Childhood Memories Returned by a Friend

While we were clearing the house me and my mum found the box of Lego.
The box of Lego was actually the only toy we had to play with when we used to spend our obligatory fortnight here every summer. Although when I say we it seems like an instant that my sister grew up and I came alone. Most of the time the sun shone and we were always kept busy outside in the garden or on the allotment or we went for educational trips to the Isle of Wight and bracing sea swims at what we called Hordle Beach but I have since found out is probably Milford on Sea as no Hordle Beach exists. My Grandad believed in keeping active and occupied - to stop any mischief I suppose.

But sometimes it rained and then the Lego would come out. Lego has really changed. These days you buy a box of Lego and it only makes one thing - it seems more like airfix to me. Once you have made it you don't take it apart and build something else more interesting. Which really defeats the point of Lego. So this was the box we had to play with and it made a lighthouse and a car and probably some other things beside - although not all at the same time. If the lighthouse keeper needed a car he had to dismantle his house to build it. And what of the lighthouse keeper? In the 70s you didn't get the groovy Legomen you get now. My men were made from Grampa's Pipe cleaners - they had massive heads and bendy arms. I used to colour their clothes in with felt tip pen. When we rediscovered the box the men were all there - happily getting on with their pipe cleaner lives for 30 years.

In the clear out my friend Mike came over to photograph some furniture and he had his little boy with him who found the Lego and really loved it. My mum being the kindly grandmother she is said he could keep it. When I found out I was - well - I think I was a little bit heartbroken but Harry is a lovely boy and it couldn't have gone to a better home.

Last week Mike phoned me and said that Harry wanted to give the Lego back as he was worried about losing it and I was so happy. I'll have to find somewhere special for it. In the meantime Mike has taken some lovely pictures and you can see them here on Flickr.


So it's all coming home... hmmm no actually not ALL of it. Before my mum gave Harry the box she 'disposed' of the 'bits of bent pipe cleaner' in the bin. Gutted.

Things to admire in this set: definitely the transparent bricks. How beautiful they are.

Lego was always my favourite toy even when I moved onto more sophisticated sets - like my awesome oil rig with cranes and helicopter. I think I'll have a little play on the next rainy Sunday we get - maybe build a lighthouse on wheels. but first I need to find out where I can buy pip cleaners.

Thanks Mike!