As part of a well organised and ongoing plan to tidy their house and clutter my own impossibly small hen coop by proxy my parents often cunningly palm surplus odd objects onto me whenever I’m able to visit them. Some are presented at random and for which the required reaction seems to be to emote as if this were a mini Christmas present moment. Others are slipped into my bag for me to discover and ponder at my leisure upon later discovery.
It’s hard to wipe from my memory the time I found approximately twenty sachets of medicinal powders intended to help ease constipation wrapped tightly in a rubber band in my bag with the attached note from my Mum saying “thought you might find these useful”. It makes me wonder sometimes quite what my parents think of me let alone the possibility that I may give the distinct impression to anybody that meets me that constipation may be a large part of my life’s journey.
The latest booty is presented here…
An unused miniature shoe polisher circa who knows when), Two unused complimentary matches, one from The Scarlet Coat Restaurant in Bristol (circa 70’s?)and the other from The Green Park Hotel Harrogate (circa early 80’s?).
I managed to avoid a 1990’s vintage edition of the Viking Direct catalogue on this occasion.
Up the hill backwards 
For my mum’s 60th birthday, I arranged for her and her husband to spend three days in Barcelona, going there and back via Luton airport and a stopover at my house. Upon their return, I was presented with: a carefully wrapped apple, some sachets of sugar and ketchup, and a pre-loved foldable plastic spoon, which my mum had saved from a yoghurt she had bought.
Ha,Not just me then? All momentarily objects of usefulness though it often feels like an ongoing game of pass the parcel. I’m sure ( or am I?) That it comes from a caring place or maybe its a legacy of thrift thing. If all else fails a museum of tat becomes a viable last resort.