Uncle...

Does anybody except me and the lovely Yumptatious remember the Nigel Molesworth books by Ronald Searle?  They were fabulously funny, in a very english way, and were great reading when I was 9, 10, 11... her post about finding a copy of one of these also made me think of the Uncle books, by J. P. Martin, which are apparently now quite rare - they were illustrated by the fabulously talented Quentin Blake, who is famous, quite rightly, for illustrating the Roald Dahl books, but who has done many many other fantastic things:

My local library had both in abundant supply, along with all of the Sue Barton Nurse novels (except one, which I've never found), and of course, Swallows and Amazons...  

Is it a sign of impending old age when you start to want to repurchase and re-read all the books from your childhood?  I bought a reprint of "Little Black Sambo" by Helen Bannerman - it's a gorgeous story, just ignore the people who tell you it's racist because of the name - it's about a brave little kid who outwits four hungry tigers... and I'm on the lookout for the Ladybird Cinderella, which was in the "Well Loved Tales" series - mine was exactly the same as this, and I had "The Princess and the Pea" too. Also, "Shopping with Mother" and "The Nurse"  - I just saw it for sale for 28 pounds sterling.  Wow.  I'm pretty sure it was about 2/6 when I had it.  Should have kept them, huh?


And this arrived in the mail:

Too gorgeous for words.  Need to stop buying & start making, methinks.  Need more hours in the day!

Oh yes, I almost forgot - the bunting:

Carefully taken down, folded & taken home for the bride by the chief bridesmaid.  I think it's a keeper!