
Not quite 'regulation' but very pretty, I bought another pair of these thicker socks that'll work for less 'school' settings or with things like my skater skirts or possibly tailored shorts (I'm the kind of girl who feels 'girly' even when not in skirts being more tomboyish in actual childhood).
One other discover was my spare grey pair of slipper socks were showing some signs of wear at the heel and as my other oldish Hello Kitty pair had gone down well at GHS as well as helping me dropping straight down to age appropriate behaviour to the point I could drop my 'groan up' guard, I bought a couple of pairs of these. Anything that aids that has to be good for me in the longer term.
They are also easier to pack than slippers for things such as alg meet ups and camp.
Finally I found a grey ragged sweat shirt that was definitely ragged in the elbows, one I'd bought around 2004/5 when much of this ten and half year adventure as documented here was starting and was in two minds as to do a like minded replacement or not as I have another grey one in much better shape.
Following a conversation at GHS around my green skirt and my explanation on why I didn't bring that, the suggestion was that actually red would go with it, I decided to get another red one from my usual school sweatshirt supplier like the one I'm pictured in a few entries back.
No doubt quite a bit of this will feature at the upcoming GHS meet up where I'll be in attendance.

Saturday, November 2, 2013

Comics in our lives


If it was a Thursday, then that always meant something to me namely it was the day the British comic (it’s owners are Scottish so it certainly isn’t English!), the Beano came out which I read as did a good number of my schoolfriends and although I loved Minnie The Minx more, Dennis the Menace was always popular. Always in trouble. Always picking of arch softie Walter.
   In so many ways, they were like us cos we got in trouble at school and at home, like our comic heroes and heroines, we were spanked if not caned at school and like at the end of the strip, it was all over with too with things put right.
   That was our world and I wouldn’t swap it for anything cos we knew where we stood and grown ups always stepped in when needed.

Saturday, October 26, 2013

Ball girl

Being something like a Ball Girl was the kind of thing I always looked to be and indeed many of the girls I envied were in their own ways just that.

Thursday, October 24, 2013

Joanne's wood

Fall at least in my area is almost coming to an end with the leaves having changed colour dropping on to the wood like a vast carpet of vivid colour so I thought I'd share with you this week this picture of Wild Berries taken in my local woodland.
As well, the acorns are falling which is great news for Squirrels, but not so good if you get several underneath of your feet  which happened to me on Tuesday when I was out walking!
Before I forget, I'd like to say thanks for all five comments on last weeks blog entry the second largest as that went out to the little community exclusively and for the nice comments elsewhere for the photograph of me as that was a last minute touch!

Saturday, October 19, 2013

Caught out, Jo?

Our school was very much old school, a Victorian building with traditional wooden desks with an inkwell for your fountain pen as by the age of Nine we had to jolly well master not just joined up writing but using an ink pen for all lessons involving writing, taking responsibility to fill them up by ourselves.
There were implements for your teacher to correct you with although going to the Head Teacher for the Paddle or Cane was more regular but having something set out maybe having to stand with your hands on your head so all the other children knew you were gonna get punished was very common place to shame you in front of the class.

Saturday, October 12, 2013

Taking your turn

Let's say we did this school role playing thing, this would be a dead ringer for one very memorable part of my growing up (allegedly) in that era, having to wait outside of the Headmaster or Principals office for a paddling where one would be leaving in tears you were next and the one after having heard what happened before, isn't taking it so well.
Maybe it's her first time up for a Paddling and perhaps even mindful was she tries to explain to her parents just why sitting down seems so awkward today with the pain her bottom is having to live  with.
My own head teacher did this to a number of times but actually I loved him to pieces even naming the teddy bear I slept with after him cos he genuinely cared for you even part of that was having to correct your behaviour and he did heaps to help me in school, made sure bullies got proper punished and always made time to talk to us not as equals because he was an Adult Authority figure and I was a a child in his care but as a very caring man. I cried buckets full when he died.

