Does anyone reminisce about a favourite doll from the past?

[Keesha]

I remember Midge. I didn’t have her but my best friends family did and I spent most time after school there.

 

[Ruby Rose]

Oh, you suffered the same, did you. ROFL!

Yes, my mom would regularly line up babysitting work for me, too, unbeknownst to me, but I never felt that she was doing it to keep me busy or supplied with money or out of trouble, but rather, my mom was always so giving. She never liked to see anyone hard done by, and so if she knew someone was in need, Aunt Marg's name was cast out there to help save the day.

Double yes on being trained and wanted. I landed many-a babysitting job based on the fact I had experience caring for baby siblings. Mothers took comfort in that. In addition to, word of mouth played a big role in a lot of the babysitting work I got, too. Mrs. W, would talk to Mrs. K, and Mrs. K, would talk to Mrs. C, and before long found myself babysitting at all of the Mrs., homes.

Did lots and lots of evening babysitting throughout school. Would start around suppertime and sit until 9 or 10 pm (weekdays)... later on weekends. Summer holidays anything went... daytime, nighttime, weekends, whenever the phone rang.

I hear you...me too!

 

[Ruby Rose]

You are most welcome.
I definitely can’t relate. This isn’t a story I’ve ever heard about and when I was about 6 my parents bought me my first doll and I hated it.
There wasn’t a thing wrong with the doll. It even came with its an wooden crib. Actually, it was a beautiful doll.

Unfortunately it wasn’t something I felt I could connect with , yet I had plenty of stuffed animals that I did. So many that I’d line them up in my bed , under all the covers and sleep on the floor. lol

Was there a series of these books like Nancy Drew stories? What did you like most about the stories? What types of books do you read now?

I only ever had but one doll when I was young which was passed down and no stuffies at all. I started collecting unusual dolls in my 60s and wrote about them. Presently in my eighties, I have a dollhouse filled with miniatures on my kitchen counter which I fondly gaze at....acknowledging the well-known fact that the child is still within one. As for books, I loved the mysteries depicted in the Nancy Drew books in the day. Today, I lean towards historicals both fiction and non-fiction as well as autobiographies of interesting people such as Nellie Bly, etc., etc. There are many good books out there and I am a reader.

 

[Keesha]

I only ever had but one doll when I was young which was passed down and no stuffies at all. I started collecting unusual dolls in my 60s and wrote about them. Presently in my eighties, I have a dollhouse filled with miniatures on my kitchen counter which I fondly gaze at....acknowledging the well-known fact that the child is still within one. As for books, I loved the mysteries depicted in the Nancy Drew books in the day. Today, I lean towards historicals both fiction and non-fiction as well as autobiographies of interesting people such as Nellie Bly, etc., etc. There are many good books out there and I am a reader.

You write exceptionally well. Did you ever write professionally?

Only one doll? No stuffies? What?
I think I must have scooped the family’s stuffies cause I had a fair amount.

What an exciting hobby to start in your 60’s.
It’s clear from your writing that you have a true passion for them. A dollhouse? Ok now I’m a tad jealous. I’ve always loved doll houses and made one in my 20’s fit with grandfather clocks carved from wood, chairs, beds and little carpets. I LOVED that thing.

Nancy Drew were my favourite books to read as a kid. I collected them. Her mysteries and adventures were so much fun. It made rainy days more enjoyable for sure.

My husband is a real history buff. It’s his favourite category in the reading department and I’m often surprised by the amount of factual information he has learned just from reading.

People who read a lot seem very interesting.

 

[Ruth n Jersey]

I received a doll every Christmas and named them. The one in the Christmas photo I named Kathy and the older doll was Mary. I never forgot to include my older dolls in photos.
If you notice in the back of the photo is a toy wash tub and washboard.
How times have changed.
After I got my first dog my dolls were mostly forgotten. The second photo shows him drinking from a toy baby bottle.
I really think he enjoyed the attention.

 

[Aunt Marg]

I received a doll every Christmas and named them. The one in the Christmas photo I named Kathy and the older doll was Mary. I never forgot to include my older dolls in photos.
If you notice in the back of the photo is a toy wash tub and washboard.
How times have changed.
After I got my first dog my dolls were mostly forgotten. The second photo shows him drinking from a toy baby bottle.
I really think he enjoyed the attention.View attachment 173619View attachment 173620

What a wonderful snippet of history, Ruth!

The kind of stuff that warm and loving childhood memories are made of!

