Welcome to the weekly ‘Life’s a Journey’ nostalgia series, where we link up with stories from years past, life’s little memories and the moments which we treasure that have made up our family stories. Each week a new theme…
October – sharp prickly objects dropping out of the sky in high winds. Yep, it’s Conker season.
These little brown blighters are nature’s way of giving little kids with drippy noses a memorable autumn, but woe betide anyone who suggests that one brother has more, or bigger, or stronger conkers than the other. Sure way to lose a finger, that…
We haven’t quite mastered sharing in our household yet, so it was inevitable when big brother fixed little brother in a half Nelson and called him a freak. I am so sorry, dear neighbor who stopped by for a chat at that precise moment. S’conkers, you know.
Casting an eye back to ye olde childhood, my own big brother was, I recall, an expert in the art of sibling torture, especially at *fanfare* Conker Time. Thou shalt get only the crappy little ones to plop in to your flaccid Sainsbury’s bag, whilst I am weighed down with all the moster-sized shiny beauties and poke you with the tree-smashing stick.
The torture would continue at home when Mr Competitive, aged 9 and a half, would actually BAKE his Conkers (pardon the expression) in the oven, in order to achieve maximum smashing intensity. Once hard and fully strung (pardon my expression again) me and my knuckles would get a few hours’ reprieve as the Conker cache traveled to school to take on the playground champs. One win = a ‘one-er’, ten wins = a ‘ten-er’ etc. The latter is pure assumption on my part since I never won a match as far as I can recall.
Childhood memories of torture and it’s-not-fairs, yet still I find myself relishing in the autumnal excitement of the horse chestnut with my own kids…. Perhaps it wasn’t so bad after all, or perhaps the nostalgia of lost childhood is enough to merit it’s resurrection.
Are you being tortured yet by your wee one’s enthusiasm for the brown knuckle-rappers? Maybe you can recall the days of your own childhood conker gathering, string knotting and ‘champion’ baking activity? There’s something about this time of year and this simple pleasure, so share your memories with us in the Linky. Write your own post if you like, or simply join in with a comment. Everyone and their nostalgia is welcome here!
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For more about the ‘Life’s a Journey’ nostalgia series, and other weekly themes, look here…..