Friday, October 11, 2013

Being your complete self

This upcoming week, I'll be off on an adventure and so need to get myself prepared for it in the next few days so I'll have a little less spare time for blogging and that although I'm looking forward to it.
Looking around the internet as you do, I saw this captioned image  - as you'll know I don't generally do captions - but in a way it gets to the heart of the matter. 
We'd all agree she's physically a grown up by appearance but what of the things she does, the things that make her happy? Sat here, I'm thinking she could easily of been like me in my late teens and twenties, looking sophisticated but wanting to play games, running around clutching her teddy.
And that's really the thing, this idea that everything you do once your chronological age gets past 14 if you're lucky something funny happens to how you're expected to behave, like everything is meant to purposeful, serious and unless you're a parent or grandparent and get the chance to relive your childhood with children you can't be seen do anything that's not.
You're a groan up!
Really it's so silly and actually detrimental to our own well-being emotionally (something that is increasingly being recognized by experts in the field)  that we need to say no to it.
Be responsible where it matters but don't jettison what makes you happy in the process.

Saturday, October 5, 2013

Ready and waiting for you, Miss

Sometimes the school girl role playing idea comes up at various places sometimes more a kind work of fiction story, sometimes a fantasy but I rather wonder what would really happen if you did go to one of the few 'Role Playing' schools for a weekend or so or what it might be like to live with person who'd treat me like that schoolgirl.
Such an approach may involve setting out a uniform for me to have to put on as they'd have authority over me like in thi picture complete with say a Hairbrush for spanking me with

Saturday, September 21, 2013

Girls take on girl


There's little denying it, anyone who has been through the education system knows about bullying either as the one subject to to it by peers or as one of that group.
Sometimes though it's not so clear cut as I can recall I was bullied in juniors and did bully to in upper juniors and high school going beyond name calling and spreading gossip but into physical acts.
Usually this resulted in me going to the headteacher for the slipper.
I don't think I did it for any really deeply personal reason other than wanting peer approval being seen as one of the gang and tough.

 

Treemendous trees

As we're entering the Fall, one thing I sure can remember doing is exploring woodlands, trying to climb and certainly hugging and feeling trees as with the smell of the woodland the whole thing was one great sensual experience. it as well however to have a thin raincoat at hand on days like today when it goes from hazy sun to showers quite suddenly that can soon catch you out otherwise. Some even come in a tiny bag so carrying one isn't a great hardship

Monday, September 16, 2013

Traditional Discipline Research Club

Calling cards are a wonderful thing...

Soto could so easily be me as what she so desires is what I want and need

Saturday, September 14, 2013

Round and round

Do you know officially this blog has now had over 36,060 page views since its conception and a average of over 1,500 views per month? Well that's what the statistics that Google provide to anyone using their platform inform me and that is pretty good given there's no 'cheap thrills' on this site.
As anyone who ventures out is aware it's very much the back to school season with stationery stores stocking such essentials as Compass sets, pencil cases, note books, as well as obviously pens and pencils.
I've gotten a new Green pleated school skirt and a matching netball skirt with the pleats at the side and rear as well as some rather cute Hello Kitty socks.
Pretty traditional rather like me and it is very similar to a blue one I have had for a few years now the story of which is told on one my 'Pre-blog' entries here which are just unabridged notes I made some being almost ten years ago with no added commentary that just talk of things that lead me into the community of littles. They are just the things that I'd of talked with you about before we all met each other and it's a shame we weren't in a position too.

Moving on a little topic wise, the subject of ones age as a little came up at Tumblr where it appeared the notion people having just single fixed age as a little appears to be doing the rounds.
Let me say from the outset, there is nothing at all wrong with having just a single little age say 10 years if this is the age you feel when you are in a little (or Middle) Headspace but this is by no means the only situation. For a good number of us, we do vary a little having a 'Upper age limit' which is as old as we can feel and a lower point we may regress further back to in certain situations, getting a little 'silly' at times. This is when you think about it, is little different to that of actual children who can go back a few years especially at periods of great stress. 
I would like anyone who does find their 'age' is fluid to understand this is quite normal and certainly doesn't make you less of a little.
Although I hover around the 10 to 12 bit most of the time I go go back to around 8 or 9 or even younger sometimes and my littlest little would really like to be dressed rather like this:
See I can admit to it, having an even younger side to the girl within  and does she surprise any of you?

