It's Friday, But it's Not Christmas

I'm just back from the shops. there wasn't a lot happening, nothing much to report (though I did notice M&S is now selling washi tape, along with bicycle paper clips. And punches). Oh, but I did get one smile. Just as I was hauling everything back to the car, a small boy ran past. he was loudly, proudly, perfectly wearing...a Santa suit. Total respect! A santa suit in March. Don't you wonder: did his Mum look at him fondly this morning and think: yes! what imagination! what a rule breaker! Or did she just strap him into the car, thanking her lucky laundry stars that he had something clean to put on? Because either works for me.

But that's completely off topic. I just thought I'd see if I could give you a smile. Today, what I wanted to ask you is is: what's the oldest thing you have made, which has been in continuous use since it was formed? This is mine:

It now sits on the desk of The (Not So) Small One, but I made it for my own pens when I was eight, or maybe nine. That would be..um, take a wild guess, use your imagination, many years ago. It's been filled with pens ever since.

The grey tub originally held indigestion tablets, I think, and was donated by my Mum who helped me cover it and cut shapes to fit around the outside. We went through the bag of felt scraps and then we twisted her hair from a lock left over from some doll making. The glue, it is clear, is nothing fancy. It's starting to seep through. I like it like that, now. It helps my pot to wear its age with pride. My sister made a pencil pot too and she gave it to her teacher, and for years after, even when we were quite grown up, we could see it in the window, every time we walked past our old school.

I picked that little pencil holder off my daughter's desk this morning, and it was still in my hand as I went to answer the door to the postman. He had brought me this:

Eight year old Sian would have enjoyed it. She would have looked to her little felt girl for a freshly sharpened pencil and then she would have flipped open her latest notebook and made a start. Probably what I'll do next, then.

So,  how about you? What have you got? How old is it? Are you the same "you" who made it? Maybe a little?

Oh, the book? So far, so fantastic. Bobette Buster is a screenwriter who has taught at Pixar and Disney, and it shows. I can highly recommend this, on the strength of the chapter I read at lunchtime. I bought it from The Do Book Co, on a whim and now I'm looking forward to my weekend so I can race through the rest.

Have a good one!