Topping!

« Time on my hands | The power of advertising - revisited »

Topping!

by Usksider ^Pro @ Tuesday, 07. Jul, 2009 – 20:37:54

Did you ever play with a spinning-top as a child? I know I certainly did.

Not one of those tin tops with the thrust lever to spin it... I did have one of those, but my favourite was an old fashioned wooden top with a whip... it was probably the whip that attracted me of course!

So anyway I was walking around Lower Lights Bay at North Shields, just past the Fish Quays, and found these landed marker buoys hard to resist.

How would you fancy spinning one of these things? You'd need one hell of a whip!
Options:
Tags:
- life
- art
- photography
- photograph
- top
- games
- marker
- north shields
- usky
- spinning top
- buoy

29 Comments to Topping!

Hide subcomments

- isadora101
- Tuesday, 07. Jul, 2009 @ 20:41:01
I sure did play all those games and hopscotch too

Lovely colours in the photos.
- - Usksider ^Pro
  - http://www.usksider.co.uk
  - Tuesday, 07. Jul, 2009 @ 20:46:07
  I loved hopscotch... had polio in my legs as a kid (1955 outbreak) and was one of the lucky ones to end up without a permanent disability. One of the physio exercises was hopping, so I was really quite excellent at hopscotch!
  - - isadora101
    - Wednesday, 08. Jul, 2009 @ 07:15:00
    Wow, I bet you were a champ!
    Horrible '50's diseases...I had a touch of Scarlet fever back then!,
    - - Usksider ^Pro
      - http://www.usksider.co.uk
      - Wednesday, 08. Jul, 2009 @ 07:21:40
      Oh heck, I had that too!
      Mother always said if there was something I could catch, I'd catch it. Measles, mumps, polio, scarlet fever... you name it, I had it... except smallpox, I managed to avoid that!
      
      Different times, eh?
      - isadora101
        
        Friday, 10. Jul, 2009 @ 12:59:56
        
        Oh My, you must have been a 'sickly' child
        
        Glad you recovered though Xx
        
        Reply to comment
        
        Permalink
        
        Show this thread
        
        Usksider ^Pro
        
        http://www.usksider.co.uk
        
        Sunday, 26. Jul, 2009 @ 12:32:48
        
        Yes I guess I was... I know I certainly kept my Mum on her toes!
        
        Reply to comment
        
        Permalink
- gardengirl
- Tuesday, 07. Jul, 2009 @ 20:51:06
Great photo, but very big to spin!
- - Usksider ^Pro
  - http://www.usksider.co.uk
  - Tuesday, 07. Jul, 2009 @ 20:56:11
  It could be a lot of fun trying though, eh?
  - - gardengirl
    - Tuesday, 07. Jul, 2009 @ 21:00:12
    - Reply to comment
    - Permalink
- jollyweez
- Tuesday, 07. Jul, 2009 @ 20:54:27
Those are for the secret giants that live at the bottom of the ocean. They come out when everyone is fast asleep and spin them around! Father Neptune's guards! This is to appease them, so that our storms will not be too vicious!

I am really sorry about your polio. Had no idea. I have myasthenia gravis, so we kind of just work around our 'thing' don't we. I forget I have it if I do things right, like stretches, swimming and take Mestinon every 4 hours.

It is good to have you back Uski: JW xx

Oh, by the way, what was that 'stuff' we were all guessing about when you had to leave for family gathering?
Was I right that it was a bath sponge?
- - Usksider ^Pro
  - http://www.usksider.co.uk
  - Tuesday, 07. Jul, 2009 @ 21:12:36
  What a wonderful imagination... I wish I could've thought of that.
  
  Oh my polio is a long gone thing... I get the occasional unexplained pains in my left leg, but that's about all. I'm lucky to have led a very active life.
  
  Myasthenia gravis is a muscle wasting thing isn't it? Must make life difficult for you...
  
  Yes you're a winner! It was a bath sponge... I'd forgotten all about the teaser until yesterday
  - - jollyweez
    - Tuesday, 07. Jul, 2009 @ 22:50:02
    Yes, it hit my legs more than anything. It ate away my 'Thighs of Steel!' The front part anyway. I used to ride second horse to the Hunt for Briggy Brooke when I was fifteen! Thighs of steel came in handy under many circumstances!
    
    It seems to be hitting the back of my legs now, around the knee area. I don't care. I still look good, and I still have my bod and haven't gained weight - unless I am put back on the steroids. Help!!
    
    Neurologist wants me to get hooked-up, with a host of other sad looking women/men in her special place, at the back of her office. TV's, magazines et al. You have to get a stent put into a vein on both arms. Then get the drip done for seven hours for 3 times a week. Insurance would have to pay $16,000 thousand dollars per week. No way!!
    
    I'm happy as I am, and blogland is a great help unless too many friends want comments answered. My dearest David is a lot of help. He is my butler/swimming pool cleaner/vacuumer/griller/ duster/ and most of all - lover! He likes to make big model airplanes and flies them at the fly-field twice a week. He is secretary for the club, (500 members.) So, we are happy with the status quo.
    
    Thanks for your interest. I take same stuff 4 times a day that Gulf Troops had to take every a.m., in case of Nerve Gas attack. Pyridostigimine Bromide! It tastes good too, and melts in your mouth. Want some? It makes your muscles strong for an hour or so.
    
    Best wishes for a good night's sleep: JW xx
    - - Usksider ^Pro
      - http://www.usksider.co.uk
      - Wednesday, 08. Jul, 2009 @ 06:37:19
      Thighs of steel... I like that! Yes I can see where legs that could kick-start Concord might come in useful... especially knowing the single track mind of most young blokes!
      