Monday, September 9, 2013

Let's get this started

It may sound strange but there was a time when I did think about working in the hospitality sector either on reception or Maid cleaning with replenishing the complementary drinks, soaps and so on probably because it didn't require me to use things I struggled with so much and I like some autonomy.

Friday, September 6, 2013

The Queen of all resorts

As explained on last weeks entry that was published here's this weeks entry. 
I was going out for the day with over 100 people from our part of deepest Cheshire on two touring bus coaches. Fortunately for me Mommy came too which was nice as we both rather like this particular seaside resort which we got to using the M6 motorway very near us, changing at Lymm for the M56 Cheshire/Merseyside section passing Runcorn where we finally joined the double lane  each direction A55 through North Wales.
Having arrived in Llandudno coach park, we walked into town for a drink before meeting with friends for midday meal. I had plaice, garden peas and chips which is my want being a catgirl and they were really tasty, I can assure you. Neigh purrfect.  Llandudno is very flat, something that those of us with physical disabilities do appreciate as it's much less tiring as was being easier if you use walking aids or a wheelchair.
Mommy and I went around clothes shops, in drug stores looking at cosmetics and a gift shop where I got a Bunny in a lovely pink frilly dress.Eat ya heart out, Fudge!
It's an unfortunate fact of life that people get lost,  injured  or even die of our coastlines so we have a non for profit organization - the Royal National Lifeboat Institution - who operate craft such as this to help rescue people.
Being on the coast many trips are run during the Holiday Season one of which takes you all around the Coast at Llandudno which having been on it, gives you a very different feel than you would on land.

Many of the towns buildings date to the Victorian era where this seaside resort came very much into it's own aided by good rail links from the Midlands where we are as well as North west England. This picture shows you the beach which is sandy with children playing on it and yes I played on it too!
 
This boat jetty is frequently used by people who wish to walk on out into the sea. In the background toward the right you'll see the "Little Orme" and the small town of Craig-y-Don well illuminated on this bright late August afternoon.

"Judy!' screamed all the children and me as Mr Punch pictured on the left of the puppet show goes to attack her baby as she lives it to get Mr Punch's dinner that comprised of Sausages. Mr Punch gets his just deserts later on in the performance for assaulting Judy and PC Plod. It's enough to say he won't repeat the offence again.
We all loved the performance of this traditional and decisively non politically correct seaside children's entertainment.


Did you know you can go down a Rabbit Hole here? This town is very proud of it's links to Lewis Carroll of Alice in Wonderland fame.
Here's an overview of the famed pier with childrens rides and amusements featuring a Hello Kitty car but unfortunately I couldn't fit into it as it was too small.
We returned in the early evening climbing up the Halkyn Mountains, passing Preston Brook before coming off the motorway to our lovely town of Sandbach.

Monday, September 2, 2013

Fall term 2013

The start of a new month and that means Summer vacation is over so we're all due to get back to school.
 That of course meant in the last weeks people were looking at and fixing their uniforms and as  can recall you often had to take a sibling or family friend on their first trip to either school or maybe your school if they had had reached a transition age so rather like centre picture you'd of been escorting your sister to her school all shiny in her uniform while you were in yours.
Modern school uniforms do allow for more when it comes to PE and Games stuff than what I was brought up with such as a fairly plain tracksuit for some Fall/winter activities like that of the teen girl n the left.
A well fitting blazer can make all the difference to your regular day uniform although that whole look is more Senior, keeping you looking smart.

Sunday, August 25, 2013

Bam!

This bank holiday weekend, a friend of mine and a mutual friend who have a interest in school girl role play and writing short stories about it at a site are meet up and talk about it together which may lead to spending more time together.
One area we've talked about are the implements used  and being in 'period' uniforms which we could get disciplined in. In a very real way being spanked in uniform is a desire I have but less from a sexual fetish erotic angle but more a re-run of actual schooling in my real sense of gender.

