Mighty Tiny Sound!

 Today I'm going to share something I picked up at an estate sale a few years ago, just because I thought it was cool! It's this unopened package of Mighty Tiny records!

This little card contains four records made for the Mighty Tiny record player. The Mighty Tiny was made in 1967 and was, in fact, a fully functioning record player that fit in the palm of your hand. The records came in a variety of genres, this card being "Dixieland & Jazz." It's tempting to open the card, but since other unopened cards are going for about a hundred bucks on eBay, while opened records go for about 30 bucks for four, I shant. 

What I'd really like to do is get a player to go with them. Again, they run for about a hundred bucks, so as much as I'd like one, I'm not rushing out to buy it. However, in my quest to be complete in my blog, I offer these pictures of a genuine (not mine!) Mighty Tiny record player!

This is it closed. It looks like the whole top is a speaker.

This is the inside. I think there's supposed to be a battery door on there, but I'm not sure. The design is pretty cool because the clamshell keeps the record in place no matter how you carry it. It really is portable!

Anyway no matter if I ever get the player or not, I have an unopened pack of four cool records! By the way, I'm pretty sure these are the same players (or close to them) as the players in the games "Voice of the Mummy" and "Seance."

Until next time, keep searching for treasure!

Sub Post

 No, I don't think this post is lessor than any other (ok, maybe a few), but it's actually about a sub. I have this little guy (about three inches long) that I picked up...somewhere.

Yes, it's the ever popular diving submarine! These have been around for surprisingly long (I was surprised, anyway). It seems that they started out as schoolroom teaching aides in the late 1800s! They were made of light metal or glass back then, and didn't look much like a real sub, since there were precious few real subs back then. 

Still, the idea was the same. You put a little bit of chemical in the unit, and it reacts with the water (or vinegar) and makes bubbles that cause it to float. When the bubbles are released into the air, the object loses buoyancy and sinks. Then the process starts all over again and continues until the chemical has been completely consumed by the reaction. Simple, but kind of fun to watch.

By the time this sub was made (1980s probably according to my exhaustive research) the manufacturers had it down to a...well...science! Here you can see that the deck of the sub contains holes to help it sink and rise in a more stable manner.

And here we see that the superstructure is actually a rubber stopper for the baking soda chamber. Who needs nuclear reactors?

And here we see the bottom of the craft, which contains the bubble nozzle. 

All of this is actually balanced extremely well to insure that the sub dives and rises smoothly. 

By the way, in my research it said that prior to the 50s, these were made of light tin. Plastics in the 50s made them very cheap and easy to produce. You can tell this one comes from the 80s or 90s because earlier ones were unsually molded in colors and later ones were brand marked and more detailed. 

These are still readily available (and inexpensive), so you can build your own navy pretty easily!

Until next time, keep searching for treasure!

Unexpected Pixie Dust

 I have a quick one for today. I was taking a few things out of my closet and pulled out the suitcase that I used a couple of years ago for my trip to Disneyland. On that case, I found this tag...

Yep, just a simple sorting ticket from the Disneyland Hotel. Not even in a "fun" color. But you know what? It made me smile. The Disneyland font gave me memories of that blue carpet leading into the lobby. Heck, the memories of the whole trip! 

So, it's not a big deal, but in a way it is. Anything that brings back good memories is a big deal in my estimation. A nice unexpected nudge of the ol' smile muscles.

Until next time, keep searching for treasure!

My First Diploma!

 While going through some old boxes, I found a record of my first step in a rather long educational journey. 

Now, these days kids "graduate" many times. There is kindergarten, from elementary to middle school, from middle school to high school, out of high school, and onto higher education. Back in my day (the late 1960s) you had (maybe) kinder graduation, high school and whatever came next. And kinder graduation was a rather lighthearted affair. The academic requirements were somewhat lower than they are now (where they want the kids reading independantly and doing simple math by themselves). We were more focused on colors and days of the week. 

Anyway, I apparently nailed both and, hence, got this...

That's right, I have my Bachelor of Rhymes! I can still rattle off a lot of them, so I guess my education took. I'm not sure this ability helped in my career, but then again since I was an elementary school counselor, it certainly didn't hurt! By the way, the tattered look came from a few decades in my mom's attic. 

And here is a report card envelope! Yay! I don't really remember Ms. Kelly, and certainly not Ms. Hibbitt, but I appreciate their efforts in launching my education. 1968/1969 seems like a loooong time ago (mainly because it was).

Anyway, I ended up with a Masters degree (in counseling, not rhymes), plus additional coursework, so I guess they did okay. 

Until next time, keep searching for treasure!

Walt Disney World Turns 20!

 Ok, that was a while back. Actually, a long while (although I could swear it's only been 15 years or so) but I was going through some old WDW books and came across an item picked up at an estate sale a few years ago...

