Sunday, December 02, 2018

Rescued Slides, January 1962

I've rescued some old, previously-skipped slides from oblivion - but some of them turned out better than others. Today's are not terrible, but they aren't great either!

Let's start with this moody twilight shot from the Mark Twain looking at our old pal Chief Wavy. Greeting people along the river is the best part of his day (that, and the daily "Marmaduke" comic - that dog sure gets into some wacky situations!). 

The Disneyland Railroad (pulled by the Fred Gurley locomotive?) passes by; it's always nice to see it. Up on the embankment, only one or two of the Chief's welcome party still stand there.


From the same lot (January 1962) comes this photo from the world-famous Jungle Cruise. At first it doesn't look like much, but there is a giraffe hiding in the jungle - we were lucky that his cloaking device was turned off for just a few seconds!


11 comments:

Nanook said...

Major-

I think every backyard needs a Chief Wavy. And as for our long-necked animal friend, he reminds me of the Wham-O Water Wiggle... The Water Wiggle may pop-up anywhere. BOO-!

Thanks, Major.

K. Martinez said...

That giraffe pic is cool. I light the light coming through from behind. So glad you are rescuing these slides from oblivion. It's always appreciated. Thanks, Major.

Nanook, Ha, ha! I haven't thought about the Wham-O Water Wiggle in probably over forty years. We used to have one when I was a kid. I remember that orange bucket face flying all over the place and even whacking me in the face a couple of times. Good times!

JC Shannon said...

The Chief with the train in the background, very cool. How do you say Peek-a-boo in giraffe? There is a reserve in South Africa where the giraffes come right up to the balconies and beg for treats. Can you spare a leaf or two? Great and unusual photos today, thanks Major. I would get out my Water Wiggle or Slip N Slide but it snowed last night. Darn weather!

Melissa said...

We thought the giraffe was hidden, but it was spotted.

Major Pepperidge said...

Nanook, everybody’s day would be brightened by a friendly wave! “Water Wiggle”, I had one of those things. I really wanted a “Slip ’N Slide” though.

K. Martinez, when I held that giraffe slide up to the light, all I noticed was leaves. I honestly wondered why the photo had been taken at all. Yes, those Water Wiggles had a habit of hitting you! I guess it makes sense, since they were manufactured by “Wham-O”.

Jonathan, giraffes are telepathic, using their “ossicones” as transmitters. When they’re angry, they can make heads explode, just like in the movie “Scanners”. I SEEN IT WITH MY OWN EYES! Our Water Wiggle was at my grandparent’s house, and between the WW smacking into us, and the very prickly oak leaves underfoot, it was not the most fun I’ve ever had. Also, your Slip ’N Slide would work great in the ice!

Melissa, my doctor told me I need a Giraffidae.

TokyoMagic! said...

Didn't the "Water Wiggle" get recalled? I seem to remember reading that some kids were removing the plastic head and sticking the nozzle in their mouths, and then getting it stuck in their throat and drowning. Leave it to just a few "bad eggs" to ruin the fun for everyone else.

Nanook said...

@ TM!-

Here you go: ... Wham-O stated that the recall is occasioned by the death of a four-year-old child in March 1978. The youngster was playing with some other children in his backyard with a dismantled "Water Wiggle," one from which the bell-shaped head had been removed or had come off. The exposed aluminum nozzle became lodged in his mouth and he drowned. Wham-O stated that it had no knowledge of how or why the toy was dismantled or how the nozzle became lodged in the child's mouth

Evidently that was the death knell for the Water Wiggle. From 1961 to April 13, 1978.. Wham-O sold about 2.5 million of them in that time.

TokyoMagic! said...

Nanook, thanks for that info. Wow, so it was just one "bad egg" that ruined it for generations to come. I always wanted a Water Wiggle when I was a kid. We did have sprinklers, so my mom would turn those on and we would get to run through them in the summertime.

Major Pepperidge said...

TokyoMagic!, good grief, I have never heard that one before. When you think about it, a sharpened pencil can be lethal if somebody does something ridiculous.

Nanook, I’m still trying to imagine how “the exposed aluminum nozzle became lodged in his mouth”, but… where there’s a will there’s a way I suppose. It’s tragic that a child died; I wonder if the toy was approved for 4 year-olds?

TokyoMagic!, yes, sprinklers were always a fun summer toy. For some reason I particularly remember being covered in grass clippings whenever we played in the sprinkler (one of the kind that was hooked up to a garden hose).

walterworld said...

Major: You no doubt were playing on a fairly new-mown lawn! I remember that happening.

Thanks

Anonymous said...

The first picture has so much goodness. Thanks for revisiting it, Major.

The giraffe is pretty funny too.

JG