CONVERSATION WITH…MY OLDEST DOLL…Because I Still Love to Play

/ overthehillontheyellowbrickroad

Over the Hill on the Yellow Brick Road, I couldn’t believe it!  My oldest childhood doll, Chatty Cathy, was waddling toward me!  I rushed over and gave her the biggest hug!

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Chatty Cathy!  What are you doing here?

CHATTY CATHY DOLL:  I heard you were visiting these parts and I had to see you!

OMG!  You look great!

CHATTY CATHY DOLL: Well, I’d look better if you hadn’t given me a bad haircut back when you were a little girl. I still don’t appreciate the bald spot in the back of my head.

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I’m so sorry.  My sister and I were playing barber.

CHATTY CATHY DOLL: I guess you felt you had to wash my hair with Ajax, too?

It probably didn’t help the texture.

CHATTY CATHY DOLL: But I loved you anyway!  You were the best little girl!  We had the silliest imaginary tea parties!  And the craziest times playing house!  And I loved when you shoved me on the make believe school bus with all the rest of the dolls and your sister pushed us all around the room in a giant chair.

Yeah, you just went around and around and around the room and never made it to school.

CHATTY CATHY DOLL: Good times!

Yes, they were. And I’ll let you in on a secret.  I’m still a little girl.  I still love to play and play and play and play.  It’s just harder to find someone to play with as I get older.

CHATTY CATHY: I’ll  play with you!

You will??  I would love that!  What should we play?  I mean, I’m not into having an imaginary tea party or playing house anymore. How can we play with each other now that we’re both older?  What can we play?

CHATTY CATHY: Hmmm…I’m not sure.  I should tell you the “talking ring” on the back of my neck doesn’t work anymore.  When you pull it out, the spring is broken so it just snaps back.

It doesn’t matter, I don’t work as well as I used to either. I guess if we’re going to play, we should play about something that matters in our lives right now. 

CHATTY CATHY DOLL: Like what?

I know! 

CHATTY CATHY DOLL: Uh oh.

Hear me out. I’ve been thinking about adding a little pink or purple in my hair for the past few years. But, I don’t want to bleach my hair to do it. Also, I’m wondering if I’m too old to walk around with that look.

CHATTY CATHY DOLL: So, what made you think of it now?

I just noticed L’Oreal came out with a new one-day color spray product.  You can spray pink or purple in your hair and it will wash out after one shampoo!  So if you don’t like it or feel foolish, one hair wash and it’s gone.

CHATTY CATHY DOLL:  So do it!

Well, I’m still kind of afraid, so…

CHATTY CATHY DOLL: You want me to do it.

Pleeeease????

CHATTY CATHY DOLL: Actually, I could use a change.

I’ll tell you what.  I’ll just do your bangs.

CHATTY CATHY DOLL: Deal.

Here I go…

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Wow!!!! You look amazing!!!!

CHATTY CATHY DOLL: Thanks. You know what?  I love it!  This is really uplifting and fun!

It was fun for me to spray you, too!  Like when we used to play barber, but better. Because this time you actually look good.

Did you notice you got some on my dress?

Oh. I’m sorry.  I’ll wash it.

CHATTY CATHY DOLL: Now spray some pink in YOUR hair.

Um…I’m still afraid. I don’t know…Should I do it???

Copyrightoverthehillontheyellowbrickroad2018

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Who still plays with their old toys?  Come on.  You can say it.

92 thoughts on “CONVERSATION WITH…MY OLDEST DOLL…Because I Still Love to Play”

  1. Go for it!!! I have to get the purple for my daughter. I never had a Chatty Cathy but I had Velvet & Chrissy. I think they’re still in my mom’s attic. I loved how I could make their hair grow by pushing a button. I’m still looking for my button. Oh well, I’d definitely play with them again 😄

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  4. I wonder if little kids are doing that to their dolls these days. I had to laugh about the hair. I think all dolls go through that. my sister’s doll had hair like that – patches missing and that “split ends” look. I like the look of your Chatty Cathy. My sister’s doll, by contrast, looked like something out of “The Exorcist.” It gave me the creeps. And it was one of those big walking dolls.I think our whole family (the kids, anyway) was kind of scared of it.

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  6. wow….memories! One morning, I woke up to see a very blurry (pre-glasses) vision of a little girl in my room, only to find that it was a surprise Chatty Cathy!! I don’t know when she deserted me for unknown destinations!
    But yes, go for the spray!!! It washes out!!! It will bring you smiles! We have to embrace new adventures! (Get yourself on a plane and come visit me!)

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    • I don’t know if I can handle colored hair spray and a plane ride at the same time. I might have a major panic attack. LOL. But I will plan for both soon! 🙂 And! There was a time when Chatty Cathy was the “it” doll for sure! Remember? Almost as cool as Go Go boots.

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  8. I used to cut the hair off all my dolls and then regret it a little. Go for it with the colour – the good thing about getting older is we can do what we like!