      Sorry to hear things aren't as good as they could be, but it sounds as though you're coping well; David sounds like a real find too.
      
      Thank God for the NHS... that treatment sounds pretty dire and so damn expensive too... fingers crossed you never find that necessary.
      
      I'd love to see some pictures of David's models... sounds like a great thing to be into.
      - Reply to comment
      - Permalink
- Bushka ^Pro
- Bushka
- Tuesday, 07. Jul, 2009 @ 21:25:00
I sure played with tops....don't fancy one of those.....
- - Usksider ^Pro
  - http://www.usksider.co.uk
  - Tuesday, 07. Jul, 2009 @ 21:32:25
  Oh come on... you know you want to spin one.
  - - Bushka ^Pro
    - Bushka
    - Tuesday, 07. Jul, 2009 @ 21:47:30
    A helluva whip...and a helluva lot of strength....
    - - Usksider ^Pro
      - http://www.usksider.co.uk
      - Tuesday, 07. Jul, 2009 @ 21:52:51
      Not if you're one of Jolly's giants
      - Reply to comment
      - Permalink
- trintrin1x
- Wednesday, 08. Jul, 2009 @ 01:26:16
Noticed your "whip crack"
Me and my 2 sisters were arguing over the layout of the 'hopscotch' bed,
My young neice was asking about it, you never know it might come back into fashion,
Don't think the empty shoe polish tin (peaver) will though
Soon nobody will have money for gadgets so it will be back to the old faithfuls for the kids
I am away to play with my "baws"
Against the wall that is! xx
- - Usksider ^Pro
  - http://www.usksider.co.uk
  - Wednesday, 08. Jul, 2009 @ 06:45:11
  Empty shoe polish tin? Boy were you posh! We always made do with a flat stone
  
  Somehow I can't see the kids of today being happy to play so simply; too much technology has already corrupted them. Shame really because I'm sure we had a lot more fun and were certainly fitter... probably had better social skills too... except for nose picking and arse scratching!
  
  Hope that wall wasn't too hard
  - Reply to comment
  - Permalink
- ravingmad
- Wednesday, 08. Jul, 2009 @ 17:06:36
I had a top and whip, but was never any good at getting it spinning. I had a hoop and stick too, that was good and a humming top with a plunger you pushed up and down.
- - Usksider ^Pro
  - http://www.usksider.co.uk
  - Thursday, 09. Jul, 2009 @ 07:58:54
  I don't recall ever having a hoop and stick, but I did love that old wooden top; the trick is all in the wrist action.
  - - ravingmad
    - Thursday, 09. Jul, 2009 @ 20:41:12
    The girl next door to me had roller skates, and I thought they were really good, so I asked Father Xmas for some, which he kindly left for me, but I was useless at them too! I was good at 5 stones, the yoyo, and hoola hoops though
    - - Usksider ^Pro
      - http://www.usksider.co.uk
      - Sunday, 26. Jul, 2009 @ 12:35:23
      I loved my roller skates... until the day I went a big hill and found I couldn't stop!
      - ravingmad
        
        Sunday, 26. Jul, 2009 @ 14:32:08
        
        I used to do that on my scooter!
        
        Reply to comment
        
        Permalink
        
        Show this thread
        
        Usksider ^Pro
        
        http://www.usksider.co.uk
        
        Sunday, 26. Jul, 2009 @ 14:39:01
        
        My scooter was never as quick as my roller skates...
        
        Reply to comment
        
        Permalink
        
        Show this thread
        
        ravingmad
        
        Sunday, 26. Jul, 2009 @ 15:07:37
        
        I loved mine I was actually able to do it, so for me that made it wonderful
        
        Reply to comment
        
        Permalink
        
        Show this thread
        
        Usksider ^Pro
        
        http://www.usksider.co.uk
        
        Sunday, 26. Jul, 2009 @ 18:04:40
        
        That makes perfect sense to me
        
        Reply to comment
        
        Permalink
- Neonjake
- Thursday, 09. Jul, 2009 @ 03:30:43
Kinky boy, do you still like whips? LOL
jake
ps: tops were a readily available toy back in the 50's and economical.
- - Usksider ^Pro
  - http://www.usksider.co.uk
  - Thursday, 09. Jul, 2009 @ 08:03:25
  Uh huh
  
  Yeah being a child back then was a much less stressful existence... life was so much simpler.
  - Reply to comment
  - Permalink

Sign of the times - primarily for technical types
by Usksider on Thursday, 12. Nov, 2009 – 13:16:43
In memory of...
by Usksider on Wednesday, 11. Nov, 2009 – 12:51:00
Wednesday morning
by Usksider on Wednesday, 11. Nov, 2009 – 07:05:23
Monsters Inc
by Usksider on Tuesday, 10. Nov, 2009 – 08:46:49
Windy Kate...
by Usksider on Wednesday, 04. Nov, 2009 – 21:41:34
Fish out of water...
by Usksider on Monday, 26. Oct, 2009 – 11:13:39
Celebrity Big Bottle
by Usksider on Sunday, 27. Sep, 2009 – 16:28:59
Running Bear
by Usksider on Wednesday, 23. Sep, 2009 – 21:17:00
Doggy Woggy Woof Woof
by Usksider on Saturday, 19. Sep, 2009 – 08:45:36
Blame Marian...
by Usksider on Thursday, 17. Sep, 2009 – 21:41:46

<< < July 2009 > >>
Mo	Tu	We	Th	Fr	Sa	Su
		1	2	3	4	5
6	7	8	9	10	11	12
13	14	15	16	17	18	19
20	21	22	23	24	25	26
27	28	29	30	31

To top link

29 Comments to Topping!

Leave a comment (Login)