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The two photographs you see above are of me when I was a little lad.

Both of these photos were taken during the Christmas holidays in the 1950's. And back in the '50s we didn't have the technology we have today, so there were no such thing as Nintendo games, Tablets, Kindles, iPods, or ANYTHING that had to do with a computer. If we got toys for Christmas that had moving mechanisms, it usually required 2-4 batteries or something that required you to manually wind it up.

Back then toys were simpler.

But I'll tell you, they were fun all the same!

Today I would like to share some of the toys I got for Christmas when I was a kid; toys that were popular back then.

So allow me to take you on an imaginary sleigh ride back to the 1950's, when we still put out a dish of cookies and a glass of milk for Santa.

Ho-Ho-Ho...


Not only did I love the feel of Play-Doh (the soft, squishy texture), but I also loved the smell and taste.

Yes, you heard me right...taste. I used to love taking my teeth and biting into a handful of Play-Doh and then relishing that fabulous salty aftertaste.

*I can hear you all laughing at me*

Oh come on! Tell me you didn't do that too?!?

And speaking of teeth...


These were both funny and creepy. I would take the key and wind up them up, and then watch them hop and chatter all over the kitchen table.

And I never understood why my grandmother looked at them in horror.

Until I found out....she had false teeth.


Popeye the Sailor music box. When you turned the handle on the side of the box, it would play the song, "Popeye the Sailor Man." And as soon as it got to the end of the song, Popeye would suddenly POP out of the spinach can.


Gumby was a popular TV show when I was a kid. He had a best friend (Pokey) who he would horse around with.

You could bend and pose the figures anyway you wished. I used to bend Gumby in a compete leg-split on the floor and pretended that he was Nijinski (the famous Russian ballet dancer).


When I was younger, I was a HUGE hypochondriac; believing I had every disease known to man. And that I was gonna die any minute.

My parents finally got me a Doctor Kit so that I could simply give myself a prognosis, instead of taking me to the ER every week.


OMG...I LOVED this toy! It was a car wash in which you would hook the little plastic cars onto a battery-operated conveyor belt, that would slowly move the cars through each cycle of the wash.

That red tank you see on top of the car wash contained liquid soap, so when you pressed down on it, soap bubbles would dispense.

VERY cool toy! Especially for a child like me who was OCD about cleanliness. I had the cleanest toy cars in town.

And speaking of cars...


This was a battery-operated Playmobile car dashboard. The windshield wipers went back and forth; the horn honked; and all the gears moved. It also made the sound of a car engine. Another VERY cool toy!

Lastly, I give you a rather strange toy, but one that I was enthralled with..


The fun thing about this toy was that you could do all sorts of creative things with Wooly's face, by using metal filings that could be moved with a magnetic wand to create features like beards, mustaches, and eyebrows.

Perhaps it's because I knew one day that I would be a professional hairstylist, I subconsciously used this toy to practice my coiffuring skills.

And as you can tell from this next picture, I didn't do very well...


 Have a FUN filled Monday everyone!
X

64 comments:

  1. Oh Ron, what a happy post ... and those pictures of you are so cute. Loved all the toys that were around in your childhood days, all I got was hand knitted dolls, oh and the wooden things dad made, pencil cases and tiny workboxes. Mind you, there was a war on so nothing was quite the same for the kids. Our fun came later *wink*.

    'And that I was gonna die any minute'

    And you lived to tell the tale! Isn't it fun to look back and remember all our quirks?



    Hope you have a marv week. I guess you're getting busy at work.

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  2. Hey, Ron, thanks for all the fabulous memories! This post is an early Christmas present for me! I remember so many of these toys!

    Gumby was the best! And I loved the car wash and the doctor kit! I also loved GI Joe, Clue, and a game called Green Ghost!

    God, these toys put computer games to shame!

    And Wooly Ronnie is a real stocking stuffer! Thanks again, buddy, and have a great week!

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  3. Oh great toys. I remember having a nurse's kit and outfit, a post office, a grocer's shop, board games and of course the Christmas Doll. I think maybe kids now have too much technology they don't know how to make a game up out of nothing these days. You were a cutie when you were little Ron. x

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  4. Okay, okay--I admit I bit into play-doh a few times! But I didn't inhale...er..swallow....*ahem*


    O.M.G.....talk about some familiar toys from the memory banks. Though I don't recall actually 'owning' most of them, I do remember the Wooly Willie and Gumby. I woulda loved to own the playmobile--no such luck! Etch-a-sketch and Risk......and Slinkies. *laughing* I own two of those three now. No play-doh cuz of the flour component--but I DO have moon dough! No way would I sink my teeth into that! LOL
    Obviously I still play--fact is I'd get good use of the playmobile this morning since I'm not going anywhere in the un-ploughed snow covered streets.
    NOW I want a Gumby and Pokey!!!! :-D I'll add 'em to the Santa list!
    Have an awesome start to the week, sir!