Saturday, August 17, 2013

The needs of littles

I'll begin this entry by first of all thanking the current 18 followers of my Tumblr which isn't a replacement for my blog just a place where random posts that wouldn't of necessarily fitted in here go and a place where between us there's an exchange of ideas and points of view around being a little or perhaps more accurately for me , a middle where we're not bashing each other.
As one unfortunate side of  being me is I have migraines frequently, this is being typed in advance as I sense one come on and I'll polish it after being out of commission for a few days.
That takes me to the start of this piece which is that many littles, me included, need a sense of routine around our lives in order to feel secure emotionally being neither lost in world that might appear to be quite random or worrying be that the worry of not knowing what'll happen next or the worry of strange situations and people.
Actually most people do have set routines that they feel the need to complete usually around say eating routines such as getting up and having a round of toast and coffee not thanking you for changing it, but can deal with re-ordering events reasonably well which if you've ever been stuck in an airline terminal for hours you'll understand. It's just rather more intense for a good number of us. The world is out of control and we can't stand it! For me such things as colouring, school work, playing and so on all help to keep me calm.
Routine does almost invariable lead us into structure and while it's generally agreed most folks need some structure -changing the day structure around as people who work night shifts do creates issues - generally speaking for most adults they can create their own structures, for a number of us we're lost without one being in place, knowing such things as who is doing what, what are we exactly to do and who is in charge that for some of us is critical because we respond better for being in situations where effectively we're told we're now going to do this now rather than being relied upon to somehow read the unspoken signs.
It's hardly surprising therefore that for a number of us we miss greatly the structure of school to the point whereby we may role play it and that's indicative of  a need I feel.
Positive reinforcement comes in to as I suspect for a whole host of reasons: a number of  us have issues around self esteem, feeling less than confident in our abilities needing that  encouragement, that we're fine, what we're doing is okay turning out fine and as people we're good. Fortunately I get a lot of that in the workplace that helps when I'm battling with insecurities and can see if I was in relationship I'd need 'grooming' taking you back to that "That's a good girl stage".
To me these are among some of needs we have and are critical to be meet for our well-being  for me personally coming to terms with them has been a great help rather than just denying their existence.

Sunday, August 11, 2013

Post lesson rest in the common room

We're taking a break after the end of the school day reading our  favourite magazines in the upper school but we still have to wear school uniform.
There was a bit of kurfuffle at my school around this point as some wanted as they say it the right to wear home clothes after school and those who didn't.
Personally I preferred to wear uniform because we were at school and the staff were our parents in effect when it come to looking after and having everyday responsibility over us so them having us in it seemed reasonable and some kids at day school would wear their uniforms after school say when doing homework anyway.

Saturday, August 10, 2013

Disability

This post is for sweetiemissmimi, luna and those of us from different communities with disabilities.  
One of my favourite maxims is "everyone is different" and one way in which we are different is in our life circumstances.
It is unfortunate that there seems to be an increase in the prejudice subjected to people who have disabilities from many directions apart from the still lingering outmoded attitudes toward having disabilities in general.
Those of us who have physical disabilities may get around in a number of ways and may even be multimodual: we may 'walk' but slowly, holding onto objects, use walking aids such as crutches and walking frames or wheelchairs to get about.

The critical thing is our aids give us the means of getting around - usually by ourselves - we aren't confined or limited by them even if those who are not still persist in needlessly creating less accessible environments  .
The nature of some disabilities is that conditions do fluctuate so we may alternate modes which isn't a reason to start tut tutting or accusing us of being fakes just because we don't meet your idea of what being disabled is. After all not having the life what would a good number of you really know?
People who exhibit ME for instance may not look that they have a physical disability but ME is physically disabling making it very tiring to get about.
Because we have disabilities also  means we may need to adapt what we wear to avoid  for instance getting things stuck in the spokes of your wheels, so spare us your "You ain't doing it right", "You can't be a lolita" or more offensively "You can't be pretty, you're just a cripple" crap. Fashion has always had a practical side adapting to needs and shock horror disabled models for the fashion industry does exist showing their genuine beauty off.
Some of us work (employed or voluntary), some of us are studying up to and including degree levels, some may not be able to do either and all of us are trying to get on making the most of our lives living it in way more conductive to our needs.
Some of us have varying learning disabilities or what are broadly called  mental health needs and generally we'll let you know if it is we need you to step in or remind us about any medication we're on.
Talking specifically about me, my own take on it is I never ask to have my disabilities with the many limitations they do place on me but given they have, my alg lifestyle is more suited to me as I can cope much better when I'm in a more child like headspace as I struggle with much else.

