Tuesday, February 9, 2010

Childhood Revisited

The rush of remembrance that overtakes you when you first see some long forgotten object or person from your past has visited several times in the last couple of weeks. When my brothers were here, they cleaned out several attic closets. Old books, GI Joes and other keepsakes brought back plenty of wonderful memories, and a few embarrassing ones as well (like the bumble bee that I whacked my brother with, giving him a gash that required stitches).

They found my crib mobile too. I don't specifically remember it hanging over my bed; but the very familiarness of it makes me feel fuzzy inside. I'm not sure what I'm going to do with it in the long run; but for now, I am working on turning the characters into rubber stamps. Now there's a big surprise, huh?

Also found was my very first stuffed animal; one that I received on the day I was born. No, I don't remember that either; but I do remember him. He needs a bath and a new bow.

Can you tell I was born in the 70s? I didn't play with dolls, but I did all of the usual doll things with stuffed animals. The mini quilt was part of that play for a long time.


I was shopping for my almost 11yo's bday last night and came across Zotz. These were some of my favorite candies as a kid. I didn't know they still made them. Sour candies are pretty common place now, but I don't remember many (other than lemon drops) being available then. Mom would send me to the grocery store on my bike and I could stop at Basinger Drugs on the way home. They had what seemed like the biggest candy aisle on the planet. Zotz were almost always on the menu. It was fun to give them to unsuspecting friends because they foam in your mouth when you get to the center.

Your turn. What were some of your favorites from childhood?

7 comments:

  1. I can't believe you found Zotz -- the candy experience!

    When I was small, we lived two blocks from a corner grocery store that would take a person back to the turn of the 20th century. There was actually a candy counter, filled with glass jars; and the wooden floors were so old that they showed well-worn paths from years and years of customer traffic. My mom used to have me walk there to buy sliced ham, and I'd buy a few slices of "Chum Gum" and licorice for myself.

    Breaux's Grocery . . . yeah.

    ReplyDelete
  2. ZOTZ!!!! I loved that candy.

    We also were able to walk to two different penny candy stores when I was a kid. Decisions, decisions! Candy dots, candy necklaces, flying saucers filled with something (little colored balls!), licorice (one of my favorites), Now & Laters, and many other things. One thing I bet they don't sell anymore is candy cigarettes. We used to buy them and pretend to smoke.

    ReplyDelete
  3. When I think of my childhood, my thoughts always turn to the beach. I can hear the waves and seagulls, remember the wind in my hair, the sand that gets everywhere. Sleeping in our little 18' travel trailer, the smells, the damp, the bad hair...haha!

    Loved seeing your little bunny-guy - very cute. It makes me want to feature Penny-Jean and Jimmy-Joe on my blog. They are matching dolls my grandmother made for us oh-so-long ago. :-)

    ReplyDelete
  4. I've never even heard of Zots. It must be a regional thing. They do still make candy cigaretts, and the restaurant down the street from my home sells them. Candy when I was growing up was lemon heads, jaw breakers, candy cigarettes, which we also pretended to smoke, especially on cold mornings. Necco wafers, and the candy dots on a strip of paper. We ate flix when we went to the movies. I didn't like dots and boston baked beans. We have a mall store called Fuzziwigs that sells most of these "old" candies.
    Laffy taffy and sugar daddy and sugar babies. Wax lips...which came with fangs around halloween.

    Romana

    ReplyDelete
  5. I love ZOTS...A candy store in OKC still carries them at the Mall. I recognize the mobile too I think I had the same one.

    Cute Bunny!!

    GG

    ReplyDelete
  6. Fun memories, S! I did stuffed toys instead of dolls, too! I still have my very first bear - his name is Cubby.

    I have many memories of me trotting after my older sister walking to the store or to school. Too fun! :o)

    ReplyDelete
  7. Thank you for this site and all information abounds. I find it very interesting and I recommend it to everyone!
    All the best. friendly.
    voyance gratuite par email

    ReplyDelete

Your feedback means a lot!