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  5. Ron, I wish I'd lived next door to you and could come visit and play with your cool toys! I remember Play-doh, of course (no, I never tried to taste it, so thanks for telling me about the salty aftertaste!), and I remember the Wooly Willy, but the others are completely foreign to me.
    That car dash sounds way cool! Practice driving anywhere! Popeye and the talking teeth would have terrified me -- I still shake when I see clowns, and can only imagine your poor grandma's disgust with dentures that walked around on their own!
    I, too, was OCD about cleanliness -- probably because my mom trained in bacteriology! In fact, I can remember opening the back door for the dog to go out with my FOREARMS so I wouldn't get my hands dirty, ha!
    Thanks for a fun trip into the past!

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  6. Crossfire, Super Flight Deck, Scalextric, Stock Car Smash-up, Action Man, Etch-a-Sketch, Operation; these are just a few of the noisy, annoying and utterly fabuloso toys I remember from my noisy, annoying and, well....more annoying childhood.

    They don't they're born these days, etc etc etc......

    May a big butch Santa creep up behind you and empty his bulging sack this Christmas Ron.
    Enjoy the holiday season.

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  7. Oh Ron, this post was hysterical! That last picture of you as Wooly Ronnie is so funny. And you were such a cute little lad. What fun toys you had.

    "My parents finally got me a Doctor Kit so that I could simply give myself a prognosis, instead of taking me to the ER every week."



    LOL because when I was a child, I too was a hypochondriac. My mother told me later, when I got older, that she thought I would naturally go into nursing because I was overly concerned with taking care of everyone in my family wherever they got sick.


    And I have a secret to tell you. I admit to tasting Play-Doh myself! And you're right, that salty aftertaste is fabulous! And thank god it's non-toxic or we would dead by now!


    Thanks for sharing this fun post today. Loved it!


    Have a wonderful Monday, Wooly Ronnie x

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  8. Goooooood morning Valerie!

    HA! I found those two photos of me when I was a kid in a box of old family photographs. I smiled when I saw them because even though the were from the '50's, I can still recall exactly how I felt in those photos. Isn't that something?

    "all I got was hand knitted dolls, oh and the wooden things dad made, pencil cases and tiny workboxes. Mind you, there was a war on so nothing was quite the same for the kids. Our fun came later *wink*."

    Oh but....what FUN and simple toys they were. Back then, we had to use our IMAGINATIONS a lot because it required making something from something very simple.

    "And you lived to tell the tale! Isn't it fun to look back and remember all our quirks?"



    HAHAHAHAHA! Yup...I lived to tell the tale! And it's so funny because now I'm not at all a hypochondriac. In fact, I barely go to a doctor for anything.


    Yes, it's starting to get busy at work now. My hours will be picking up in the next three weeks, so I'll be taking blogging break soon.


    Much thanks for stopping by, dear lady. Have a LOVELY week!


    X

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  9. Hey there Robert!

    Oh you are so welcome, buddy, glad you enjoyed! I started to put this post together early last week; finding all the toy photos online. What FUN!

    " I also loved GI Joe, Clue, and a game called Green Ghost!"

    OMG yes!!!! CLUE! I freaking LOVED that game!!!!

    Colonel Mustard, in the library, with the candlestick!

    HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

    "God, these toys put computer games to shame!"



    AMEN! I agree! We had to use our IMAGINATIONS back then.


    Much thanks for stopping by, buddy. Have an EXCELLENT week!


    X

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  10. Good morning Pearl!

    " I remember having a nurse's kit and outfit, a post office, a grocer's shop, board games and of course the Christmas Doll."

    Oh what FUN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    " I think maybe kids now have too much technology they don't know how to make a game up out of nothing these days"



    Yes, I TOTALLY agree with you! Back then we had to use our IMAGINATIONS to create things out of nothing. Isn't it funny though, how back then, we thought that the toys we had were SO advanced, until we look at them now. So simple.


    Much thanks for stopping by, m'dear! Have a lovely week!

    X

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  11. Hiya Mel!

    "Okay, okay--I admit I bit into play-doh a few times! But I didn't inhale...er..swallow....*ahem*"

    Bwhahahahahhahaha! You know something? I had a FEELING you were going to say that! I knew it! I knew it! And isn't the taste Play-Doh faaaaaaaabulous?

