A Little Bit of Nostalgia

Sitting outside early this morning, head back and sun on my face, I suddenly had an image of an old mid-60s British TV children's series, Camberwick Green, and in particular one of the characters, Windy Miller.

Windy Miller
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I have no idea why that image came to me. After all, there were many characters in Camberwick Green. Mickey Murphy the Baker, Jonathan Bell the farmer, Dr. Mopp, Mrs. Honeyman (the village gossip), and the miller at Colley's Mill, good old Windy. He would whistle for the wind to make the sails go round and liked his cider.

Close to Camberwick Green was Trumpton, where we found Pippin Fort under the charge of Captain Snort and who could forget the firemen? Pugh, Pugh, Barney McGrew, Cuthbert, Dibble, and Grub. The law in town was represented by Policeman Potter while Camberwick Green had PC McGarry to keep its citizens in check.

Once all these characters started running through my head, I was toast because then I started remembering all my children's favourite TV shows, and what a list there was. The Woodentops, The Clangers, Noggin the Nog, Bagpuss, The Herbs, and a series that my late husband grew to love, Wind in the Willows, which played from 1984-88.

Based on Kenneth Graham's book, my DDH (the acronym for dear departed husband) was totally charmed by Badger, Rat, Mole and Mr. Toad of Toad Hall. But his

Chief Weasel
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most favourite character was Chief Weasel. I'm not sure, but I think Nitch identified with this character's rascally ways! Not only that, but the Weasel was voiced by one of Nitch's favourite actors, David Jason.

Anyone who has watched any British TV shows will likely have their favourites, too, but Nitch enjoyed many of the shows in which David Jason appeared like Only Fools and Horses, Open All Hours and particularly The Darling Buds of May based on the books by H.E. Bates. 

Mum and Pop Larkin and their brood of children lived on a farm in Kent. They made a living from selling scrap and doing deals and particularly devising ways to avoid paying taxes. It was set during a gentler period of life at the end of the 50s and beginning of the 60s. Catherine Zeta Jones had her first major TV role in this series, too.

All this remembering has put a smile on my face. There seemed to be much more warmth and wit in some of those old TV shows than there is today. Maybe it's a sign of the times that we have so many shows dealing with disaster and death but I, for one, am happy to visit YouTube for a real dose of nostalgia.