It's not whether you win or lose - it's how you play the game!

I love old things...you all know that.  So it would follow that I love old games.

I used to play Chinese Checkers a lot when I was little...when I found the board that is towards the  back I couldn't resist it - it has regular checkers on the other side and the pieces are stored in little sections on the edges!

This is similar to the one I played on...wonder where mine went.

I think blocks can be considered a game - when my girlies were little it gave me a great excuse to collect all the blocks that I could find.  I have some old ones I was lucky to come across...and I also bought some new sets.

Do you remember this one?  Mine is a reproduction - but still brings back the memories!

 Here is a great place to find reproduction toys   http://www.backtobasicstoys.com

It used to seem so much more complicated!

Making it through the logs, under the bridge...

past the crazy cat and on by the chicken coop...don't get too many stings!

Well....I have a new game....and of course it comes with a story.

Oh my look at that fabulous box!  The corners aren't broken, the kids are straight out of the fifties...swoon!

So, a few weeks ago I took a couple of my friends to a place that our family loves to go - Crazy Steve's.  No, that is not the actual name of the place...and if Steve ever sees this I hope he knows I mean that in the nicest way...

Steve's place is on 16th Street down near G Street.  You can tell where it is because outside the door there are some goodies placed here and there (when Steve has the store open).  You might see an old metal garden chair, a rocking horse, a crib mattress - who knows - but just enough to make you want to see what's inside.  And inside well there are treasures beyond your wildest dreams!!!  And there are also old cans of tomato sauce, old bags of spaghetti, a scary doll or two, old paper cocktail napkins (which one of my friends bought for me!) - YOU JUST HAVE TO SEE IT TO BELIEVE IT!

We took a spin around the store and just when we were about finished I spotted the Cootie game...I picked it up thinking it would be wrecked...it wasn't!  I opened the box thinking all the pieces would be broken or gone...they weren't!  I remembered back a lot of years playing Cootie...Oh I wanted that Cootie game.  You don't need a Cootie game I told myself (who generally doesn't listen very well).  Oh but I like this Cootie game.  Yes, but this Cootie game will be too expensive I told myself (who was wavering back and forth). Well, maybe not....I looked at all the pieces again, I held it for a while...I put it down, I picked it up again.  The anguish, the guilt, the indecision.  Self, I said - it is simply not in the budget...put it down and walk away!  AND I DID!

What will power my friends told me!  Good job!  And off we went to check out the antique store.  I did a pretty good job of putting that Cootie game out of my head - I only whined to a few people about it...

Then one day (at ballet camp...) one of these two friends came up to me with a bag....she said - I wanted to thank you for introducing me to Crazy Steve's...and in that bag was..........

you guessed it!  My Cootie game!!!!!!!!!  Isn't it beautiful..still shiny and all the parts are there except one teeny tiny one...can you see which one?

Look at the gorgeous Cootie Bug....

My friend said they tried it out - just to make sure that the game really worked!

And, they came up with a new version - Cootie Monster!

Well needless to say I am as happy as a little clam with my new Cootie game and am planning my next family game night!  Thank you friend - I treasure my Cootie game - in fact I can't seem to put it away with the other games...it is sitting in the living room on a little pedestal - really!

All this talk of 'old' games is making me hungry for some of the 'old' candies that I love...let's see...Chico Sticks, Bit o Honey, Wax Lips and Wax Harmonicas, Mary Jane's, Abba Zabba, Big Hunk...I could go on and on.  I forgot - what about those Candy Cigarettes!!!!!!  With the little puff of something!!! Maybe that was the gum cigarettes - ???

 Try this website for our 'old' favorites    http://www.nostalgiccandy.com/


What are some of your favorites?  Candy or Games!


xoxo     Elizabeth