    "and Slinkies. *laughing* I own two of those three now."


    You GO, Mel!!!!! I've seen them in plastic in the stores, but to me, a Slinkie should be metal.

    "I woulda loved to own the playmobile--no such luck!"

    OMG...it was the COOLEST toy! And I can still remember (so clearly) what it was like to sit in front of that dashboard and play with all the gadgets on the console, and what the motor sounded like!



    Thanks oodles for stopping by, dear lady! Have a MARVI Monday!


    X


    P.S. Be careful on that snow.


    (((((((( You ))))))))

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  12. Hiya Suzi!

    "Play-doh has always been my favorite...still is!"

    Isn't Play-Doh faaaaaaabulous???? And it's so great to see that it's still on the market and that kids are still interested in playing with it.

    "The chattering teeth remind me of my dad flicking his teeth in and out at my kids when they were little-oh, how they'd chuckle and proclaim they wanted to grow up and have fun teeth like Granddaddy; fortunately they kept their own."

    HAHAHHAHAAHA! OMG...that was PRICELESS! And it's funny you mentioned that because I was utterly fascinated when I was a kid with the 'sound' my grandmother's false teeth made - that 'clicking' noise. I always wondered how she did that?!?

    " However, when Daddy died my mother gathered about a huge bag of teeth he'd had made through the years. We laughed about all the jokes we could pull with those teeth...but we disposed of them."



    Aw....what a great memory...X


    Thanks so much for stopping by, my friend. Have a terrific Monday and week!

    X

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  13. Hey there Babs!

    " We didn't have Play-Doh. We had plasticine and I loved the smell of it!"

    I had to Google 'plasticine' to see what it was before leaving this comment, and YES....I remember that clay as well. And YES...the smell was faaaaaaaaaabulous.

    " All moveable toys were wind-up, with a big metal key. If you lost the key, you had to make do with a toy that didn't move any more."

    Yup...exactly!

    " I also remember the metal filing drawings. Such fun!"


    Isn't it something to look back and see just how simple the toys were back then, yet they were FUN!

    Much thanks for stopping by, my friend. Have a lovely week!

    X

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  14. Helloooooooooo Bijoux!

    "And you are so adorable in those slippers!"

    Thank you :) However those were actually roller skates, not slippers. Do you remember the cartoon, Rocky and Bullwinkle? Well, those were Rocky roller skates. They were made of plastic. Aren't they CUTE? I LOVED those skates!

    " That car wash is totally cool! And I think my brother had that dashboard toy. What fun!"

    For back then, those were VERY cool toys because they seemed so technically advanced. It was like...WOW!

    "Nope, I never tasted play dough. I actually thought it smelled TERRIBLE! Still do! It was one of those toys like finger paints that I discouraged my own kids from playing with! Hahahaha"



    OMG...thank god Play-Doh was non-toxic because I can't tell you how many times I would put that stuff into my mouth and bite down on it. Even today, whenever I smell it, I remember so clearly how it tasted.


    Much thanks for stopping by, my friend. Have a SUPER week!


    X


    P.S. Work is getting busier every week. In fact, I will be taking my annual blogging break soon because my hours will get CRAZY.

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  15. First off, I *still* leave cookies and milk out for Santa. And my kids are teenagers.


    Don't judge.


    Second, I love that car wash! I've never seen one before, but I'll bet I would have hours of fun with that thing. Err, I mean, would have HAD hours of fun with that thing. Because, of course, I wouldn't play with it today. No, sir. Not me.


    One of these days I'm going to stumble upon something really cool like that at the vintage store and it will be mine, all mine!

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  16. Hello there Debbie!

    "Ron, I wish I'd lived next door to you and could come visit and play with your cool toys!"

    Oh, wouldn't that have been FUN?????

    " I remember Play-doh, of course (no, I never tried to taste it, so thanks for telling me about the salty aftertaste!).."

    OMG...it has the BEST taste ever! And I don't know WHY I ever tried biting down on it when I was a kid, but for some reason, I put it in my mouth one day and thought, "This stuff is faaaaaaaaaabulous!" HA!

    " Popeye and the talking teeth would have terrified me -- I still shake when I see clowns.."

    You're right...the Popeye was kinda scary too. And like you, I can't stand clowns. They give me the CREEPS.

    "I, too, was OCD about cleanliness -- probably because my mom trained in bacteriology! In fact, I can remember opening the back door for the dog to go out with my FOREARMS so I wouldn't get my hands dirty, ha!"



