When we visited our grandparents on their farm in Nebraska, one of the places we loved was the (unheated) upstairs. At least, we loved what was in the upstairs. At the bottom of the stairs was a door that was always kept closed. In the winter or when the weather was cold, we ran downstairs as soon as we were dressed, down to where the heat was! When we went to bed, there was no dallying outside the covers. Of course in summer, the whole upstairs was quite hot.
At the top of the stairs was an area with toys and books and the rest, as I recall, housed two bedrooms. Through a door in the larger bedroom was a room where “stuff” was stored, stuff fascinating to children. In the toy area were toys that had been our dad’s and his brothers, maybe even toys that had been their parents’. There were several toys of this type. Press the bottom and the animal or figure on top collapses. Let go and up it pops. I still find it fun.
Did you have a toy like this? What toys do you remember with love and joy?
This, that and the other thing 
I had some of this toys and I still have one I’ve got from a dentist once. It’s a lion and only brave kids got one :o)
Good for you! Hope your dad’s feeling much better today!!
janet
I don’t have any of my toys left … but I remember very strongly a dog .. a rabitt and a doll. I had them all until last year when they got smoke damage in our basement fire. Now I really miss them .. from reading your post here. Lovely little toy.
I’m glad my post brought them back to mind and that the sadness will fade, leaving you with all the good memories!
janet
So true, Janet … *smile
My Aunt Stella had a room like this. I had forgotten until I read your essay, which I enjoyed very much.
Judy, thanks for that. Enjoy those memories as I did while writing the post. Have a wonderful Thursday.
janet
I did not have one but remember it. 🙂 The upstairs at my grandparents farm was not heated and the only heat you felt was what came through the floor register. They had an attic up there that was a huge room full of lovely antique furniture, and I use to pay house up there until I either froze or melted. If only I had a few pieces of that wonderful furniture today. 🙂
I have a few pieces from my grandparents and really treasure them. What amazed me was how big the farmhouse seemed when we were children and when I went back as an adult, it was really rather small. 🙂
janet
My favorite toy was a brown rocking horse and even now I retreat to a rocking imagination and remembering when I get in a stressful situation
Do you have a rocking chair? It’s just a rocking horse for adults. 🙂 My mom made a rocking horse for our girls and we still have it in the basement. One day when there’s a grandchild, it will come in handy.
janet
So true it will be a treasure compared to all these new types of rockers
Dear Janet,
There are two that stand out in my mind. There was the Chatty Cathy I got from my 7th birthday and the all time favorite that lasted until my children did it in…the Etch-A-Sketch. Jan got me a new one a couple of years ago for Christmas but it’s not made as well as the originals. I can still do a fair picture on them.
Shalom,
Rochelle
Etch-A-Sketches are great, Rochelle. I had a Tammy doll, but my cowboys and Indians were a bigger favorite. I still have the latter. 🙂
janet
Those particular toys were a favourite I’ve mine. I had one that even made it through to my children but alas, the elastic finally gave way. 😦
I don’t remember if this is actually from my grandparents or if I picked it up elsewhere, but the memories attached to it are good.
janet
My Jacks and ball set was probably my second or third favorite under dolls (any kind) and my little Tommy Thumb read cash register I loved playing with. I still have at least one of my childhood dolls left, but don’t my cash register. I managed to keep a few of my original jack to my set which I recently wrote a post on put up a picture of them with a couple large decorative jacks. The post is entitled, The games we played. I love any kind of antique toys and have collected some through the years from antique shops and use them at Christmas time to set and display under my Christmas tree. Through 68 yrs. and a lot of moves and phases in my life it was impossible to keep or preserve very many of my favorite toys from childhood.
Using antique toys as Christmas decorations sounds perfect, Joyce. We have an electric train set from when I was a child, although we haven’t had it out for some years. I’ve picked up a few really nice wooden toys at sales for our someday grandchildren or just for visitors with children. When our girls were little, Duplos and then Legos were very, very popular.
janet
I remember this toy – we had a lot of fun with it.
I know. I’m still enjoying this one.
janet
Oh, I love places like that! It´s wonderful to get to discover all those old things forgotten for such a long time, covered in dust and nostalgy…never had such a toy, though. 🙂
The farmhouse is just a memory now, but filled with many wonderful memories of good times.
janet