Autism awareness blog hop - the lingering effect of childhood toys

Autism fact: Autistic people do have imagination and creativity.

(Couldn't agree more! Did you know that Alan Turing - who was probably on the spectrum - started to write a gay novel, 'Pryce's Buoy'?)

You can find all the other posts via the magical Master List

Am I alone in finding childhood memories, which must have been buried deep for too many years than I'm prepared to admit, get easily evoked by the simplest of things? Particularly things which are related to the senses? If I hear 'Nutrocker' I'm back riding the dodgems on holiday at Margate, whereas if it's 'House of the Rising Sun' I'm in the same resort but on a walk with the family and all of us getting hopelessly lost. Other senses can produce the same, sharp and vivid memories, although not always as easy to pin down. I still can't work out what it is in my childhood that gets nudged when I see a particular shade of metallic red.

One of my lingering recollections from childhood has never been buried and that's a loathing of certain plastics, particularly the sort dolls (and other things such as cups that used to come in kiddies' magic sets) used to be made from. I couldn't bear to touch it; I still can't. In fact, I've been known to get my family to handle things made from it because sometimes my stomach gets so turned I can't bear being in contact with the stuff. This sometimes produces a murmur that "Mum's being weird. Again." although my middle daughter should sympathise as she hates the feel of velvet.

CHARITY:

I'm not going to nominate a charity, instead I'm going to encourage people to contact their local school (special or mainstream, assuming it's inclusive) and see how you can help them. Donate a book for the library? Buy a ticket for the PTA raffle? Or, best of all, volunteer to listen to children read, especially children with special needs.

GIVEAWAY:

Several people who should know assure me that Orlando Coppersmith, my early 20th century amateur detective, is on the spectrum so it's appropriate to link to his latest adventure, Lessons in Cracking the Deadly Code. And, do you know what - I'll give away a copy of it to one winner, drawn from all the comments at any of the places this post/link pops up!

St Bride's College is buzzing with excitement at the prospect of reviving the traditional celebration of the saint's day. When events get marred by murder it's natural that Jonty Stewart and Orlando Coppersmith will get called in to help the police with their inside knowledge. But why has somebody been crawling about on the chapel roof and who's obsessed with searching in the library out of hours?