Old Toys Are New Again!

Sharing Memories With Our Kids

When I watch my kids play video games full of speeding cars and blaring guitars, one thought races through my head:

My childhood toys were so much friendlier!

Luckily, I live and work in a gigantic retro toy chest here at The Attic, so I decided to try a little experiment: I pulled out a few gems from my not-so-distant past and passed them on to my kids to see their reactions.

First, I hoisted over a soft cuddly Teddy Ruxpin. You remember him. He was the first doll to cause mass hysteria during the holidays, as well-adjusted lawyers, HR managers and housewives duked it out over limited supplies. And who could blame them? He TALKED! And READ YOU STORIES! His eyes moved. His mouth moved. In short, he was the coolest stuffed animal in the universe. And he still is!

Next, I challenged them to the Rubik’s Cube. In 7th grade, I once impressed a very cute 9th grader (who wore checkered Jeff Spicoli VANS) with my stealth at “The Cube” as we rode the bus home one afternoon. Unfortunately, my giant orthodontic head gear spoke louder than my mathematical skills. Kids today are lucky. Dental procedures are much easier now. They have no idea what we went through!

And finally, I presented the kids with our Pinball Money Puzzle. Although a mini version of the greatest game ever invented, it still requires dexterity, patience, and perseverance–this time, to get the tiny metal balls in the right holes to unlock money placed inside.

Heck, back in the day we played pinball for glory! As usual, in my case I was trying to win the affection of a gallant lad. His name was Scott Hoffman and he had hair just like Andy Gibb’s.

I don’t mind telling you, I was something of a pinball shark in 1981! I could keep that ball in play for hours! Okay, 1 minute max, but I was pretty good. Alas, my head gear again reared its hideous head and Scott Hoffman never got to know the sophisticated 11 year old underneath that tangled mouth of metal.

As I passed around these blasts from the past, telling my kids pitiful teen angst tales, something incredible happened–their video games sat idle as they pushed Teddy Ruxpin’s buttons and rattled around the Rubik’s Cube! My daughter tried her hand at the mini pinball and showed she has Mom’s flair for the flippers! Then they asked what it was like before electricity, and if it hurt our feet to pedal our Stone Age cars to work.

I felt the glorious bond of motherhood.
They get that sarcasm from me, you know!

Home Sweet Home!

What Aunt Betty Learned On Vacation

Sorry the blog is a bit late today, but your Aunt Betty is still recovering after a fabulous week-long vacation in San Francisco last week! The whole family went and we hit all the landmarks: The Golden Gate Bridge, Fisherman’s Wharf, Chinatown­–we even ventured down to Santa Cruz (what a boardwalk!), Monterey and Carmel. No, we didn’t see Clint Eastwood, but we did see baby sea lions sunning on rocky cliffs with their roly-poly moms nestled close-by!

But like every great vacation, the West Coast adventure taught us just as much about “home” as it did about the city by the Bay.

No matter how many rolled-up balls of socks, Ziplocks full of shampoo and toothpaste, or cell phone chargers I carefully pack, there’s always that one thing I kick myself for forgetting! This time it was my Marilyn Monroe Glamour Purse! It’s the perfect size for my wallet, maps, digital camera, hand sanitizer and every other “mom” travel essential. Plus, its soft, sateen retro-style would’ve been oh-so-chic in San Francisco! Nostalgia is very cosmopolitan!

And speaking of nostalgia, healthy California cuisine is fine and dandy, but I’ll tell you–when it’s 2 a.m. in a hotel room and you can’t sleep, you dream of White Castle hamburgers! My son wore his White Castle t-shirt one afternoon, and thereafter, I couldn’t wait to get home to sink my teeth into 3 or 4 or 12 of those tiny slices of Heaven!

