Monday 13 June 2011

Magpie Monday - School Days

Driving past my old Middle School earlier in the week (we still have the three-tier schooling system here), imagine how I felt when I saw a hand-painted banner adorning the gates, proclaiming

Car Boot Sale
here Sunday - 10-1

Well, here was an opportunity to good to miss.  I haven't stepped foot in there since I was thirteen and I was quite looking forward to re-living my youth.  Yesterday morning however, it was chucking it down with rain, but I ventured out and was pleased to see they had moved the sale indoors.  Even better!  It was held in my old assembly hall.



As I walked in, everything was exactly the same - only smaller!  How odd that a building can seem to shrink.  The school hall, where I had spent every morning for four years, stood through mind-numbingly boring assemblies, singing 'Morning has broken' or 'To be a pilgrim', desperately wishing my parents would write in to say we were members of some obscure religious sect, therefore please may I be excused.  The stage and curtains remain unchanged, as do my memories of the excruciating play performances I had to endure, my knees knocking and my whole body trembling with fear.

On the whole, they were happy days, and as I walked round the handful of stalls, a guy smiled at me and said "Hello Elizabeth!".  Embarrassingly, although I recognised him as someone from my class, for the life of my I can't remember his name.  Still, it was ego-boosting to know I haven't changed that much in the past 25 years!

The "light refreshments" (I used the inverted commas advisedly) were served in the entrance and reception hall.  I couldn't pass up the opportunity to sit outside the Headmaster's office - for old times sake.  Only once was I sent there and was particularly terrified as caning was still in place then.  Although my Headmaster would have had to be particularly hard-line to cane me for what I was being punished for.  Myself and a group of friends were practicing our high-kicks in the playground (as you do), and I managed to fling my shoe off accidentally.  It landed on the science block roof and the caretaker had to get a ladder to retrieve it.  Hardly crime of the century - although I suspect if I'd gone home with only one of my new blue, flower cut-out Clark's sandals my mother would not have been too pleased.

Anyhow, back to the boot sale!  It was a pretty dire affair, with only half a dozen stalls.  Most of them were selling kid's stuff - toys, clothes and games, so I only managed to bag a few items for Ruby.

Given that her Thomas the Tank Engine obsession is showing no sign of abating any time soon, I bought her this dress-up set for £3.  It still had the labels in and she was very happy with it - as you can see.




From the same stall I spotted this 4-in-1 jigsaw set, still sealed in the box for £1.




Then a few more books to add to her collection for the bargain basement price of 5p each.




I also got her a Hello Kitty necklace and a pack of Tweenies snap card.  For the princely sum of £5 I was declared the best Mum in the world.  A bargain in anyone's book, surely.

So what bargains have you been bagging?  Have you been to a sale anywhere interesting?  I'd love you to grab the badge and link-up. x


Me and My Shadow
Grab my button
and link to my blog





26 comments:

  1. Aww how lovely :) What super bargains! Love the outfit :)

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  2. Poor you, Thomas the Tank engine and his creepy gang of engine friends give me the shudders! But Ruby looks very cute nonetheless.

    Do you still can-can? ;-)

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  3. Haha! well, I haven't tried in a while but I'm certain I could *cough*.

    Yep, Thomas is creepy and it alarms me that Ruby speaks in phrases more fitting of an elderly vicar!

    @missielizzieb

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  4. grt finds ruby looks well pleased with her outfit :)
    @missdaisy32 x

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  5. Oh Bless her...I bet she was so thrilled with all her Thomas stuff.
    It must have been great walking round your old school. I am friends on FB with most of my old class from infants & junior school as we all have very happy memories of each other but I haven't been near the school for 25 yrs...would love to have a nose around x

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  6. That was brave to revisit your old school. I don't think I could step foot in my old school, even if there was a car boot inside!

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  7. I really don't know if I could face going back to any of my old schools... But for some bargains like that, maybe ;)

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  8. It's the smell of school that always hits me too...what is it? Plasticine? Dusty gym halls? books? So evocative!

    Sounds like a nice trip down memory lane and some good finds for Ruby.

    PS We used to practise hand stands against the walls and I remember a few low-flying shoes now you mention it.

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  9. I'm not sure I'd want to go back to my old school either! But I spend a day a week in my daughter's school as well as teaching so I get enough of that 'lovely' school smell... sour milk/vomit/boys loos...

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  10. I was a fellow Thomas the Tank devotee as a kid!! He was closely followed by Postman Pat (I had the niftiest velcro trainers with holographic Jess the Cat!) and Rupert Bear (I had the Rupert scarf!).

    I've been searching for some Thomas goodies for a friend's son since his birthday is coming up but haven't been able to find a thing - you've done really well there!! The dress up set is fab!

    Jem xXx

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  11. I have a Train mad child also. You have my sympathies(!) LOL

    Madison xxx

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  12. For L5 you got to relive memories and create more memories - that is a proceless bargain!
    I went to a class reunion last summer and although you could see remnants of former faces it was getting tougher every year. Then there were 3 girls who I swear sent their daughters. They did not look more than 5 years older than graduation day. Why did they not share the secret with the rest of us?

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  13. Hi Liz, I love buying things for the children at charity shops, as they really appreciate them and they are obviously much cheaper than the shops. My DD adores Hello Kitty too,she has blankets, purses, hair ties, bags etc, so great that you found the necklace for her! Bx

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  14. God I hated Thomas The Tank Engine, couldn't wait to off-load my son's books at a recent book sale collection at his school, glad someone appreciates them though, serious Mummy points for you! x

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  15. Well done on being a brilliant mum, purchases or not. I am interested in whether you had heard of car boot sales when you went to that school. This is a question that neatly dates bargain-hunters and in my case makes me very aged. Will be linking up later methinks as feeling a bit dizzy

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  16. Funny memories and your little one scored big! Thanks so much for hosing the party!

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  17. How wonderful a walk down memory lane. I would love to go back to my school but sadly it was knocked down about 10 years ago : ( I had serious withdrawal not being able to go to a boot sale this week.
    We have masses of Thomas stuff, seems the twins have moved on sob! sob! ....

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  18. Thanks all for your lovely comments. Ruby is happy indeed and i laid a few demon's to rest going back to my old school!

    x

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  19. Wooo hoo! I can comment as me for the first time in about 3 weeks. tip for anyone else having same problem - use Google chrome ;0)

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  20. I don't think even the siren call of a car boot sale could tempt me back into my old school. Too many things I'd rather forget. It's weird enough being friends with folk from school on facebook & seeing the haircuts that time forgot being rolled out again.

    I've got to admit that I was a Thomas fan, back in the day. Our library had a big collection of the original stories & I ploughed my way through them as soon as I could. That said, I prefer Chuggington now.

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  21. Think I know why the boot sale was dire - our local middle school (don't *think* its the same one) also started a car boot sale recently - asking £20 a pitch (reductions for parents) which seems to be the going rate for schools in the area. Considering the local mahoosive one only charges £4 with over 100 sellers each week.... go figure!
    I used to love Thomas too! I know the original railway stories - narrated by Johhny Morris by heart! Toot toot!

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  22. Linking - or at least trying to for the first time. I sure hope I get the hang of this blogging lark soon

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  23. Hello! Thought I would come and join a list thingy in the motherland, all your retro finds will make me feel very nostalgic (and probably a little homesick), I had those books!!!

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  24. Wow, didn't little lady do well?

    Mich x

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  25. Thanks for the opportunity to link up! I've just linked one of my older (but very relevant) posts.

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