    Bwhahhahahahaha! That was HILARIOUS! You sounded A LOT like me when I was a kid. I had a germ fear.


    Thanks so much for stopping by, dear lady! Have a MARVI Monday and week!


    X

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  17. Hey there Dale!

    "Etch-a-Sketch, Operation; these are just a few of the noisy, annoying and utterly fabuloso toys I remember from my noisy, annoying and, well....more annoying childhood,"

    OMG...I had an Etch-a-Sketch and the game Operation too! In fact, a few years ago, I think I posted something on those two games. LOVED them!!!

    "May a big butch Santa creep up behind you and empty his bulging sack this Christmas Ron."



    HA! Thank you!!!!!!!


    Have a SUPER week, buddy. And thanks for stopping by!


    X

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  18. Hola Denise!

    "I too was a hypochondriac. My mother told me later, when I got older, that she thought I would naturally go into nursing because I was overly concerned with taking care of everyone in my family wherever they got sick."

    Oh, how FUNNY!!!!!!!!!!!! You know, at one point I actually considered going into the medical profession. In fact, I took a certified course in becoming a Medical Assistant, but after I graduated and put in my internship, I decided that I didn't want to be around sick people all the time because I was afraid of catching something - HA! But I have to say, I enjoyed taking the course.

    " I admit to tasting Play-Doh myself! And you're right, that salty aftertaste is fabulous! And thank god it's non-toxic or we would dead by now!"



    HA! You GO, girl! I knew there had to me more people like me who liked the taste of Play-Doh! And thank god it's non-toxic, right?


    Much thanks for stopping, Denise. Have a fantabulous Monday and week!


    X,
    Wooly Ronnie

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  19. "First off, I *still* leave cookies and milk out for Santa. And my kids are teenagers.

    Don't judge."

    OMG...you STILL leave cookies and milk out for Santa?!?!?

    *clapping*

    You GO, boy! I think that's faaaaaaaaaaaabulous!!!!!!

    "Second, I love that car wash! I've never seen one before, but I'll bet I would have hours of fun with that thing."



    Oh Mark, it was soooooo much fun! As well as the car dashboard. I would LOVE to have one of those today, just to play with it again. And I know they must still be existence because I saw several photos online in which people were selling them on eBay!


    Thanks so much for stopping by, buddy. Have a most excellent week!


    X to you and Tara!


    P.S. It snowed here yesterday. And LOTS!

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  20. I know it did. I saw your Eagles-Lions game on TV. I don't think I've ever witnessed a snowier NFL game in my life. Wow! And all I could think was, "that lucky bastard, Ron." ;)

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  21. And I never understood why my grandmother looked at them in horror.

    Until I found out....she had false teeth.

    ROFLMAO

    Ron, you are too funny! I let out scream of laughter when I read that.

    And I need to find out where to get one of those car washes and dashboards because those are the coolest toys. Damn, I wish they had those when I was a kid.

    What a great post, Wooly dude!

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  22. And I never understood why my grandmother looked at them in horror.

    Until I found out....she had false teeth.

    ROFLMAO

    Ron, you are too funny! I let out scream of laughter when I read that.

    And I need to find out where to get one of those car washes and dashboards because those are the coolest toys. Damn, I wish they had those when I was a kid.

    Great post, Wooly dude!

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  23. OMG...Mark, and I went out in it for a couple of hours and took a TON of pictures. I may be posting some of them later this month.


    I was ONE happy camper yesterday!

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  24. Hiya Matt!

    Tee, hee! The grandmother I was referring to in this post was my father's mother.

    "And I need to find out where to get one of those car washes and dashboards because those are the coolest toys. Damn, I wish they had those when I was a kid."



    I spotted several photos online while I was searching for images for this post, and discovered that people still have those two toys and were selling them on eBay. So you still might be able to get them! Matt, they were SO MUCH fun!


    Much thanks for stopping by, buddy. Have a most excellent week!


    X

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  25. We had play doh too! I loved pushing it onto the colored comics & watching as you peeled it away & the pictures came with it! I didn't have any of these other toys since they seem to be mostly male-oriented, but I had "Operation" & I always loved getting books.

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  26. " I loved pushing it onto the colored comics & watching as you peeled it away & the pictures came with it!"

    Yes! Yes! Yes! I did that too!!!!!!!!!!!!! And you could also do that with Silly Putty!

    " but I had "Operation" & I always loved getting books."

    Wasn't Operation the BEST? And the hardest piece for me to remove was the "Writer's Cramp" because it was so thin.

