Frances has set up a new blog. It’s called Real Nurse Campaign and I think you’ll find what she has to say very interesting.
That’s the new thing.
With this post I’ve done what I sometimes do when writing – found the title first. Now I’ve got to think of something old – and a clip round the ear to that person who said that would be me!
So I’ve had a look through the photos in my computer archive (oo get her) and I was going to put up an old black & white photo, but then I came across this.
I took this photo with my Kodak Instamatic camera (isn't it sad about Kodak filing for bankruptcy?). I was about 9 I think and the camera had been a birthday present. My pocket money would only run to the occasional film (I think it cost 12/6 to develop 12 black and white photos, but I could be wrong) and in those days black and white film was cheaper. Then I must have come into money because I bought a colour film which I’m pretty sure had 24 exposures and this was one of the photos I took with it.
The dog standing on the roundabout is Nikki. I have very few photos of him and this picture is the best one, but it was lost for about 40 years and I had often wondered about it. When you’ve taken so few photos you never forget your favourite ones.
My mum kept all the cards ever sent to her. She liked the ones that came in boxes with padded fronts and lots of meaningful verses. Quite a long time after she died, I went through them all and when I opened a Mother’s Day card from me, I’d included the photo of Nikki as a gift to her. And there it had been all those years. You can imagine how I felt when I rediscovered it.
He was a beautiful dog. He died after eating rat poison (someone it seems thought it was okay to put rat poison around their precious beach hut - we never did find out who) aged only 6.
I have wonderful memories of him. I’m sure I’ve blogged about him – I certainly have a long post written in my blog archive in Word (oo get her again) but I can’t find it on here, so maybe it was one of the many I wrote in draft and never published.
What I did find whilst trawling through was a blog post entitled Something Old, Something New – I’m really going to have to start putting more thought into titles!
I can really relate to the precious photo scenario which later generations may not have quite so much problem with if they are canny about back up. How sad about your dog - I don't expect the poison people thought it through when they put it down.
ReplyDeleteThat dog looks a real character!
ReplyDeleteI too am guilty of using blog post titles very like ones I've used before. Maybe we could swap a few just for variety?
Hi Teresa, thanks for the trip back to the past (meant sincerely). I remember the black and white photos and so many other things.. the old ribbon typewriter I used to type on and how modern I thought I was when I had a wordprocessor, lol. The milk coming in glass bottles and the fresh bread being delivered to our front door. Gawd, now I am showing my age. Thanks for the post x
ReplyDeleteLovely memories here. I worshipped my Kodak Instamatic and found it hard to be patient waiting for the films to be developed. It could take three weeks or so, I remember.
ReplyDeleteBut then there was the inevitable disappointment when only one or two of the pictures turned out well! However, those are the ones we treasure. Like you, I can vividly recall photos that are forty years old. I used to stare at them over and over again, absorbing every detail.
The ones I have kept are really faded now, but I shan't part with them.
What a lovely memory of taking photographs and waiting to have them developed. We used to keep all our old cameras and I'm hoping I have some photos of them for a piece I'm hoping to write.
ReplyDeleteYou've also reminded me of my favourite photo of the one and only dog I ever had. Need to look that one out!
Wonderful memories Teresa. I hated it when digital photography came in and films became old hat. But it was mainly because I didn't think I would be able to have my photo albums which I have going right back to my first snaps with my kodak brownie! When I realised that I could still have my favourite photos printed off to put into my beloved albums I reluctantly converted. I need a refresher though in getting them on to the computer which is always a bit trial and error but printing them out on those wonderful printers in the shops is a doddle. At least digital stops the gut wrenching disappointment we experienced when ALL my photos from Madeira failed. And the camera flashed, wound on and for all the world behaved as if it was a 100% fit rather than having well and truly expired. By the way any tips on seeing what you're photographing in bright sunshine, if your digital hasn't a viewfinder, or are we going to have to resort to black cloths over our heads like the olden days!!
