[Margaret Pilkington]

Ooh Dotti....that takes me back.
Do you remember that toys had seasons?
Skipping ropes, well they were your Ma's washing line.....and ten or twelve girls would play with it....two turning up(that is what the called it back then.....and the rest of us jumping into the rope and out of the other side....or sometimes five or six of us in the middle all skipping to rhymes that were handed down from Grandma.
Five stones....or jacks...that had it's season too....as did marbles.
I cannot remember anyone ever saying ' next week it is whip and top week'....or next week the hopscotch tournament starts......yet we all knew when these games were to begin.

We also played 'knock and run'.....and we tied door handles together.....knocked on the doors and watched (giggling) while neighbours struggled to open their front doors, often having to come out of the back door to solve the situation.
Mischief it was, nothing more.....and on odd occasions the 'bobby ' would catch us....and take us home for a lecture from out parents.
Then we would find whoever was supposed to be keeping 'cavy' and give them a Chinese burn.
No drugs, no alcohol, though some of the older lads used to steal dog ends and smoke them.
Fun times indeed.