starlight_7

The Countryside

“Isn’t this beautiful?” he enthused. “Look at the play of light and shadow through the eucalypts.”

She looked about doubtfully as she swatted another mosquito. “Is it much further?” she asked.

He wasn’t listening.  Once we’re there she’ll love it. This is much better than the city….

“SNAKE!!” she screeched.

Childhood - 3

As usual Dad stayed under the shower too long.  Soon the circuit breaker would ‘click’ as the water unit overheated.  It clicked.  We stood outside the bathroom grinning.  The shriek came as piping hot water suddenly turned frigid.  Giggling, we scattered.  Not surprisingly, Dad didn’t find it quite as funny.

Censorship - 1

The movie was advertised on TV with the usual overblown waffle.  Of course it starred the current male heart-throb and a glamorous looking actress.  In accordance with the current Australian censorship regulations it also came with a warning (which I’m sure we ALL appreciated).  Rated PG : Contains Course Language.

Freedom (aka Wishful Thinking)

It was cold, showery and windy.  It was also Monday morning.  The radio came on at 6am as usual.  The weather forecast was bad and the traffic report was worse.  I grinned as I switched off the radio and snuggled back under the covers.  I am going to enjoy retirement.

Childhood – Early Years

“It’s your new bicycle!” said Dad.  I gazed in wonder at the chain-driven three wheeler.  Painted red with its own boot, the crest decal on the shaft proclaimed it was a ‘Gresham Flyer’.  The delivery man smiled but I was much too shy to speak.  Overwhelmed, I burst into tears.

Time Travel

Puzzled, I gazed at my surroundings.  Everything looked so different.  How had I ended up in 14th century Switzerland holding a crossbow?  No matter.  It was growing dark and soon I would have to find shelter for the night.  Magic happens when you watch old ‘William Tell’ episodes on DVD.

Weekends

Weekends once rang with the sound of families; children playing, mothers chatting and harassed fathers pushing lawnmowers – if they weren’t planting, weeding or mending a fence or two.  Now gardening happens during the week from vehicles proudly emblazoned with the name of the local franchise.  Weekends are very quiet nowadays.

Childhood – Age 11

Black and white TV, riding my bike anywhere I liked as long as I was home by teatime, playing my father’s old 78rpm records, summer holidays at the beach, buying TV21 comics every week, piano lessons, meeting friends at the Squashbowl….and freezing Canberra winters.  Life was easy at age 11.

Childhood - Cats

They arrived one day – mum cat and her three kittens.  She was wild and wouldn’t be tamed.  One kitten was like her – in colouring and temperment.  Another was a classic tabby with white socks.  The third was a torbie – friendly and outgoing.  We adopted her.  Or did she adopt us?

Last week I changed this journal's theme.  I'm happy with the choice but that's partly because I didn't have enough time to look at all the options available.  I like blue so the decision was made easier by scanning mostly blue designs.  My hat goes off to all the artistic people on LJ who made these themes available.

Then yesterday I changed Starlight Dreams to Starlight 7's Dreams and Ponderings.  Meh.  I'm still not happy with it but I suppose it sounds better than Occasional Waffle or Boring Posts, either of which would be closer to the truth.  I don't seem to have got the knack to a) think of interesting stuff to write, and b) put something on LJ that doesn't bore me as well.  It's really tragic when even the poster is not pleased with what's written but there it is...sigh.

Lesley Anne Ivory ones to be precise.  I love her artwork and have some of her postcards, scrap images and tins.

My favourite cat of hers is the tortie and white female, 'Motley' and I've decieded to collecte some more of her stuff - specialising in images of her.  There's something about torties....

I hope eventually to get some of the china plates, mugs etc.  There's probably lots of stuff out there....which is why it is probably a good idea to stick to collecting pics or whatever, of just one of her cats.  That's Motley in the accompanying userpic BTW.

UPDATE - I've got the plate Motley in the Nasturtiums.  Utterly gorgeous!

If anyone out there would like to let me know what other Lesley Anne Ivory items feature Motley (by herself or with other cats) I'd really appreciate it.

I've been collecting TV21 comics (first series).

When I started I thought there would be no way I could get the first issues.  I was wrong - I've got them.

The trouble is I'm still missing two.  How frustrating!  If I'd known they were going to be so hard to get I'd have bid more on eBay when I did come across them the first time.  Oh well, you live and learn!

UPDATE : I found the missing issues!  Not on eBay though.  Now I've got one issue that needs replacing (it's a bit battered) and - even more difficult - there are two special extra editions from 1965 that I'd like to track down.

I'm on holidays at last!

So far I've spent too much money but at least it's all in cash.  It's just as well I don't have any credit cards.  I haven't finished my Christmas shopping either and time is running out!

Still - it's nice to be able to sleep in instead of getting up at the crack of dawn.  If I could only stop waking up at that time though I'd really feel in a holiday mood.

I can't sleep in for too long though - my cats start demanding their breakfast if I dawdle too much!

It's been on my list for years and I've finally bought a copy!  And what is it?

It's (drum roll)....

'Gazackstahagen' by the Keymen.

Recorded in 1959 so it's vinyl of course. (Go vinyl!)  Best of all, it wasn't expensive (thankfully).  I can hardly wait for it to arrive!

UPDATE  It's here - and I've probably driven the neighbours crazy playing it.  I was relieved to find the description of the record's condition was very accurate - it is in very good nick just as was promised.  How many times have you bought a record described as Mint or Near Mint only to find it waas no such thing?  It's very frustrating!

I'm still buying stuff, but am I the only one irritated by the time some sellers take to post the items out?

What's the protocol after weeks have elapsed - a gentle reminder, an annoyed e-mail, hello I'm still waiting...what?

I've no complaints if they warn me posting will be delayed but as I've even struck a few where they'd forgotten about my purchase completely.

Once upon a time I was happy with the treasured items I'd kept from my childhood.  Of course I had some regrets - about the things I'd lost or thrown out (or my mother threw out).  But by and large, for decades I managed to live with only what I'd acquired all those years ago.

Then I signed on to eBay.

Since then I've compiled a list - of those items I've bid on, the ones I've won, the things I'm still looking for...and so it goes on.  Every few weeks I seem to add a new category to 'Favourites' and my 'frivolous spending allowance' is ballooning out to a substantial amount.  There's always something new (or rather old) to look for.

Help! How do I get off this merry-go-round of collecting?