And speaking of snacking, getting the family together for an in-room movie over 2 mini bar packets of crackers was not exactly a cinematic event. We were exhausted after a day of hiking steep Frisco streets so we made due, but once we got home to Florida, I popped a fresh buttery batch of popcorn and filled our Disney Popcorn Bowl that includes a cute Mickey Mouse-shaped salt shaker.

I still have laundry to do and it’ll be weeks before our photos are emailed and printed, but all of that can wait. For now, I’m enjoying the best part of every vacation: relishing how much I love being home.

Count Your Coins!

Tax Day Is April 15th!


How’s it going with your income tax returns?
Have you reached the point of total insanity yet?


I managed to get mine finished online last week, but it took a lot of rearranging of errands, schedules and priorities to rifle through my oh-so-organized shoe boxes full of files and paperwork. Still, once I hit that “send my return to the IRS” button, I let out an enormous sigh of relief!


If our maddening modern-day system has you pining for days of old when two sheep bought you some gunpowder and a petticoat, travel back in time with our collection of vintage coin sets!


The Declaration of Independence Coin Set would make John Adams and Thomas Jefferson proud. Three bicentennial coins honoring America’s 200th birthday are presented alongside a beautifully crafted facsimile of the Declaration of Independence.


Still too modern for you?


How about the Ancient Coins Kit? It includes 5 unrestored coins minted from 1500 to over 2000 years ago. Buried for centuries, these pieces were coin of the realm during the last years of the Roman Empire and there’s not a W-2 in sight!


And who couldn’t use a little Sunken Treasure? In 1985, coins from a perished 1809 British trading ship meant for the East India Company were discovered, packed in wooden casks and trapped in the thick mud, still in mint condition! They feature the coat of arms of the East India Company on the front and the value in Indian script on the reverse!


I’m already planning for next year with my Lionel Railroad Crossing Bank. Oh sure, I’m pretending it’s for the kids to “teach them the value of money.” But it’s so much fun with its 2 red flashing signal lights and real whistle sounds, we’re keeping it in the family room to remind the whole family to save our pennies.


That way, when tax time rolls around next year and I’m tearing through my shoe boxes full of files, I’ll know I have enough saved-up to treat myself to a pedicure once the deed is done!


Good luck and hang in there!

Have An Indoor Picnic!

Keep Cozy With Vintage Coca-Cola

I know the expression says “April showers bring May flowers,” but could Mother Nature cool it with the rain already? Checking the national weather forecast for today, it looks like much of the country is going to be wet and soggy. Again.

Rainy day blues call for one surefire cure: an indoor picnic! Call off the fire department; there’s no propane involved here, just good old-fashioned skillets on the stove sizzling with juicy burgers and bakery buns toasting in the oven. For the kids, slather a pan with butter and melt them some grilled cheese sandwiches (crusts optional) just like mom used to make. Slice some pickles, red onion and tomato. Peel off slivers of tangy swiss and cheddar. Break off hunks of crisp, market-fresh salad fixings and rip open a bag of salty chips. Top it off with sweet fizzy Coca-Cola in every glass!

In our house, we break out the portable radio (actually, these days, my kids insist on their mp3 player plugged into speakers because they think “radio” is hilariously barbaric) and we whip out the party tunes. We take turns: the kids get some Hannah Montana and Arctic Monkeys and Mom gets The Beatles and at least one Cher song (usually “Half Breed.” I like to dance and horrify the kids).

Mr. Betty’s Attic wields the spatula wearing his Personalized Diner Apron. When he signals that the burgers and sandwiches are “up,” I put the finishing touch on the whole day: the vintage diner-style Coca-Cola luncheon set. I’ve got the plates, butter dish and salt and pepper shakers and let me tell you–there’s something about their nostalgic ‘50s drive-in design that makes a hamburger cooked indoors on a rainy day taste like sweet, sweet summer.

If you close your eyes, turn up the radio and take a big bite you can almost feel the sunshine on your hair.

And it sure beats video games all day.

Here's to sunny days right around the corner!!!