SILLY SATURDAY

We met Son No. 1 in Jack’s this morning and treated him to breakfast - it’s his birthday next Wednesday and we don’t know if we will see him then, so it was good to see him today - and we also met our other friends there, so a full table and we have a good time together.

When we had driven up, I had noticed the fluffy creatures in It’s Toy Time, a little toyshop in Newport Street, so decided to go back round there before we came home, to take a photograph.

However, when I got to the shop, there were a lot of reflections from the window, so I told Mr. HCB I would go in and speak to someone to ask if I could take a shot from inside.  Inside, we met James, the owner, and when I explained about Blip and told him the challenge for today was Silly Saturday, he was quite happy for me to take a photograph - so here are the fluffy toys and one of James too.  He told us that most of their sales were online, but they were doing well in this little shop too, which was good to hear.

He explained to us that the latest craze was called “Whirlerz” and Mr. HCB said that he had heard on television that some schools had banned them because they were disrupting classes - brought back memories of when we used to have little pocket Solitaire games when I was about 8 years old - not that I remember them being banned!  He showed us how it worked and Mr. HCB remarked that it was good to hear that children enjoyed playing with that rather then being glued to an iPad or electronic games, which of course, is quite true.

Whilst we were in there talking to James, several children came in to buy a Whirlerz, so James showed us how they worked - there was even one with flashing lights, which he said was very popular.  There were many different types of games and lots of affordable “pocket money” toys, which is obviously why the children go in there.

Then he showed us something called Engino Inventor - and brought out this dinosaur to show us,  which he said had all working parts.  What impressed me was the way he dealt with the children who came in, some on their own and some with parents.  He treated them with respect and kindness and obviously loved his job.  

We told him that although we no longer had young grandchildren, we had friends with small children, so we would be back - he told us we would be welcome at any time - so I’m sure I will be back!

“Play is often talked about
     as if it were a relief
          from serious learning,
               but for children, play IS
                    serious learning.
PLAY is really the work
     of childhood.”
Fred Rogers

P.S.  Thank you for all the kind comments about my flower collage yesterday - the odd one out was the top middle white flower - it wasn’t just a flower, but eventually there will be strawberries, we hope!