ReplyDeleteSorry waffling on - this is nearly as long as your blog Teresa! :o) xxx
I had a Kodak Instamatic as well, Teresa and was really sad when I heard about Kodak on the news. It was so exciting going to the chemists to pick up the photos, wondering if they'd all turned out. I have to confess I was very reluctant to switch from my 'real' camera to a digital one and only did so because it was difficult to buy film. And the joy of picking up a book or clearing out a drawer and finding a long forgotten photograph lurking inside.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the publicity, Teresa!
ReplyDeleteYes - sad about Kodak. Does nayone remember their Brownie Box Camera? Happy days!
It all seemed a lot simpler in the old days. Hubby made up a lovely photo album for his mum after his dad died years ago, and now his mum is dead too the album has gone missing. No record, nothing. So hopefully in this digital age, that sort of thing won't happen.
ReplyDeleteLovely dog - was he waiting to be pushed?
What lovely photo to find, Teresa! You have blogged about Nikki before in very tender terms - I remember. He looks a really lovely character.
ReplyDeleteI owned an Instamatic too - must be our age, lol! x
www.lydiajones.co.uk
We have loads of photos and no idea who any of the subjects are, Susan! Some really intriguing ones too. It worries me with digital photography that if everything goes pear shaped one day, so much photographic record could be lost x
ReplyDeleteGreat idea, Patsy! Yes, he certainly was a character, gorgeous dog with a wonderful nature x
Thanks, Diane. I remember years later trying to buy a roll of black and white film and it was more expensive than the colour – how times change x
Yes we certainly learned to treasure them, Joanna. Do you remember the little cube thing that went on the top of the camera that the flash would sit on top of – and you only got four flash bulbs so had to be very careful with them - oh and yes indeed, that long wait for them to come back to the chemist x
I wish I’d kept all my old cameras, Rosemary! I did find an old camera a few years ago with a film still in it. It was lovely waiting for the film to be developed and there were some great pictures in it. Hope you find the picture of your dog x
I was a reluctant convert to digital photography too, Sue. I refused to give up my “proper” camera for ages and now I don’t even know where it is! You’ve reminded me, I must print off some photos – I haven’t done any for at least a couple of years and I do like to have some in albums.
How awful about losing all your photos of Maderia! I didn’t know that digital cameras came without a viewfinder – that’s how I use mine in bright light. Don’t know how I’d manage without that – maybe a black cloth over our heads as you say x
It is terribly sad about Kodak isn’t it, Elizabeth. Like the end of an era I suppose. It seems so many of us started out with a dear old Kodak Instamatic and I’m glad I wasn’t the only one reluctant to change to digital. I love finding old photos too x
I don’t think I’ve ever seen a Box Brownie, Frances – but I have my mum’s old camera which is a similar sort of thing (not Kodak though) and has always fascinated me x
That’s so sad, Maggie, losing the album. That is the kind of thing that can never be replaced. And yes, he was waiting to be pushed – not too fast mind. He used to like the seesaw as well and would run from one end to the other, waiting in the middle for the other end to go down! X
Ah I’m glad Nikki is on here somewhere, Lydia, thanks – he’s too lovely not to have a proper mention! I think we all had instamatics x
I still have my film camera, and if I was going on a big holiday I would probably take both film and digital with me. My digital one is much better for close ups, and so useful for the blog and emails, but I think my film one does better scenery.
ReplyDeleteIt used to be so exciting when your films were developed, didn't it. And also the ritual of putting up the screen for my granddad to show us his holiday slides. One slide would always be upside down, and another one would be blank. But, oh, happy times.
You've encouraged me to look out all the old black and white snaps my parents took when I was growing up,Teresa.
ReplyDeleteWe just don't realise how many memories we have buried somewhere in our heads.
I've awarded you the Irresistibly Sweet Blog Award. So pop over and carry on the sweetness.
I love old photos and I especially like the one of Nikki that you posted. It is sad about Kodak - I guess its a sign of the times.
ReplyDeleteThat's lovely, Joanne - about the holiday slides. Conjures up a wonderful picture x
ReplyDeleteTHank you for the award Carol - it looks delicious ;-) x
Old photos are wonderful aren't they, Colette - I was in tears when I found that one of Nikki after thinking it lost x
Nikki is just gorgeous.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the link to Frances's new blog - I've bookmarked it on favourites.
XX
He really was beautiful, Suz, such a lovely dog xx
ReplyDelete