Old Magazines

Sonata:

As promised , a quick look at the 1920s/30s Bestway Fancy Dress Pattern book I picked up last week .

I didn't actually didn't buy it for the pictures , so much as for the ads . James Hunter of Manchester has "all accessories and costumes for hire or purchase " and the lists of supplies one could order from have made me breathless with desire !

All this could have been mine : Crepe hair , all colours @ 7d. a yard . Tarlatan , organdie , Fairy muslin , Satinette , Tinsel gauze , Fancy prints , Rainbow gauze .... I could have ordered Ballet shoes , Swords ( long ) , Folly bells , Gypsy powder , Punchinella sticks , Noses ( turned up ) , Noses ( Turned down ) , Top hat ( with spring ) , a Full Face Punch ( sic ) , spangled trimming or a Cupid set , Floor polishes ( 1/- per bag ) or imitation swansdown . Were I in a hurry , I could have taken the Prêt -a Porter route and ordered The Peanut Vendor , Rooster , Mephistopholes or The Picador's Partner costumes . Given that it's nearly Halloween , I might have made this simple but effective Witch outfit , though the giant broom might have made me unpopular on the dance floor ,


But "Miss Santa Claus " would be surely be a winner on the younger woman .

Now it's Friday evening and I can loll around again ....my main ambition in life these days , I fear .

But first : Every week in the winter , it's some charity's turn to go door to door collecting donations . Tonight a young mother and her small daughter appeared and I went to find some cash . Little girl rattled huge tin busily and beamed , "This is Daddy's Piggy bank " . Mortified mother and I laughed like drains , child looked offended .

In answer to "31 giraffes ? ": this Sunday it's Animal Day here , rather on the lines of Mother's Day . We thought giraffes might make a nice change from pets for the preschoolers and I got landed with most of the cutting out . And no , not all the 40 are in the same group !

And finally . "An exciting , tasty Weekend Lunch "from a 1950s mag. " Cheese salad : Make a pretty arrangement of leftover cold cauliflower florets on a large plate . Decorate with sliced tomatoes , sprinkle liberally with mature grated cheese and salad cream . " Or there again , maybe not .