Warm playing

 Well Agnes came over Wednesday night and into Thursday but while there was some damage further north such as a tree coming down at Greenbank near Hartford, Cheshire on the Crewe-Chester rail line, it was really a damp squid here with just a bit of a breeze.

Overall this month has been quite pleasant, not quite "Indian Summer" so you've been able to be out in short sleeves and bare legs gently exploring areas, losing sense of time as you become engaged in what is around you.

There are signs that Fall is due if you look closely in the woods and green spaces that thankfully we have around this area as built up as it is even though I saw Ladybirds this week about and his nutkins was spotted about.

On thing that did happen that wasn't expected was the stylus on my record deck met with a disaster where I went to pick the whole cartridge up to change as (you just screw in others) where somehow the plastic protective cap fell off and got caught in a soft towel that resulted in it becoming bent and probably chipped.

Thus the credit card had to come out to buy a replacement which wasn't cheap and then slot it on the cartridge to restore record playing of modern records in great shape while I has a another for older discs not least vintage singles.

Toy ad rules - some thoughts

One thing that's been in the news here are new regulations governing gender stereotyping in advertising be it in print, on tv or online which have brought many varied responses from people.
Most of us can agree some of of these stereotypes such as mom at home, dad at work or dad does things for himself, mom cooks and runs the house are out of date, do promote less co-operative ideas about how males and females can get on productively and so shouldn't be pushed to children still forming their own ideas.
There are still some situations though where certain scenes generally won't happen.

That whole necessary conversation between daughter and mom as they play would never be the same even if we had dad playing with dolls with her so should a ad like this from nineteen sixty-five be banned or totally degendered if someone came up with something similar?
Equally is there anything wrong in itself with an ad showing a boy engrossed repairing a bike with dad or an uncle where often there's more going on than fixing the bike, like fixing how to be the best boy and in time being the best adult male he can?
I'm totally for gender neutral play and fighting the tyranny of pink and blue but this kind of relating actual aids kids form relationships and make good connections with adults that help move them on in time toward maturity. 

The end of play?

One thing a good number of people in my neighbourhood have remarked upon is the quietness of the sidewalk during the local school half-term break this year with seldom a child been seen out of doors in the park, on the sidewalk nor the local stores on their own.
This is particularly noticeable around of the Senior School age group and a number of parents put it to me that there children preferred to play games and socialize online even when they only be a few blocks away to physically venturing out to perform some shared activity together.
I just can't help but wonder how this is likely to effect how as grown ups they will relate to one another in the work place and the wider community, never mind any effects on their health.

Playing in the woods

Winter usually is a time where I tend to go walking through the local woods quite a bit because I do enjoy being out of doors taking fresh air although though my social anxiety makes it hard at times to feel confident by myself.

Equally, with my physical disabilities not least cerebal palsy, I find walking about difficult even in flat shoes so I could never wear heels to walking never mind actually run around in although believe me I do so enjoy trying to hugging trees cos they they make me feel good and also it's part of game I've played since childhood starting in the school playground that had a big tree at the corner near a gate where played our games as they boys had the upper area.
That was the most fun I could have then and still love now.

A dolls party time

That I always loved dolls has never been in question even if some may of questioned it but to be honest this is all I'm wanting to do: To wear pretty dresses and play with dolls for hours with both us looking amazingly cute.
With everything that has happened I find it so therapeutic to be in a spot where all triggering things are gone, where the innocence that a child-minded me is at because of my brain damage loving and being loved for the life that is natural for me, free to be myself.
Matching outfits for me to go with the dolls would be icing on the cake!