enduring toys

During childhood, creating elaborate adventures with our Playmobile figures long proved an entertaining past time for me and my siblings.  Thanks to Aunty Critter, Jake's acquired a variety of Playmobile figures of his own, though Quinn is the one who most enjoys manipulating them.  For some reason Jake insists on removing the hair piece on each guy, which is a huge pet peeve of mine, though I can't seem to keep up with matching the original hair to man.

The other day Quinn was lining them up our "guys" (as we call them) in a sitting position on a Tag Reader book and I was struck with nostalgic warmth as I recognized some old friends.  

Three of the four standing figures have 1974 stamped on their feet.  

Not sure that this is quite as accurate as the "born on" dates we find on our favorite beers; however, I distinctly remember playing with these three guys as a child. Somehow they survived my childhood.  Many, along with who knows how many Star Wars figures, were buried in various spots in the woods outside of Columbia, Mo home.   

The blue and red guy evoked different warm memories as I found him lying on a street in London as my friend Jen and I rushed to catch the Tube at King's Crossing in order to make a ferry to cross the Channel and then catch a bus to Paris to meet some friends at a pre-arranged spot during Bastille Day celebrations.  This Playmobile guy accompanied us on the rest of our adventures that summer.  I think I have some pictures of him at Fringe Festival in Edinburgh as well as atop Arthur's seat.  It's funny how enduring certain toys are. I'm amazed they survived my childhood and I'm wondering if, like Andy's Buzz and Woody, they'll survive my children's childhoods to be passed onto a new generation.