    Thanks so much for stopping by, Benze! Have a great Monday and week!

    X

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  27. I actually had some of those toys as a kid! One of my favs was Gumby. I dont know what it was about that little guy but I would play with him all the time. Making him go in my dollhouse, take the passenger seat in barbies convertible and fight the little green army men. Whatever I was playing Gumby played with me.



    Love the last picture by the way absolutely hilarious! Happy Monday!

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  28. Ah yes - I STILL love Play-Doh. And I'm thankful I have so many nieces and nephews to play with Play-Doh so I don't look like a crazy person playing with Play-Doh alone!


    And who doesn't LOVE Gumby!!

    But, I don't recall any of these other toys, though!

    Thanks for the trip down memory lane.


    PS: Little Ron is CRAZY cute!

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  29. Wow. That really takes me back. Barbie and Ken dolls, Gumby and an Etch-a-Sketch. I loved Mad Libs and Wooly Willy. Love your Magnetic Personality and drunk Santa nose.


    I'm glad I grew up in a non-tech world. It cultivated my creativity. A day in my head was like a trip to Disneyland.

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  30. Hey there Shae!

    "One of my favs was Gumby. I dont know what it was about that little guy but I would play with him all the time. Making him go in my dollhouse, take the passenger seat in barbies convertible and fight the little green army men. Whatever I was playing Gumby played with me."

    HAHAHAHAHAHA! OMG...HILARIOUS!!!! And I bet Ken got very jealous when he saw Barbie in the car with GUMBY!!!!

    Wasn't Gumby fun? And it amazes me that they still sell Gumby and that the kids today actually play with him!

    Thanks so much for stopping by, girl. Have a fantabulous week!

    X

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  31. Hey Meleah!

    "Ah yes - I STILL love Play-Doh. And I'm thankful I have so many nieces and nephews to play with Play-Doh so I don't look like a crazy person playing with Play-Doh alone!"

    Do you know what's funny? There was a time when I actually bought myself some Play-Doh (as an adult) and played with it. I also have a coloring book and crayons that I STILL use (Cinderella). There is something very calming and therapeutic about coloring to me.

    "And who doesn't LOVE Gumby!!"



    Go....GUMBY!!!!!!


    Thanks so much for stopping by, girl. Have a most excellent week!


    X


    And guess what? I just googled the weather report for tomorrow and they said SNOW. You were absolutely right!

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  32. Hey there Lauren!!!!

    " Love your Magnetic Personality and drunk Santa nose."

    HAHAHAHAHAHA! Thank you! I think I look like W.C. Fields in that picture, at the peak of his drunkenness!!

    I actually had to Google "Mad Lips" because I had never heard of that game. And WOW....that sounds like a really fun game!

    "I'm glad I grew up in a non-tech world. It cultivated my creativity."

    Thank you. And I couldn't agree with you more.

    " A day in my head was like a trip to Disneyland."



    Love the way you said that!


    Always great to read your comments, Lauren. Thanks for stopping by and have a FAB week!


    X

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  33. YAY!! SNOW!!!! SNOW!!!! SNOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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  34. *two enthusiastic thumbs up*

    X

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  35. Ron, it's hilarious! I laughed heartily at this one. You did an awesome job with the Wooly Ronnie self portrait.


    The toys sure took me back in time. I remember all of them except the car dashboard. I don't think there was kid who didn't have Play-Doh. We called it silly putty. Go figure. Of course I had a Wooly Willy as well. I missed out on the other toys. I got little snap-together brick and Lincoln logs and a farm set and little cars...and trucks! Oh geez! Like I said, this sure takes me back. :)


    http://davidloliver.blogspot.com

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  36. Hellooooooooo David!

    Aw...thanks, buddy :) I had SO MUCH fun putting these photos together for this post. It was like taking a trip down memory lane!

    " I remember all of them except the car dashboard."

    It's funny because when I was Googling for images of the car dashboard, I didn't think I would find it because not many people remembered that one. But I was delightfully happy to see a few on the Internet. They were the COOLEST thing because it actually looked and worked like a real dashboard.

    "I got little snap-together brick and Lincoln logs."

    YUP! I remember those because I think one year I got Lincoln Logs for Christmas (or maybe it was my brother). And remember how they smelled too - almost like cider wood.

    Thanks a bunch for stopping by, buddy. Hope you had super Monday. Enjoy your week!

