Thursday 12 November 2009

a country mouse buys some books

Remember Bunty? Remember the Four Marys? "Mary Simpson, Mary Field, Mary Radleigh and Mary Cotter were all in the Third Form at St Elmo's School for Girls. They were great friends, and shared a study in St Bee's House." And were candidates for an Anti Social Behaviour Order. Take a look at this.
One morning, the Headmistress, Miss Creef, had an announcement to make. The girls were to help move the books from the library and stack them in the gym so the library could be re-decorated. Mabel's response, which I will have to type out because my photography is so rubbish, is, "Why should we do this kind of work, anyway? We should protest, Veronica!" The Four Marys' response is VIOLENCE. Likewise when Mabel and Veronica (with matching bad-girl hair dos) refuse to take part in a fire drill organised by the safety-conscious Marys. Again with the brute force.
The final scene is a fire drill in which Mabel and Veronica think there really is a fire and get stuck on a ledge outside their bedroom window. The Marys lay mattresses on the ground then gather 20 girls to hold a tarpaulin over it. I cannot bear to put the ensuing illustration on my blog. Raddy to Mabel and Veronica, "Stop moaning, you're down safely." Cotty to Simpy, "Simpy, I think they should be taught another lesson. Give them a few tosses!" And they do so, with vim and vigour. The last word goes to Dr Gull as the assault on Veronica and Mabel continues in the background, "Well, Miss Creef, thanks to the Marys we're now prepared for any emergency we may have at St Elmo's. Their safety campaign has been a big success!" Mabel and Veronica's mater and pater may be considering legal action.

On a very much less aggressive note, you might like to see my other purchase, this little Ladybird book, entitled "Learnabout...Cooking." Both of these books were charity shop buys, by the way, and were 20p each, so I'm not busting the budget. Recipes include Banana Snow, Scotch Eggs, a Cheese and Pineapple Hedgehog and, below, Vanilla Ice Cream, featuring Bird's Dream Topping as an ingredient.
And here is the very party I have striven each birthday for 4 years to achieve for Little R. I had not realised I had been striving for this until I saw this picture, but now that I do see it, there's just no denying it. Orange and Lemon Fizz all round. Cheers!

6 comments:

  1. oh, such a wonderful book..I think I have something similar at home, obviously in italian..hmm, i think i'm gonna check right now and remember those good times!
    Thanks for posting such a lovely entry,
    Annalisa

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  2. I don't remember this book specifically, but do remember those nasty hair do's back then. Too funny. Isn't it nice for the soul to pull these back out... They come back to your memories so easily and so peacefully..... Fun, fun, fun....Kate

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  3. I remember the Four Marys! And I seem to remember that I rather liked them - what does that say about me, she says, aghast?!

    Pomona x

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  4. Why oh why don't we have charity shops and thrift markets in Greece? These look like a lot of fun!
    Have a lovely weekend.

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  5. I LOVED the Bunty books!! It always used to include stories with Gymnastics or ballet in which I both loved!!!
    Thanks for reminding me nice to see the 4 Marys again!
    Thanks for you lovely comment too!
    Annie x

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