Thursday, April 28, 2011

Xylophones and Other Dissonant Toys

Hey, Y'all,
You know, a wonderful thing about being grandparents, there are toys you can purchase for grandchildren that you wouldn't ordinarily buy for your own children...for one thing, that you probably didn't feel like you could afford when your children were small, but mostly because of the "noise factor". Ha.

There was the xylophone, an instrument that goes 'plink, plink, plonk' and not necessarily harmoniously, but definitely on and on and on. Then there was the set of toy drums, which makes a constant, irritating, bonk, bonk, bonk.

A trip to Dollywood produces one of those square, wooden train whistles that, eventually the sound of it, makes the adult want to grab it and throw it into the fire or into the nearest lake. 


Then there is the little piano, and the little harmonica, all musical instruments that produce a lot of pleasure for the little ones, and not so much for the adults. Ha.


Another gift is the toy game called "Simon Says" that has a pattern that one attempts to repeat. This is a game that challenges the adults as well, but gets so frustrating that you want to throw it into the lake as well. 

As for the point I was intending to make when I began this little story, is that as grandparents, we can make gifts of this variety of items to grandchildren, and not have to hear them more than just a little while, because they go with the parents, when they take the children with them. Ha. And when daughter or son, says, "Mom, (or Dad), you really shouldn't have", they really mean it. What --- they should deprive us of the pleasure of giving gifts to our grandchildren?  (Just joking, Carol and Teresa) 

I just saw on television that they had tornadoes through the part of Alabama that Tom and Teresa live in and am waiting to know if they  had any damage and are safe. I haven't had any news yet. I will put an addendum when I hear. 


This is Blabbin' Grammy signing off for now. Much love to each of you, my friends and family. Bye for now. More later.  

Addendum: Tom and Teresa are okay. They were on their way to work when I called at 6:15 this morning, but probably would have to return home because of the fact that there was no electricity. A nuclear power plant near Huntsville was taken out by the tornado. She said a tornado touched down about two miles from where they live. Praise God they are both okay! There have been over 170 deaths over a five state area from the tornadoes over the past 36 or so hours.

10 comments:

Lisa said...

I hope you'll hear from Tom and Theresa soon and they are alright.

No wonder xylophones remind me of my childhood. I have forgotten about them until I hear about them again.

Petra said...

I'm glad that Tom and Teresa are okay. I also like the instruments and have a lil poem about my old xylophone, which I still have after all these years! Blessings!

Angela said...

Hey, do you want to come over to my house and take all my loud kids toys? I'd gladly give them away. Then again, my children might not be happy with me.

Good to know Tom and Teresa are okay.

Grammy said...

More laughs today! thanks to all of you!

Marjorie said...

I'm glad your family is okay, Ruby.

Yes I have a serious problem with noisy toys.

Haha! Your word verification word is swanta. Maybe that is a swaggering Santa!

RHYTHM AND RHYME said...

Pleased to know your family are safe.


Enjoyed your blog Ruby, as always you write of so interesting subjects.

Take care/
Yvonne.

Luana Krause said...

I'm a grammy, too, and it IS fun to get the grand kids noisy toys lie xylophones...or the messy ones like play doh.

Susan Flett Swiderski said...

Our grandkids have a bazillion toys that make noise,and they all run on batteries. Each of those toys sings songs and/or says something educational. When all of those things are carrying on at the same time, it's like the tower of Babel! I tend to give them toys that run on imagination. And messy stuff like fingerpaints and playdoh.

Wellington Artist said...

OMG I must be really old because I remember all of those instruments. Just stopping by to say hi from the A-Z Challenge.

Gyran Gymble said...

I had Simon says when I was young. It drove me quite mad, but once I got introduced to Monty Python I got better.

I really hope everyone is all right