The 40-Year-Old… Rabbits

Pete and Cindy, the Velcro Bunnies

When presented with today’s word prompt, Pairs, a number of things came to mind including my all-time favourite food pairings and a favoured pair of capri pants. If you really stop and think about it, the world around us is filled with all kinds of pairs. Upon reflection, I realized that the oldest pair of anything that I still own are two little bunnies that my parents bought for me in Hawaii where we went as a family on our first-ever airplane trip nearly forty years ago. Crazy to think that it has been that long!

My guess is that the pair of rabbits were likely purchased at one of the island’s famous ABC stores, but I can’t say for sure–after all, I was only seven at the time. All I know is that I instantly fell in love with them and promptly named them Pete (as in Peter Rabbit) and Cindy (because I loved the name). Those two stuffed animals became my thereafter travelling companions on our many camping trips that followed over the years. Everywhere I went, they went and if they were accidentally forgotten, we HAD to go back for them much to my parents’ frustration on a few occasions.

As a child, what I loved most about my bunny friends was that their extra long arms could easily velcro together. Of course, my favourite pose to place them in was with their arms wrapped tightly around each other just as they sit today on our den shelf as pictured above. Should my husband and I ever move houses or locales, there is no doubt that my beloved Pete and Cindy will end up coming with us wherever we go, just like when I was younger.

Whilst writing this post, it dawned on me that somewhere I still have a blue and white polka dot bikini that my godmother bought for me when I was a baby. So, age-wise, I best set the record straight that my teeny-tiny swim set is my oldest pairing, but I think the bunny rabbits are my dearest. On the topic of the polka dot suit, however, I do have to share that what I remember most about the baby picture of me in it is not the bikini itself, rather it is my unruly head of almost black hair?! At what point I turned blonde is beyond me, but the photograph certainly stands out in my mind as I hardly recognize myself whenever I see it. Gee, look at all of the fond memories that suddenly flourish with a simple word prompt.

Your turn:

What is the oldest pair of something or other that you own and how long have you had the pairing? Why are they special to you? I’d love to hear from you and so would Pete and Cindy ;-).

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