We recently bought a cute little lake cottage and are in the midst of updating and decorating. That means that, these days, Fridays are all about garage sales! While strolling through a sale today, I happened upon a box of Bobbsey Twins books.
The happy memories just came flooding back.
A family that my Mom used to work for gave my parents a box of about 20-25 very old books from the Bobbsey Twins series. I read them – and re-read them – voraciously. I loved everything about those stories. I lived adventurously and vicariously through twelve year old twins Nan and Bert and six year old Flossie and Freddie. Their characters and their play was as wholesome as they appear on the book jacket (see photo).
I saved the books for years, taking them with me when I married. They were neatly boxed up and travelled with us from apartment to house, from Jersey to Ohio, from one house to another house to yet another. I had always hoped that my daughter would read them at some point but The Babysitters Club series took their place!
Before we made our last move to a condo, I unpacked the box to look at the books. Which ones did I have? How old were they, really? Could I display them somehow?
As I peeled back the tape and pried open the cardboard, I was shocked and so disappointed. The books were covered in mold and mildew. Somewhere in our travels, the box must have gotten wet.
I sadly threw the box and all the books in the trash.
Just imagine how my heart felt when I saw the books today!
I talked myself out of buying all nine (my husband will appreciate that!), but I did buy four that still had the paper book jackets. Two have no writing inside, the other two are documented as Christmas gifts in 1947. The oldest of the four was published in 1917.
I am planning to read them at some point. I don’t know how they would fare in today’s world; they are likely not politically correct nor culturally acceptable nearly 100 years later. But, they led my heart down a path of warm memories; I simply had to have them. Until I gently turn the old pages and lose myself in the adventures of the twins, they will have a place of honor on my bookshelf.
What triggers happy thoughts of your childhood? Do you have a concrete reminder somewhere nearby? Have you shared it with your children or grandchildren? Don’t pass it by, stop and reflect and smile.
Think about it.
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Photo credit: Today’s photo was taken by me, just a couple hours ago!
