Some Curious Objects

This toy was advertised on television in 1964. It  looked fantastic. Seven different guns in one. I wanted one.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uEABUFFivzY No amount of pleading with my parents led to acquiring a Johnny Seven. Then we found out that a boy up the road, Robert Cobley, had been given a Johnny Seven. For a couple of days his circle of friends expanded inexplicably. Being eventually allowed a small go with the Johnny Seven I concluded that it wasn't really that good after all. Nothing like as good as on the TV.

This originally goes back to my childhood. Christmas 1962:  my younger brother Charlie was given this as a present. To me, at the time, it seemed the best present ever. The fact that they had gave me the Chipperfield Circus jeep and trailer, with lions, from the same series,  cut no ice. The horse box was the best present imaginable, and Charlie had got it. This was proof that Charlie was my parents' favourite child. Years later, inspired by me continuing to go about  it,. Dawn brought me Chippendale Horse Box as a present. I was delighted. She even had to source one of the horses separately When I eventually relayed the whole story to Charlie - half a century after the event - he had absolutely no recollection of the Chippendale Horse Box at all.

These are very beautiful shells. When I was a child there was always one specific Tiger Cowrie shell on top of the piano. I remember being told that if you put it to your ear you could hear the sea. As a child this seemed like magic. These shells have always retained a fascination, both their intrinsic beauty and their association with my childhood