What to do with your old t-shirts...

In the 90's and 00's I used to buy heaps of Tin Tin t-shirts when we visited Bangkok. They were well made and 100% cotton. Often a conversation starter with flight crew.
These tees were well loved and well used. A few years ago my wife labelled them with a permanent marker "HUO" (Home use only) as they were getting threadbare and frayed around collars and cuffs. But I persisted in wearing them as they were big and comfy.
Last year she (who must be obeyed) made them into cushion covers for our spare room. It's a compromise I can live with.

Things I really miss...

• my much loved Tin Tin tee-shirts,Thailand circa 1990 (getting a bit ragged around the collar), turned into cushions by my other half. They look good, but ....
• Windows XP (thank God my old laptop still has it, Windows 8 is an acquired taste)
• Watching Bill Collins give his rapturous spiel on "The Golden Years of Hollywood" before each movie.
• When kids brought a box of coloured pencils and building blocks to gran and pop's place (rather than an i-pod or mum's smartphone to play with).
• plastic bags that open easily
• Watching black and white movies on free-to-air television
• Reading to my daughter at bedtime
• W-i-d-e  seats in Business Class
• In Australia, the only bottled water for sale was Mineral, Soda or Tonic Water. Buying drinking water in Australia is a ludicrous waste of money and resources. Don't get me started about the litter.
• Groceries being packed in brown paper bags.
• Going to the cinema when people were considerate and .... silent.

• This is a work in progress....

Children's books, parents like reading also

As an ex-teacher and a parent, one of the most important things you can do for a child is the daily story at bedtime. In an age of Facebook, tablets, Smartphones, PSP and Wii, this is even more crucial. What books did you like to read your kids, that they enjoyed as well? Here's my list so far, but our daughter (now an adult) concurs:

• "Where the Wild Things Are"
• anything by Alison Lester ("Monsters are Knocking", "I'm Green and I'm Grumpy" especially)
• Tin Tin adventures (my Captain Haddock voice was always crap, though)
• "Thomas the Tank Engine" series (quaint and camp)
• "The Monster at the End of this Book" 
• Fairy tales, the grislier, the better - Rapunzel, Snow White, Hansel and Gretel
• "The Muddle Headed Wombat" series
• Barbar series
• Madeline series
• "The Wind in the Willows"
• "Little Lit" (hipster retelling of fairy tales, Art Spiegelman, etc.)
• "I'm Coming to Get You" (Tony Ross)
• "Not Now Bernard" (David McKee)
• anything by Janet and Allan Ahlberg (especially "Each Peach, Pear, Plum", "The Jolly Postman")
• "Oddkins" (Dean Koontz ... go figure)
• Meg and Mog series
• "The Great Escape" by Phillip Dupasquier (text less so I had to improvise all the voices, huge favourite, book became very worn over the years)
• Beatrix Potter books
• anything by Babette Cole
• anything by Mr Dahl (especially "The Witches")