FORGET brambles – although if there had been a pound for everytime somebody's mentioned them to me over the last fortnight the guttering would be up on the shed – this household is now into macaroons and lashings of ginger beer.
It all started out when, in a bit of a red-headed grump, some boxes of old books were shifted out of the understairs cupboard.
The temper, brought on with seemingly never getting any help, was made worse when my back went. It's been really painful
and an appointment has been made with a "back man" which makes me feel like an old racehorse.
However, the one good thing to come out of the whole sorry incident, was the discovery – in one of the boxes – of all 21 of Enid Blyton's Famous Five stories. Normally, the Husband is cursed for never throwing anything out but, credit where it's due, these were worth keeping. As an aside, they were bought in 1970 for three-and-sixpence each, or 17½ pence.
Our daughter is already on number two, Five Go Adventuring Again, and is walking around in her own little world of stern uncles, ruined castles, hidden treasure and so-on. How refreshing in these days of High School Musical (HSM) to discover children who are just that: children. There are no romantic interests in Enid Blyton and the youngsters never worry about their appearance.
The thing that struck me the most (yes, lagging behind still on number one, Five on a Treasure Island), is the carefree feel running throughout.
Next time we go anywhere it's going to be, in true "Five" style, a picnic rather than a motorway service station.
Back in those days, they always found a meadow to "eat enormously" in. Normally I'd be the first to moan about people pulling-up and going in farmers' fields but you just know Julian, Dick, George ("Georgina by rights") and Anne wouldn't leave any litter or the gate open.
Other gems to be uncovered were my mother's collection of Diana Pullein-Thompson (Christina, Augusta, their ponies and Lucifer the spaniel and Shannan the wolfhound) and my series of Jackie adventures by Judith M Beresford, starting of course with Jackie Won a Pony.
They would have doubtless loved the pony racing that was held at Beverley Racecourse last weekend. You can just hear Jackie saying how she "simply must" get to ride on the real-life racecourse and the ensuing adventure as circumstances conspire against her. Heck, that sounds like a story. Once the back's right and that cupboard's tidied out …
See next Saturday's Yorkshire Post Magazine for the full story of the pony racing at Beverley.
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