Barbie, blah, blah, blah . . .

 

One of my favorite toys when I was a child was my Barbie doll.  I didn't have a lot of toys when I was a child, and only a couple dolls, but my Barbie was the one I got the most joy from and one that I had for a very long time.

I purchased my own Barbie doll for myself when I was about six years old. I had a job at that time. It was for cleaning the telephone booths in the small community in which we lived.  Most people didn't have telephones in their homes so there were about six telephone booths peppered amongst the houses and streets.  The job had been a boy across the road's, but when they got posted (a military term) to a new place the job was up for grabs and my mother grabbed it for me. 

It involved me travelling around to these six telephone booths every week with a bucket of water, etc. and cleaning them.  Scrubbing the floor, cleaning the glass, wiping off the telephone.  I wonder now at how I did it actually, but I did.  I got $1 a week, which was a veritable fortune for a six year old.

I was able to save enough to buy my own bicycle ( complete with bell and basket) and my first and only ever  Barbie Doll.

 

Barbie was all the rage at that time.  My father took us into Winnipeg, to the Polo Park Shopping Mall and I bought myself the only Barbie I could find, with a black bubble hair do and the outfit you see above. It was sparkly and gold and like a crow I was drawn to it.  I had wanted a fancier hairdo on my doll, but beggars can't be choosers and the black bubble do was all that they had at the time.

In time I had many more clothes for her. My mother knit some and purchased a set for me from a woman who made them, and eventually I even was able to buy myself a Barbie case to hold everything in. 

 

It was black and shiny vinyl and opened up into two sections with drawers at the bottom of each. Oh how I loved to have a Midge and a Skipper doll as well, and fuzzy headed Ken  . . .  but my Barbie made me very happy all on her own. In time my sister got one (with a blond pony tail) and my brother a full sized GI Joe (finally a boyfriend I could commandeer for Barbie and he came with a full sized jeep). 

We spent hours playing Barbie. For years. I was still playing with her when I was 11 years old, maybe even 12.  We didn't have a house for her, but we made houses for our dolls using books for the walls and whatever we could get our hands on, clipping out pictures of furniture from old catalogues to furnish the rooms. 

Imagination is a powerful thing. 

 

When my sister got her Barbie, she also got this Dutch costume with it. Oh how I coveted it. I had Barbie Doll envy . . .  what with her doll having blonde hair in a pony tail no less, and then little plastic wooden shoes, not to mention that hat. 

 

I so wanted this and sometimes she would let me borrow it.  I also had a really keen heart for travel.  We had a geography set of volumes for our encyclopedia and practically wore them out devouring everything I could about all of the countries of the world, Holland being one of my favorites. I had and have always wanted to go there. I should have gone while I had the chance. 

Oddly enough my own girls were not that interested in Barbie.  My oldest daughter loved all her dolls to death.  They got a new doll every year for Christmas. Her dolls would always be falling to pieces by the end of the year they were so loved. My youngest daughter's dolls always looked like new.  I guess she didn't really play with them. I think mom (me) loved their dolls most of all. Truth be told I was probably buying them more for me than for them.  But they do say if you want to get someone a gift they will love, buy them something you would love to have yourself.

 

Do you remember the Barbie that came with all the wigs?  Talk about hair envy. I couldn't do anything to my Barbie's hair. It was too short. I really wanted one with the wigs.  Or better yet a Tressy with hair that grew. 

 

 

Now they have those Silkstone Barbie dolls for collectors and I am still filled with Barbie envy. What I wouldn't give for one of those, but really, there are many other more important things to spend money on than a trinket like that.  Dust collectors is really what they are. 

 

I also love Blythe dolls. Such pretty little girls.  Expensive as well, if you can get one.  I guess I just like dolls full stop.

I also love making dolls. Perhaps when I get my own place I can get back into making dolls again. I always really got a lot of pleasure from creating different cloth dolls.  First on the list, a sewing machine.  But I have other priorities to take care of first.

And before any of that, I need my own place.  I reckon I will have the virtue of Patience well and truly honed by then!

 

 

I started a new book yesterday and I almost can't put it down.  Normally I read all my books on my kindle. This is a real paper book and I was reading it in bed last night.  Its excellent.  I wish I could write like this woman can.  I have a million stories in my head, but I lack finesse in putting them down to paper. 

I also got quite a bit done on my father's blanket.  He wants me to make a pouch on the underside so that he can pop his feet into it, so they can really keep warm.  I used to make Quillow's a long time ago. I made one for my mother. I wonder what happened to that. They were lap quilts that folded up into pillows.  

I have made so many things through the years and don't really have any of them myself.  A lot were given as gifts to others.  I am changing that now as I make these few things for myself. The tea towels, dishcloths, etc.  I have a few other things I want to make as well.  All in due time.  All in due time.

I can only store so much in my room. All in due time. 

 

As much as I would like a dog again, I will probably have a cat because I can't really walk a dog very far with my arthritis.  I might not even have a cat.  Animals can be expensive to keep.  That's always something a person needs to keep in mind.  We will just have to wait and see. First the house/flat/apartment.  I am always putting the cart in front of the horse.  Having a pet would be great company however and give me someone to talk to. What will be will be.

And I am really just prattling on this morning.  This afternoon my sister and I are going to Jane's again to paint, so that is something to look forward to, and will give me more to talk about. 

Oh, one final thing, my friend Tatiana needs your prayers.  She is having a hysterectomy and there is a possibility she may have cancer.  Please keep her in your prayers.  I am praying she doesn't have cancer and that she recovers well from the operation, and that if she does have the dreaded "C" that it is caught in time and can be properly dealt with. Thank you so much.  Also her mother is not doing well.  She had a heart attack a while back. Prayers there would also be appreciated.

A thought to carry with you  . . . 

° * 。 • ˚ ˚ ˛ ˚ ˛ •
•。★★ 。* 。
° 。 ° ˛˚˛ * _Π_____*。*˚
˚ ˛ •˛•˚ */______/~＼。˚ ˚ ˛
˚ ˛ •˛• ˚ ｜ 田田 ｜門 ★

 *.˛.We're all going through life

for the first time.•。★★ 。* 。

 

Nothing new today in the kitchen, but I am sharing an oldie but a goodie.  Cinnamon Roll Toast.  This is so tasty and yet such a simple thing to make.  It tastes just like a cinnamon roll but without any of the faffing about. Low in sugar, and if you are gluten intolerant, you can make it with gluten free bread.  Deliciously simple. Nothing could be easier.

Have a great Wednesday no matter what you get up to and don't forget!  

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And I do too.