    X

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  37. dang. i remember some of those toys, but not from the 50s and yes i did sink my teeth into some play-doh. maybe that's how my soap addiction started. lol. it was salty and why did we want to put it in our mouth? hmmm?


    funny about your grandma and the teeth. made me laugh out loud. didn't it always scare YOU to see their teeth in a jar. my grandpa had false teeth, not my grandmother. well my grandma on my father's side did.


    fun post, ron.

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  38. you take that back, meleah. ;) i'm so going to drink. can't takeit.

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  39. Ron, this post is so funny! I read it at work this morning but didn't have to time to comment because I was so busy.

    "My parents finally got me a Doctor Kit so that I could simply give myself a prognosis, instead of taking me to the ER every week."



    HILARIOUS!


    I don't know many of these toys because I wasn't born in the 50's, but I do remember Play-Doh and the way it smells. I also remember Gumby. And those two car toys are fabuloso! I wish I had one of those car dashboards because they looked like so much fun! Those teeth look creepy, but I laughed at your comment about your grandmother.


    The picture of you as Wooly Ronnie is hysterical. That red nose is priceless!


    Fun post, Ron. You never fail to entertain!

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  40. The first time I was at my optometrist's office, I looked into the basket of kids' books and toys in the corner and actually yelled, "Oh my God, a Wooly Willy!"


    And sure, who HASN'T tasted play-doh?


    As for the Gumby and Pokey, I had them as a kid and also remember watching the show on TV. Do you remember Edie Murphy's version of Gumby? "I'm Gumby, dammit!" Then when I was in college I got a birthday gift from my brother. I read the card before I opened it (it was a Gumby) and he'd written, "I'm sending you the little green man of your dreams. And no, it's not a sea-sick Richard Gere." I still laugh about that.

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  41. Hey Val!

    " and yes i did sink my teeth into some play-doh. maybe that's how my soap addiction started. lol. it was salty and why did we want to put it in our mouth? hmmm?"

    Bwhahahhahahaha! OMG, that's right! I totally forgot about your SOAP addiction!!!!! Glad to hear I wasn't the only one to sink my teeth into Play-Doh.

    " didn't it always scare YOU to see their teeth in a jar."



    Yes! It wasn't until I got older did I ever see false teeth in a jar. I think it was my mother's mother who had them. When I went into the bathroom I saw them soaking in some soapy liquid and freaked!


    Thanks so much for stopping by, girl. Have a fantabulous week!

    X

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  42. What a great post my friend!!!


    One of my all time favorites was the doo-dad that you could make army men with. It had metal plates that you would squeeze in a liquid that came in various colors from small plastic bottles. You'd then put it into an "oven" which as I think was powered by a light bulb. After a few minutes you'd take the plate out then un-mold your creation once it cooled a bit.


    I was a freak for board games too. A friend of mine and I would play them for hours and hours.


    So many memories this post brings up. Good ones too. Simpler times and simpler toys for sure, but boy could we create fun out of just about nothing couldn't we?

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  43. OMG...Wooly Willy! Shoot. I haven't seen that guy in years. I remember have a blast playing with that simple toy. Our Tyler plays with a doctor's kit and, or course, Play-Doh. Will most definitely have to introduce him to Gumby. It's shame that Stretch Armstrong isn't around anymore. That guy was something else! Man, I'm nostalging all over the place tonight. Many thanks for the post!!

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  44. Helloooooooooo Jeff!!!!!!!

    "was the doo-dad that you could make army men with. It had metal plates that you would squeeze in a liquid that came in various colors from small plastic bottles. You'd then put it into an "oven" which as I think was powered by a light bulb. After a few minutes you'd take the plate out then un-mold your creation once it cooled a bit."

    OMG...YES!!!!!! I DO remember those things!!! I think my older brother got one of those for Christmas one year. And remember loving how they smelled when they were baking - that plasticy smell. I also remember getting burned with them because those suckers got very hot. I also had a candy maker like that called, Incredible Edibles, in which you would make candy in an oven. Remember those???

    Board games...yes! Candyland, Mouse Trap, Clue, Marble Head!

    " Simpler times and simpler toys for sure, but boy could we create fun out of just about nothing couldn't we?"

    Amen...you said it!

    MUCH thanks for stopping by, buddy. Have a faaaaaaaabulous week!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    X

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  45. "OMG...Wooly Willy! Shoot. I haven't seen that guy in years. I remember have a blast playing with that simple toy."

    OMG....you remember Wooly Willy??!?! So many people have no idea what I'm talking about when I mention it. It was such a fun toy!

    "Our Tyler plays with a doctor's kit and, or course, Play-Doh. Will most definitely have to introduce him to Gumby."