Photo credit "myasianfashion.it"

Sunday, August 4, 2013

Uniform revision?

I have a skirt very much like this although at the moment I'm wearing a modern Junior version with a polo neck top and red jumper without a tie but I'm sure how long I may stay with that look and am thinking about something with blouses.
That takes me to this, a classic 11 plus look I recall from my own childhood complete with ties as junior and senior school children are expected to wear and fasten their own with only some combined infant/juniors having a common uniform across all ages from rising 5's to 11+.
At a site I've seen and been talking with people including two I know more around school days and especially discipline and I think something like this girls look may be it and perhaps while I often thought more in terms of thinks like hand spanking, the slipper, ruler and paddle how would I feel about caning coming back and what if I had to hold and present it the person who was to cane me?

Saturday, August 3, 2013

Saturday in the park

Stardate August 3rd 2013

Susie woke up this morning, yawning as she washed and got dressed ready for breakfast at 8AM for today was Saturday, a day when school was closed but nonetheless home tuition was on offer for she and her friend struggled with French in Form 1EB of St Mary's, a high school for girls in Nuneaton, in the English Midlands. Aunt Joan insisted upon it and as Joanne's parents, struggling to meet the Term Fees also were rather concerned with Jo's grades had kindly accepted Joan's offer to pay, at weekends she was to stay the night there.

This naturally meant Joanne was subject to Auntie Joan's very strict rules, far stricter than her own parents ever would be although secretly she longed for some clear boundaries. Like Susie she had to put on her full school uniform for Miss Winters, the French tutor, making sure everything was properly fastened and that her shoes were spotless.

After three hours of verbs, completion of sentences and reading aloud where Susie was warned that persistent giggling would be reported if she didn't stop that very minute, they tucked into Fish Fingers, peas and chips followed by Chocolate Moose being accompanied by Auntie.
Joanne asked if they go out for the afternoon to the park as it was a bright sunny day. "Yes certainly" said Auntie Joan "but you really must be back for Afternoon Tea" she added before going on to say "On no account are either of you to get involved with rough boys otherwise you'll have me to answer too".

They both got changed out of their uniforms for summery dresses with short white ankle socks and flat heeled shoes and took a couple of books out with them to read resting their backs against the bark of the trees whose foliage provided much needed shade that day.

Walking back at a quarter to four they were just on the path leading to The Lodge where Joanne saw Ice Cream van and started jumping up and down saying "Go on, let's have an Ice Cream each" but then realized she'd left her purse behind, not that there was much in it. Susie turned around and said "Look, I have some money on me  and I can always earn a bit more on my paper round to make it up". With that Susie bought Joanne and her a 99 each with two chocolate flakes and strawberry juice which thay ate skipping back to Auntie Joan's just in time for Cucumber sandwiches, scones and tea.

Monday, July 29, 2013

75 years of the Beano

More warm this week as I sit typing up this weeks entry in bits and pieces no doubt.
For a good number of us, our sense of being young is in part at least connected with our actual childhoods and the routines we had back then and for me at least it was the arrival of comics which in the case of this British one came out on a Thursday.
That's right, the Beano which first came out in 1938 apparently although during World War II, it was reduced to fortnightly to save paper which was in short supply.
This is  special kind of a magazine with a softbook binding issued July 24th featuring a background capsule on all the main cartoon strips the comic run and the first strips of each that for me included such favourites as Minnie The Minx, Lord Snooty, Biffo the Bear, Dennis with Gnasher and the school series the Bash Street Kids that was close in some ways to my first school with its' Victorian building. Dennis has only been regularly on the front page from September 1974 taking over from Biffo.
Included in it is four glassy art prints which just adds to the enjoyment of this special issue although I often get the new regular copies and there is a celebratory featured  special issue of the regular comic that I hate to say really doesn't work as part of the appeal is the constant old style art and traditional storylines carefully made just slightly in tune with our times for younger audiences.