Hello Storytelling Sunday time =) Are you sitting comfortably? Good then we will begin, over at Sian's From High In The Sky where she always gets things started on the first Sunday of the month. It's definitely a good time for a cup of coffee or tea and time to sit and have a good read.
As a little girl my favourite toys were my Selly (beloved cuddly soft plushy elephant that I took everywhere, who is the subject of the most vivid dream I can remember from my childhood and who tragically I lost on a cross channel ferry when I was, ahem, 13). That is a whole other story, but I no longer have her as a precious belonging.
I also loved my plastic pram and doll with her blanket and her teddy. My favourite above those and I am fortunate that Mum has kept for me is my Fisher Price teaching clock.
I am astounded you can still buy it here. I want to buy one now in case I have any grandaughters (or grandsons :))
You can see a pristine one here;
but mine is much more played with;
*I remember swinging it and can feel the weight and heft of it in my smaller hands and how far it hung down next to my much shorter legs.
*I adore the pictures on the side panel showing the moon and sun and how even though I knew every inch of the clock by memory I would still sometimes catch sight of that panel and sit and look at it properly.
*I am still transported to a very safe and happy place and time with a strong sense of my family by the beautiful, slightly melancholic, tinkly tune as it plays.
Here have a listen if you like, because maybe you had one too?
Thanks so much for reading my story. Have a great week.
Aah that's sad about Selly, the clock is lovely. I had a wind up something that played a similar tune, must be the fisher price music.
ReplyDeleteI have a teddy, called Robinson who I've had since my first Christmas at 3 months old. He's quite a lot flatter now after 36 years of laying on him, he sits on my bed with his pink knitted teddy pal Laurence who my Nan bought me at Torbay Hospital Summer fete when I was 14 & a tiny teddy (that keeps getting lost!) that George bought me for mothers day this year. I will always love Robinson like mad though!
Aah that's sad about Selly, the clock is lovely. I had a wind up something that played a similar tune, must be the fisher price music.
ReplyDeleteI have a teddy, called Robinson who I've had since my first Christmas at 3 months old. He's quite a lot flatter now after 36 years of laying on him, he sits on my bed with his pink knitted teddy pal Laurence who my Nan bought me at Torbay Hospital Summer fete when I was 14 & a tiny teddy (that keeps getting lost!) that George bought me for mothers day this year. I will always love Robinson like mad though!
Aah that's sad about Selly, the clock is lovely. I had a wind up something that played a similar tune, must be the fisher price music.
ReplyDeleteI have a teddy, called Robinson who I've had since my first Christmas at 3 months old. He's quite a lot flatter now after 36 years of laying on him, he sits on my bed with his pink knitted teddy pal Laurence who my Nan bought me at Torbay Hospital Summer fete when I was 14 & a tiny teddy (that keeps getting lost!) that George bought me for mothers day this year. I will always love Robinson like mad though!
Wow! I'm amazed you still have your clock - were your children allowed to play with it?
ReplyDeleteI have a china tea set that was my Mum's but it sits on a shelf because it's too precious for the clumsies that are my family:)
I vaguely remember a clock like this somewhere, but it didn't belong to me. I love that it still plays music. How wise of your mom to keep it for you :-)
ReplyDeleteI love that your clock looks like it has spent a happy, busy life and your beautifully crafted words about it. I could picture you walking around with it, that's for sure. My girls had one too, so thank you for the sound effects. Another trip down memory lane.
ReplyDeleteI think Selly deserves a blog post sometime. Lost on a ferry when you were 13... do tell all.
Aww Jen I think Beth needs a clock like yours. :o)Such a shame you lost Selly ... Anna had an Ollie owl that we lost in the park and Marilyn had to go and buy another one and scuff it about a bit to make it look loved. Sophia would be devasted if Hop Hop rabbit got lost ... he only comes out on rare occasions now she is 6 but he is always hidden in her trunkie on trips. She did take him to school for a while until she popped him in the wrong rucksack one day and a little boy took him him home not knowing he was carrying a stowaway. Oh my there was tears and tantrums that day! Hop Hop stays safely at home now. And you should have heard her the day she spotted him going round and round in the washing machine ... :o( I loved your story, Jen; thank you for sharing.
ReplyDeleteSue x
What a lovely thing it is. I love how when you look at it, it's the way it affected your senses that you can remember and conjure up so vividly. The feel, the sound, the pictures you loved to look at. It's just an all round completely delightful story!
ReplyDeleteI love the video you included Jenny - it brings back happy memories and the clock had a lovely rhythm, it could have sent me to sleep if I listened longer!
ReplyDeleteI remember these clocks - how lucky you are to still have yours. Very precious.
ReplyDeleteI remember these clocks - as the eldest almost all my toys were handed down so I've no idea where it went. Really liked the memories it brought to the surface for you, thank you for sharing - especially the video. Had to listen to check it played the same tune as the ones I remember :)
ReplyDeleteI remember this clock although I didn't have one my cousins did! Love the video you included :-)
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful treasure to have! I don't remember having one of those growing up, but I'm sure my dear hubby would like one now to go with his collectible toys!
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing this story - I had a clock like that too - this brought back sooooo many memories!!! <3 Hugs Sarah x x x
ReplyDeleteGosh I remember playing with a similar clock as a child.
ReplyDeletemany thanks for sharing x
Wow what memories this provokes of my children's childhood. I used to be able to hoodwink my daughter to go to bed early until she had her clock and learned to tell the time!
ReplyDeleteI remember a clock like that.....and I love how yours looks so truly played with!
ReplyDeleteOh we had a clock just like that. A lovely story - and such a shame about Selly - I would be heartbroken if I lost Panda - I have had him all my life, thank you for sharing - I love hown you captured all the feeling you had with the clock around when you were small. J x
ReplyDeleteI'd never seen one of those - the fact that they are still available attests to their appeals to kids (young and old). Thanks for letting us have a listen too.
ReplyDeleteI know collectors prefer things in perfect condition, but I must say your worn version is much more appealing to me. It would be interesting to hear the stories IT could tell and how much they compared and contrasted with your own.
ReplyDeleteHow wonderful that it still works! It,must be lovely to have something you can connect with so deeply ... A beautifully told story.
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