    You GO, TYLER!!!!! I remember the Doctor Kit that I had having a little plastic bottle containing candy pills that you could administer to your sick patients - HA!

    "It's shame that Stretch Armstrong isn't around anymore. That guy was something else!"



    OMG...that's right, I forgot about Stretch. I had one of those too!


    Memories light the corners of my mind!


    Thanks so much for stopping by, buddy. Have a SUPER week!


    X to you, Karin, and Mr. Tyler!

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  46. I can TOTALLY relate to this post Ronnie!!! In my household, we had each and every one of those toys!! I can actually remember TASTING that Play-doh so you were not the only one (but I do have to admit, I laughed!!). Remember Etch a Sketch?? Slinky?? Easy Bake Oven?? All of those things...what FUN we had with such SIMPLE toys. I don't think today's kids have any idea what imagination even is...let alone use it!! Thanks for the trip down Memory Lane!! I think you and I are just about the same age!! xo Jeanne

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  47. First of all, your last picture CRACKED ME UP! Then.... wow wow wow did you bring back memories. I was born in 65. I wanted an easy bake oven more than anything in the whole world. My parents said it was too dangerous... they caused fires. Stupid fires... who cares if they caused fires! :) But as an adult, at Christmas, my dad had a mysterious package for me to open... you guessed it... an easy bake oven. I laughed and cried and baked every single thing in the box!

    You know the car picture you have up there? My brother didn't have the exact one, but it is pretty much the same thing AND WE STILL HAVE IT AND IT WORKS!

    He also had that metal football game where you turn it on (LOUD!) and the guys vibrate all over the field.

    Oh... and play-doh? It tastes different. VERY different from what it used to taste like. I'm just sayin.

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  48. Hey there Jeanne!

    " I can actually remember TASTING that Play-doh so you were not the only one (but I do have to admit, I laughed!!)."

    HAHAHAHAHA! Oh, didn't you just LOVE the taste??? To this day, whenever I see a container of Play-Doh, I clearly remember the taste. YUMMY!

    "Easy Bake Oven"

    OMG, I wanted one of those SO BAD when I was a kid. However, back then BOYS didn't get GIRL'S toys. But I think it's funny because so MANY chiefs are MEN!

    "All of those things...what FUN we had with such SIMPLE toys. I don't think today's kids have any idea what imagination even is...let alone use it!!"

    You said it! I think it's wonderful that the kids today can use technology at such a young age, but I also think it's distanced them from tapping into their imaginations. Also, from socializing.

    Much thanks for stopping by, dear lady. Have a fantabulous week! And I hope all is well with your oral surgery.

    X to you and the girlz!

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  49. MOUSE TRAP!!! That friggin thing! I remember paying that one time and trying to get it to do all of it gyrations and trap the mouse. Damn thing would fail half way through every time. I got so pissed off I ended up picking it up and flinging it across the room.



    I also remember laughing like loons after my tantrum!!!


    Good times... good times

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  50. Helloooooooooooo Katherine!

    HA! I suddenly got the idea for that last photo just before I posted this last night. I made it over at PicMonkey!

    "But as an adult, at Christmas, my dad had a mysterious package for me to open... you guessed it... an easy bake oven. I laughed and cried and baked every single thing in the box!"

    OMG...that is sooooooo WONDERFUL! I totally smiled when I read that! And you know what? I wanted an Easy Bake Oven too, but back then, only girls got them. However, it's funny that most of your BIG TIME chiefs are MEN.

    "My brother didn't have the exact one, but it is pretty much the same thing AND WE STILL HAVE IT AND IT WORKS!"

    Holy cow...you mean you STILL HAVE IT AND IT WORKS??? That's amazing! I bet you could sell it on eBay for BIG bucks!

    "Oh... and play-doh? It tastes different. VERY different from what it used to taste like. I'm just sayin."



    Oh bummer, you're kidding? Well, I'm glad I tasted back when I was a kid because it was the ORIGINAL!


    Much thanks for stopping by, girl. Have a SUPER week!


    X

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  51. " Damn thing would fail half way through every time. I got so pissed off I ended up picking it up and flinging it across the room."


    Bwhahahahhahahaha! OMG...that was so freaking funny because it sounds EXACTLY like something I would have done!!


    But you're right, sometimes that trap would get STUCK somewhere in the middle - the son of a bitch! HA!


    Thanks for stopping back and sharing that story, buddy. HILARIOUS!

