Playmobil presents the perfect family

Following Louie’s birthday we have a fine collection of toy submarines, helicopters, diggers and caravans from a range of toy makers. Most of them have come with little people, who in turn come with a selection of accessories e.g. divers suits, pilot helmets, hard hats etc. Anyone who has ever had kids will get the picture. I am drowning in all the little people and their paraphernalia. God forbid any of it were to go missing as the boys keep a mental inventory.

We bought a lot of the stuff second hand from Ebay, partly to save cash but also because there’s some real gems out there. Some people must spend hours arranging the little people for their photo shoot to accompany the listing. Ahem… I would never do anything like that….

We’re making the most of other children’s cast offs whilst we can still get away with it. I guess it won’t be too long before the boys become consumerist snobs and expect brand new toys wrapped in cardboard and cellophane.

My favourite purchase is the retro 1980s Playmobil campervan complete with its 80s family. This is the kind of campervan you would have expected to see Timmy Mallet holidaying in with his brood of brightly clad children. I don’t actually know if Timmy Mallet has any kids. He comes across to me as one of those people with questionable sexuality a bit like Jimmy Saville, but I digress. If Timmy Mallet did have a campervan in the 80s it would have looked like this. Look at them in their funky threads. Playmobil presents the perfect family from off of the 80s. But where the hell has the camera that dad is holding gone? My life's going to be made a misery until it turns up.

Families, Playmobil or otherwise certainly are funny things and this weekend has shown me you just can’t legislate for them. All I can say (without causing too much offence) is that the in-laws have been in the UK for two weeks and spent approximately 90 minutes with us and their grandchildren before setting off back to France. Whereas my dad was fantastically attentive and spent hours bonding with the boys before an emotional drop-off at the airport prior to his return flight to Italy. He reads this blog, I’m so glad you tried so hard with the boys dad and you’re a pleasure to have as a guest. Although I did have to tell him off once for getting a bit drunk with my brother and falling over on my doorstep, comedy style. I don’t suffer drunken fools gladly unless I’m drunk myself that is, which I wasn’t, but that said I am a chip off the old block!