...it's fun for a girl and a boy....

I just read that a woman named Betty James died over the past few days. She was the co-founder of the company that brought us the Slinky.

Slinkies hold a very special place in our family. They were one of my favorite toys as a child. Watching them go down the stairs. Off the table or chair onto the floor. Off the kitchen counter (whem my mom wasn't looking). Such grace.

I bought Slinkies for my kids when they were small. The old metal ones were a bit vulnerable and if any of the rings became bent, they didn't work very well. Or at the very least they had a bit of a limp.

Somewhere along the way my brother, Tony, did some damage to the Slinky belonging to my daughter, Jenni. Jenni will have the full story which she will more than likely be happy to share in a comment! Anyway, one year Jenni mentioned that Tony had broken her Slinky and she never got another one. Not sure when this was, but Jenni was in her teens - maybe older- when she made the comment. From that Christmas forward I've managed to find a Slinky for my daughter every year. Some were the cheap plastic kind, one was a collector's edition. Some small for stocking stuffers. I think one was in the shape of a star. It's a family tradition. At least, it's my tradition - not sure if Jenni enjoys it as much as I do.

Another Slinkyism I enjoy is the following quote: Some people are like Slinkies - not really good for anything, but you still can 't help but smile when you see one tumble down the stairs.

Good-bye, Betty. Thanks!