Toy Story

I had a tough time in Smyth’s Toys recently. I went in to find some new toys for Baby D to stop him rooting around in our laundry basket. After wandering the aisles, blinded by blue and red plastic and amazed at the price tags, I eventually emerged clutching a seven euro Winnie the Pooh jigsaw. “Bargain” I thought, trying not to feel guilty as the other parents stumbled passed me struggling under the weight of Smart Trikes and life-sized Peppa Pigs.
Luckily I hadn’t just bought a jigsaw but a “valuable learning tool.”
“This will enhance your fine motor skills and hand to eye co-ordination,” I read off the side of the box to Baby D at home.
“Pooh!” said Baby D as he grabbed the box from me and tipped all the pieces onto the floor.
“And also can be used as an educational aid...”
He picked up a piece of jigsaw and chewed it thoughtfully.
“Aids problem solving...”
Baby D rambled off, jigsaw dangling from the side of his mouth.
“And helps develop reasoning and problem solving skills.” I finished as he re emerged, looking pleased with himself, the piece of jigsaw replaced by a sock.
“Toe–Toe!” he mumbled through the sock, trampling over the rest of the pieces.
“Seven euro well spent,” I thought.

And on a totally different note

And on a completely separate note, since when did people start dressing up to go to gigs? I was at the Tripod last night, in my 2007 Arcade Fire t-shirt and Dunne’s Stores jeans, and am still getting over the shock of the style on offer; designer shirts, skinny jeans, oversized bags; and that was just the men. Why would you want to get glammed up just to get hot and sticky and covered in beer? Is it because everyone watches the band through their mobile phone screens now, too busy tweeting about the gig to bother jumping up and down in an uncoordinated manner in the mosh pit? I blame it on the smoking ban myself. Clothes are no longer at risk of smelling like an ashtray after a night out, so faded second hand jeans salvaged from the mothballed recesses of a dusty shop in Temple Bar are being replaced by “vintage” denim with a three figure sales tag in BT2 and old band t-shirts are being consigned to Oxfam shops.
Or maybe it’s a leftover from the Celtic Tiger.
Or maybe I’m just getting old.