 

[Sassycakes]

Sassy, that's Saucy Walker. I had one too, but didn't play with her much. She was too big. A thousand,huh?

Loving man, your dad!

My Dad was the best Dad in the world. I asked my sister the name of the doll and she looked at the tag in the dress and she said it had written on it Sassy Susie.

 

[Keesha]

I received a doll every Christmas and named them. The one in the Christmas photo I named Kathy and the older doll was Mary. I never forgot to include my older dolls in photos.
If you notice in the back of the photo is a toy wash tub and washboard.
How times have changed.
After I got my first dog my dolls were mostly forgotten. The second photo shows him drinking from a toy baby bottle.
I really think he enjoyed the attention.View attachment 173619View attachment 173620

Well I’d pick the dog over the dolls any day.
You look like a very happy child Ruth. What a nice photo for some fine memorabilia

 

[jujube]

I remember one my sisters got a Poor Pitiful Pearl doll one Christmas. The doll came dressed in a shabby dress with a detachable tear on her cheek. You also got a pretty dress for her, too, so you could change her into, I guess, Prosperous Pretty Pearl........

 

[Aneeda72]

Aneeda, that was a "hope chest". In my case, it was "hoping for a chest"....LOL.

Yup, thanks, I guess my parents hoped I would get married young and leave quickly

 

[Ruby Rose]

I remember vividly the black stuffed kitten doll my Mom gave me when I was about 3. When I was 6 she slowly weaned me off holding it and sucking my thumb. I still think of "Boo-Boo Kitty" high in my closet, all in the dark and alone.

View attachment 173574

PS.. in 3 years it no longer had eyes and was a short hair with some "leaks".

Reminds me of my son's cat stuffie...all that was left was a skeleton of sorts from being loved. He had so many stuffed animals in bed with him at night that I am sure I kissed one goodnight in error thinking it was my son.

 

[Ruby Rose]

Oh, you suffered the same, did you. ROFL!

Yes, my mom would regularly line up babysitting work for me, too, unbeknownst to me, but I never felt that she was doing it to keep me busy or supplied with money or out of trouble, but rather, my mom was always so giving. She never liked to see anyone hard done by, and so if she knew someone was in need, Aunt Marg's name was cast out there to help save the day.

Double yes on being trained and wanted. I landed many-a babysitting job based on the fact I had experience caring for baby siblings. Mothers took comfort in that. In addition to, word of mouth played a big role in a lot of the babysitting work I got, too. Mrs. W, would talk to Mrs. K, and Mrs. K, would talk to Mrs. C, and before long found myself babysitting at all of the Mrs., homes.

Did lots and lots of evening babysitting throughout school. Would start around suppertime and sit until 9 or 10 pm (weekdays)... later on weekends. Summer holidays anything went... daytime, nighttime, weekends, whenever the phone rang.

Another thing that I took issue with at these babysitting jobs was that they usually left me a sink of dishes to do as well which sure wasn't fair as I surely did my share at home. There was one woman that left me a pile of ironing (I still hate ironing)...anyways to keep my story short, haha...I deliberately did a bad job of ironing.

 

[officerripley]

Yup, thanks, I guess my parents hoped I would get married young and leave quickly

Same here; the attitude was pretty much, "You kids want us to be proud of you? Get outa here and fend for yourselves. (And don't take too long about it either.)"

 

[Aunt Marg]

Another thing that I took issue with at these babysitting jobs was that they usually left me a sink of dishes to do as well which sure wasn't fair as I surely did my share at home. There was one woman that left me a pile of ironing (I still hate ironing)...anyways to keep my story short, haha...I deliberately did a bad job of ironing.

I used to babysit for a friend of my moms.

Linda, had super-long fingernails, meticulously maintained all the time, filed to perfection, painted impeccably, so I'll let you read between the lines as to where housework landed on her list of priorities/importance.

I washed dishes, ironed, washed and folded diapers, vacuumed, even prepared meals while there.

 

[Ruby Rose]

I used to babysit for a friend of my moms.

Linda, had super-long fingernails, meticulously maintained all the time, filed to perfection, painted impeccably, so I'll let you read between the lines as to where housework landed on her list of priorities/importance.

I washed dishes, ironed, washed and folded diapers, vacuumed, even prepared meals while there.

Not fair...what is wrong with people? I feel it would be a tad different today, at least for me, as I have developed quite a voice now over the years with my response, perhaps being, "No thank you please, it only makes me sneeze'.