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  52. What a trip down memory lane. I remember Play-doh and they have something similar around today. I just use to love squishing it between my fingers, what fun. And the chattering teeth were really funny, something you could wind up all day long. Oh yes, the doctors bag. It also use to have a doctor/nurse's outfit too, allowing you to dress up and pretend you knew what you was doing. What fun it all was.

    Times have changed mate. Back in the day you were forced to be creative with any toy but nowadays you just sit back and look at a computer screen pressing a few buttons.

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  53. Hey there Rum Punch!

    " I just use to love squishing it between my fingers, what fun."

    HA! Me too! And the cool thing about Play-Doh is that you could make things (like an animal or a person) and then wait for them to harden; creating your very own sculpture!

    "Times have changed mate. Back in the day you were forced to be creative with any toy but nowadays you just sit back and look at a computer screen pressing a few buttons."

    You said it! I think it's great that kids know how to use a computer (even at such a young age), but as you shared, back in day we were forced to be creative with ANY toy. I had a woman at work tell me that her little boy (at 4 years old) already knew how to use the touch screen on her iPad. AMAZING!

    Thanks so much for stopping by! Have a super week!

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  54. Oh my goodness! I totally remember Wooly Willie! I loved that toy! Had a gumby, pokey, play dough and doctor kit too. Thanks for the sleigh ride down memory lane! We really try and balance Peanut's high and low tech toys so she can experience the same type of fun.

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  55. Hello there Lisa!

    " Had a gumby, pokey, play dough and doctor kit too."

    Weren't some of the toys back then simple, but FUN?

    "We really try and balance Peanut's high and low tech toys so she can experience the same type of fun."



    Oh, that is so great to hear! I think it's wonderful that many kids today know how to work a computer at such a young age, but I also think it's important to tap into their imaginations too. Peanut seems to have the PERFECT balance!


    Thanks so much for stopping by, my friend. Enjoy your week!

    X

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  56. Oh, what a hoot this was to read Ron and what a cutie you are in those PJ's, just adorable!
    The toys I remember most and loved are:
    Barbie (of course), her pal Midge, the Easy Bake Oven (see where that led to!), Jack in the Box, Mr. Potato Head and that big "critter" we would put together, I think it was called Cootie! ;<)
    I do remember some on your list too but probably some were only in the US. Wooly Ronnie is definitely an improvement on the original!!!
    When are those snow pics coming? I'm waiting to see PA with a magical dusting of the white stuff.
    Happy Mid Week, G

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  57. Helloooooo Geraldine!

    Thank you :) I had so much putting this post together because it was like blast from the past. I can remember these toys as if it were yesterday!

    "Mr. Potato Head "

    I LOVED Mr. Potato Head! In fact, several years ago I shared a post about him. Back then, you used an actual potato for the head because they didn't have the plastic heads yet.

    "When are those snow pics coming? I'm waiting to see PA with a magical dusting of the white stuff."

    Funny you mentioned that because I'm getting a post together to share some of the photos I took of the HUGE snowfall we got earlier this week. I may post it Friday or next Monday.

    Much thanks for stopping by, my friend. Happy Mid Week!
    X

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  58. Hey Ron, I'm back again. Just wanted to tell you I have one of those bloggy awards for you over at my place! I've so enjoyed reading your posts and am happy to have *found* you through Suzie. Take care!

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  59. Hey there Lisa!

    Aw, thank you :)

    " I've so enjoyed reading your posts and am happy to have *found* you through Suzie."

    Ditto, my friend! I will stop by your blog before I head off to work today.

    X

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  60. Ahhahahahaha! You are so entertaining! Thank you so much!
    You had some great toys! I hadn't seen the toy car wash, or that dashboard that looked so real!

    How did Wooly Ronnie get such a red nose? LOL.

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  61. Oh how funny!!! Wooly Ronnie!! LOL! LOL!

    I remember a few of these toys. The Doctors kit was especially fun unless you had mean brothers that like whacking you with the knee reflex hammer!

    Brings back such good memories! I know you are still playing, even if you are not the cute little lad in the photos, and that is a wonderful spirit of Christmas. :-)

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  62. Hey there Angelia!

    Tee, hee! Aren't I a silly Wooly Ronnie?

    "The Doctors kit was especially fun unless you had mean brothers that like whacking you with the knee reflex hammer!"

    HAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Yes! I remember my brother and I doing that to each other!

    "I know you are still playing, even if you are not the cute little lad in the photos, and that is a wonderful spirit of Christmas. :-)"

    It SURE is! Even at 58, I still enjoy taking out my coloring book and crayons and playing :)

    Much thanks for stopping by, Angelia! Hope you're having a FABU week!

    X

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