Item #3 on the first grade supply list. It looks pretty much like the supply lists of my youth, with the exceptions of dry erase markers and disinfectant wipes. Oh, and glue sticks. Science hadn't quite figured out how to make semi-solid glue, at least for consumers. (I'm sure the Elmer's executives had this long before the general public.) We were stuck with those orange-capped bottles that clogged and had to be unstuck with a pin or a toothpick. My sister and I used to coat our fingers in the glue, let it dry, then carefully peel it off -- making little glue hats, embellished with our fingerprints.
We did the same kind of thing with hot wax from the candles we burned, secretly, in our rooms.
And we burned crayons by holding them up against the hot light bulb of my Jack and Jill lamp. They'd get nice and melty, like heated chocolate chips. I think we scribbled with them, but that memory is hazy: the point was the melting.
Once we tried to make a "scented" candle by pouring Avon Apple Blossom perfume onto the open flame. WHOOSH! an arm of fire shot up from the candle, flinging the perfume bottle cap out of my hand. It was astounding -- perfume burns!
We only performed that little experiment a single time. We were either scared enough or wise enough not to attempt it again.
What will Henry and Frieda set fire to? I wonder...Henry has not shown any fascination with fire at all, unless there's food cooking on top of it (and that's the food he's after), but Frieda...that girl has mischief written all over her.
That sounds like sisterly bonding to me. Small wonder you're such good friends--you have all those deep, dark secrets!
Posted by: Ms Sparrow | August 26, 2009 at 09:43 AM