Now I wasn't there for the 20th anniversary, but as it turns out, these folks weren't really either. This was written on the inside cover...

So, they were there a year after the actual 20th anniversary (1991), but Disney, being Disney, was still in full "Happy Anniversary!!!" mode. By the way, I tried to find any info on Catfish Farm in Franklin, Texas, but couldn't. I didn't look real hard, but it seems that it's no longer there. 

Now, I was going to do a "this attraction is now gone" post, but that will have to wait, because I found this folded inside...

Now we know that they went in the first part of June, 1992! These handouts were very handy and (along with Stacey on the resort tv) would guide you to the most exciting experiences!

Here's a quick rundown of the park hours...

...and some non-park offerings...

Prices? Yep! We got 'em! This was way back when it was actually fairly affordable and guests felt appreciated and not taken for granted (ok, ok, I'll get off the soap box...)

Ok, that's all for today. I find this interesting because I was there in 1990 and 1995, so this falls right between my trips. In that time we lost 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, which was the first in a long line of unfortunate closures. I think the next couple of posts, I'll highlight things in the book that are now gone. Wob't that be fun and uplifting?

Until next time, keep searching for treasure!

Them's the Leaks...

 Today I have a game that the family played quite a bit "back in the day" (as all the hip kids say). Water Works by Parker Brothers! Water Works is a card game, although it doesn't feel like one to me. It's really more of a construction game in my book. In it, you play the part of a plumber having a really bad day. 

The whole point of the game is to build your pipe from source to spout while fixing leaks that your opponents throw in your way. Very much like real life, in a way. Let's look at the pictures, shall we?

This game was released in 1972, and I have that edition. Note the groovy font on the box!

What you see when you open the box...

The cards are held in a plastic bath tub. They didn't have to do that, as just putting the piles on the table would work, but I like the attention to detail.

The cards... There's a lot of drama in those cards...

And your secret weapon, the pipe wrench. Use them carefully, though!

A typical, staged, "game in progress" picture.

One thing that surprised me was the amount of instructions in this game. I really didn't remember there being a lot. I think it's because most of them are really common sense. I'll include them in case you want to take a look...

What really surprised me about this game is how fun it really is! In my research (limited as it was) I read that some players complained because luck has too big a role in winning due to the fact that the better cards you draw, the easier it is, but isn't that just life? 

All in all, this was always a family favorite! I recommend it for rainy days, or just boring ones. Good times! (much more so than actual plumbing work- trust me!)

Until next time, keep searching for treasure!

Sansui Complete!

 A few years ago (more than I'd like to admit, actually) I decided that I wanted a stereo system that could play pretty much anything that had ever been recorded. I started with some components that I had left over from 40 years ago, or so and then just kept building. 

This wasn't a focused, determined build, mind you. I would simply pick up something here and something else there and kept adding. Sometimes (pretty often) the things I bought at estate sales and garage sales ended up not working, but since I only spent a couple bucks on them, it was no big deal. 

Tape decks (reel to reel and 8 tracks) seemed to be a particular problem. They have so many moving parts and belts, heads, etc that have to be in perfect working order that it's almost impossible to find a working unit "in the wild." I got several of each, with no luck.

I finally decided about 10 years ago that I would get a professionally restored reel to reel, and so I made a visit to Dallas Vintage Audio. They had a Sansui QD-5500 machine that they assured me was a good deal. I have since learned that this is a rare quad deck, and they are highly regarded in vintage audio circles, but at the time I was looking at the price tag, which was many times what I had ever spent for a reel to reel. Still, with the encouragement of a supportive Mrs. Stu, I went for it. 

And thus was the Sansui rabbit hole opened. Sansui was a Japanese company that made  some top of the line stereo equipment in the late 60s and early 70s. A few years later, I decided that I needed a quad receiver to go with my tape deck, and found, at the same store, a Sansui QRX-7500A. 

Slowly, over the years, I added a turntable and speakers. All Sansui, to keep the system as compatable as possible. Finally all I needed were a set of SP-2000 speakers, for the "rears" of the quad system. I had already found SP-3000s for my "mains." 

Ladies and gentlemen. This past week, after literally months long negotiations, I got my SP-2000s! I now have the complete system! Here is everything...

My Sansui QRX-7500A receaver with a Technics cassette tape deck, and EQ, and a (working) Panasonic 8 track on top!

One of my SP-3000 speakers. These are huge and heavy, but sound great!

The QD-5500 reel to reel that started the craziness...

My Sansui SR-1500C turntable that I found on Marketplace. By the way, it's sitting on a Sony 200 CD changer...also found on Marketplace.

And finally, the SP-2000s!

I still have to hook up the SP-2000s, but I tested them before I bought them and they work great! So, now that the system is complete, I guess I'll have to find another white whale to chase. Such is the life of a collector!

Until next time, keep searching for treasure!