Our electric toothbrush gave up. Stopped bristling. Ceased cleansing. So I bought a new one.
The trouble is that I don't carry my electric toothbrush anywhere. if I go away, I take an ordinary toothbrush. So I have a dilemma.
From 1962 till 1972, she was one of the presenters on the children's television programme, Blue Peter. The show started in 1958 and is still going strong with its mixture of news, facts, cooking, stunts, travel, pets, gardening, fund-raising and gift-making. 'Here's one I made earlier,' is a catchphrase that has gone down in history, usually referring to a delightful gift for mums or aunties, made of toilet rolls and glitter.
With it came a wall rack and this rather dashing carry-case:
The trouble is that I don't carry my electric toothbrush anywhere. if I go away, I take an ordinary toothbrush. So I have a dilemma.What shall I do with the case?
Throw it away is the obvious answer.
But then part of me says, 'Ah, but what if, one day, you decide to take your electric toothbrush away with you? You'll need it then.'
'Don't be so stupid. If I decide to take it somewhere with me, I can just pack it normally.'
'Okay, but think what a waste it will be if you throw it away.'
'Yes, but what can else can I use it for?'
'Think! There must be something. You can't just throw away a perfectly good, white plastic container. What about your glasses? You've lost your glasses case.'
'Yes, but this has got little ridges in the wrong places. It's no good; I'm going to throw it away.'
'I'm going to say one thing to you: Valerie Singleton.'
For the benefit people not brought up in this country and those not of a certain age, let me explain who Valerie Singleton is.
From 1962 till 1972, she was one of the presenters on the children's television programme, Blue Peter. The show started in 1958 and is still going strong with its mixture of news, facts, cooking, stunts, travel, pets, gardening, fund-raising and gift-making. 'Here's one I made earlier,' is a catchphrase that has gone down in history, usually referring to a delightful gift for mums or aunties, made of toilet rolls and glitter. But that 'Blue Peter' mentality is precisely the reason I find it so hard to throw things out: they might come in useful one day. (Completely ignoring the fact that I am one of the least skillful craftsmen you could hope to find.)
So I'll keep the toothbrush case in the tall boy - just in case.
8 comments:
I hope you don't save empty egg cartons and used yogurt pots (a la Singleton) as well. And I bet your toothbrush case lays unused, dormant, forgotten, forlorn, unloved, misunderstood...
If had the container, I probably would use it to store tubes of watercolour paints...or something to do with my paint supplies. There has to be a good purpose for it...seems wrong to throw it away. Perhaps a soap container for when you go away. Don't toss it!
I vote for tossing it. I find things all of the time I should have tossed years ago.
Until very recently, I believe I still had everything I have ever owned - I definitely qualified as a hoarder - and then, a few years ago, I had the task of packing up the flat of a friend who had been taken suddenly to hospital. That cured me; the thought that perhaps one day somebody would have to go through my years of accumulation has set me on a path of 'minimalisation'.
I'd be keeping the toothbrush case, if I threw it away, I'd need it the very next day!
Great post! So I can blame my life-long hoarding habit on Val?!
Definitely, Welshcakes.
I threw it out! And now I've put the rubbish bag out so there's no chance of retrieving it.
Well, I could ...
Keep the empty container. We have the equivalent of pub quizzes here, whereby participants bring such old containers and the others must guess what was in them. About 20 people per game and the one with the least correct has to buy the round. Perhaps you could start something sinilar in Swansea of at a church charity thingy?
If you were a Guider (Brownies are the worst culprits) you would have boxes of egg boxes and toilet roll tubes "just in case". It really does get to the point where you have more egg boxes than you really know what to do with....
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