The Dandy Summer Special is back 2014 style

 It's Summer and so childhood rituals may return!

The Evergreen Beano with fun reading and activities has come but guess what is also here against all the odds?

The much missed dandy has a Summer Special this year which was very much in the balance late last year after the demise of the weekly edition in 2012.

68 full colour pages in glossy paper with a traditional binding with all our favourite characters.

A ritual of childhood can be resumed ready for summer trips and maybe even a proper kids  holiday where I can just be age dysphoric me letting the whole of me out.

Lesson for dolls

As no doubt some are aware a different kind of history has been made today, I thought I would made a different post this morning.

I found this image a while ago of traditional German classroom modelled with dolls that reminded me of the kind of junior education I had. 

For one thing we had to write out and learn by rote your times tables up to 12, that were put up on the chalkboard and our teacher did have a long stick they pointed at it (and threatened you with!). 

Also the desk were wooden with a slope that interestingly many are now saying were better for reading and writing on having removed them for flat stackable tables and chairs.

There were maps on the wall, one showing the extent of the British Empire (as was), something we were proud of and a small class bookcase.

Turning rather more to the dolls I find it is interesting a number are in sailor uniforms, a Edwardian idea and like how the person has added matching satchels. 

Philadelphia International The Collection edition with SOS Band box set

Here we go with the latest edition of the Teenbeat series launched a few years back where I look at music that for me at least is linked with my childhood.

Released Monday May 5th in the UK comes this box set of 20 individual artist studio cds from the label synonymous with that styling of Soul Music from the late 1960's to the early 80's around the city of Philadelphia and the Philadelphia International record label where most but not all the key artists issued their recordings.
And that's really where this set scores over previous box sets as it gives you prime slices of the artists albums  as issued of which at least five I and many others would regard as essential albums in a soul collection
Album list:
1.Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes – Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes (1972)
2.Back Stabbers – The O’Jays (1972)
3.360 Degrees of Billy Paul – Billy Paul (1972)
4. Save The Children – The Intruders (1973)
5.The Three Degrees – The Three Degrees (1973)
6.Ship Ahoy – The O’Jays (1973)
7.Love Is The Message – MFSB (1973)
8.Keep Smilin’ – Bunny Sigler (1974)
9.Wake Up Everybody – Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes (1975)
10.All Things In Time – Lou Rawls (1976)
11.Life On Mars – Dexter Wansel (1976)
12.The Jacksons – the Jacksons (1976)
13.Teddy Pendergrass – Teddy Pendergrass (1976)
14.Jean Carn – Jean Carn (1976)
15.The Jones Girls – The Jones Girls (1979)
16.Edwin Birdsong – Edwin Birdsong (1979)
17.McFadden and Whitehead – McFadden and Whitehead (1979)
18.When You Hear Lou You’ve Heard It All – Lou Rawls (1977)
19.I’m In Love Again – Patti LaBelle (1983)
20.Life is A Song Worth Singing – Teddy Pendergrass (1978)

A good number of these albums were re-issued on cd  as part of the Sony Legacy Blues&Soul series from the 1990's to early 00's but are out of print attracting high prices new  as well as used but this set uses the same mastering so at a stroke restoring them to the catalogue.

They come in thick card lp style jackets reproducing front and rear lp art clearly with a booklet that gives a brief synopsis of each album and full credits.

Highlights for me are Save The Children, an Intruders album I grew up with on the amazingly clunky 8 Track tape with songs like "I'll Always Love My Mama", the Three Degrees self titled with it's clutch of hit singles such as When Will I See You Again" and the very jazz influenced Life On Mars by arranger and recording artist Dexter Wansel.

For around GBP £38 it's an amazing bargain that gets you exploring further this musically rich seam.

Recently another box set arrived but altogether a different proposition for this was the entire output of a single band whose label was together with Los Angeles based Solar Records the next wave with Motown's star begin eclipsed in the early 70's by Philadelphia International and itself being eclipsed by Solar and this bands label, Tabu Records whose artists who included Alexander O'Neal and Cherrelle of whom I liked in my teens.

Many would say the SOS band were one of the finest pervasive  soul groups of the 1980's but their recordings had been unavailable new for a good while with the earliest titles not even receiving a cd release. 

I had cassette issues of a few albums at the time but they were worn and I was looking for replacements.

In 2013 a Tabu Records re-issue campaign was launched which included the re-issuing of their albums with bonus tracks and a by-product of this was a boxed set version where each album was packaged as a mini lp with just the original tracks and with extra discs for 7 and 12 remixes with a booklet.

I opted for that in around March 2014 this was eventually released as it was just what I was looking for - a complete set of albums - and also it was cheaper than the individual editions.
While some of the bonus tracks have been taken from vinyl, the main albums were not and sound very good on this set.

More anime

 

We're still watching a good deal of anime here and spending time in a couple of clubs on the anime streaming site Crunchyroll just talking about anything and everything, having a laugh

Some series are just massive in terms of the number of episodes and Fairy Tail is one I've been following for a while.

To begin with, the first few episodes on the disc are just  the conclusion of the Fighting Festival and the arrival of a reporter from Sorcery Weekly magazine.

We also see more about Lucy worrying about her love life, learn about about her father and Juvius attempting to use a potion supplied by a dodgy dealer.

The main theme running through Series Two is the the uniting with Blue Pegasus, Lamia Scale and Cait Shelter to take on the powerful Dark Guild that marks the commencement Oración Seis arc where they are looking for a powerful weapon to spread darkness and this where more characters to the series are introduced.

The series remains gripping and very funny in parts.

It's your road

Sometimes we forget that on this journey as enjoyable as it is to share in that adventure with like minded friends, it is our walk, following a map of our choosing, to our own destination.

Tomboy or Frou Frou, as a sissy gurl our  traditional childhood interests such as playing with dolls or more modern things such as gaming or anime, it is our choice.

It is always right to be me.

Scouting for Gurls

Whatever was really going on around 1971/2 when my parents made that mistake, the fact remains cut me up along my trunk and you'll find a Scout on the inside who follows the rules just as my older brother did and my younger brother although he only stayed in the Cubs and I'd rather be a Brownie.

It didn't and doesn't matter what my disabilities are and the many ways they do impact my life the practise of the basic principals of Scouting, the learning of new skills, the exploration of our environment and  the enjoyment of like-minded company are what makes me, well me.

Scouting in the general sense was always my thing, it would of provided some of the sense of belonging I was so looking for so join me for a exploration of the wood.

We'll be starting with these Bluebells that I came by while walking a few days back, covered up from bitey things.

Here you can see all that lush green foliage where the birds locally have built their nests from twigs.I just love hearing birdsong.

Meanwhile over in our Meadow there's plenty of life and you can make a wish with the Dandelion 

And this lovely blossom was out too.

Finally in my garden  these flowers are have a great time and look so pretty.

Technical note: all shot on that Canon  A470 digital compact with just a touch of exposure correction and cropping, that's all.