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  10. Chatty Cathy was one of my younger sisters dolls, along with the first Barbie. Unfortunately, like many of my own dolls, they both fell victim to my oldest sister’s poorly developing scissor skills. She told us that cutting their hair would make it grow back longer and thicker, the same words we heard from my Mother about our own tresses. Believers both, we waited for weeks for the bald dolls to regrow their glorious heads of new hair. Surprising both of us…they never did! Thank-you for this lovely visit with your own Chatty Cathy. May we never outgrow our love for dolls, I haven’t! The spray color on Chatty Cathy’s hair is a great touch, on her face it might be a bit much.

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    • Hi Ellen, the reason my Chatty Cathy has a bit of pink spray on her face is I have bad aim and sprayed it there by accident. Looking back, I guess I put my poor dolls through hell. On the other hand, I played with them A LOT so they had a good deal in that way. I appreciated the story your older sister and mom told you about cutting hair. It’s amazing we all grew up and are fairly normal. LOL

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  11. Oh that was so good . How do you come up with these ideas .. am anxious to know who comes next ..
    I loved the sprayed bangs .. and the bald spot on the back of her head was hilarious 😂
    Chatty Cathy and her ordeals in life .. lol

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  13. I have a Chatty Cathy doll in my basement in a box with my other dolls. You’ve taken me back in time, Cathi. How I loved playing with my dolls, and getting a new one each Christmas. I love your interaction with Chatty Cathy and her encouragement to get you to take the plunge with pink hairspray. I’ve thought of doing a streak in my hair, too. Now I’m going to look for the hairspray to check out the look!

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  16. Ah, dolls. My sister and I would get dolls for Christmas, one would be blonde, and the other brunette. After a month, my sister’s doll looked like it had just come home from the store, and mine would look like it had been taken on a 3 year trek through the jungle with no access to a comb, or clean clothes!

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  17. I had a Chatty Cathy doll too but I sure don’t remember her looking the same. Did he come with pigtails? There’s nothing wrong with staying like a child and keep on playing. We have to grow old but don’t have to grow up. I have been thinking about color in my hair too but I also want to change the style and I keep putting it off. I’m not sure what style I want and I’ve been thinking about it for over 6 months!

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    • Hi. I got my Chatty Cathy doll when I was six years old, so I don’t remember what she looked like when she was brand new. She might have started with pigtails. Also, maybe the look of the doll has changed over time? In any case, I agree that we have to grow old but don’t have to grow up. We should always be up for visits to Neverland. You and I should definitely take a trip there with purple hair. I’ve been thinking about changing my hair color for two years. 🙂

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      • I think I was about 6 also. My mom said they had to search all over to find one because they were the hottest item that Christmas. That would have been in 1964 or so I think. (Showing my age – but I’m proud of how old I am)

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      • I got my Chatty Cathy about the same year. I loved that you remembered your mom saying she had to search all over to find one. It reminded me of the 1990’s when Furbies were the “it” toy. I stood in line at 8:00 a.m. at the local toy store to be sure I got one before they ran out. The good old days.

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  19. I volunteered in a Charity Shop in Britain for a while. I was often found playing with the donated toys though I preferred to call it ‘testing’ them. Your hair will thank you …. do it 😊

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    • As you’ve probably guessed by now, I have neurotic weirdness when it comes to my hair (among other things). I have always had long hair and still do. (I’m 63.) When I go to a hair salon, I only get it trimmed. So putting “out there” color in it, even for a day, is extreme for me. But! I’m getting closer to taking the plunge. I hope I’ll feel as liberated as you did when you took a chance with your hair. 🙂

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      • Our hair is so much a part of who we are, it probably defines us more than our other physical traits. Going from long to short is a major decision and often seen as an act of rebellion or maturity or a rite of passage as we move to another stage in our lives, often at the end of a relationship or a much-hated job. I love the control I have over how it looks and when life gets me down, I get a new style!

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      • I’m lucky, my hair grows so fast so if I make a mistake I know in a month it will be fine. I used to have long hair too, I was also a hippy. I have to say, I feel more confident with it short. No hair to hide behind. I do occasionally grow it back to my shoulders, love the feel of the wind blowing it but then I get fed up with it and have it all cut off again! I think it ages me when ity longer.

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  24. You asked if anyone still plays with their childhood toys. I loved paper dolls as a child and still have my favorite ones. Sometimes I take them out and look at the beautiful costumes. I find that they help inspire me creatively. Really enjoyed this and all of the posts I have read. -Jill

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  25. I put purple in my hair quite often. I just turned 57 so I think you’re ok as far as age goes. 😉 I’ll let you know what I’m too old. ;P I don’t have to bleach my hair because I have some silver in with my brown. Actually, I have some brown left in my silver, but let’s not split hairs. Since there’s some silver in there it shows up fine but not too garishly because of the brown. I say have fun!

    Once I went a little crazy and did one side of my head totally. I started the part with midnight blue on top, then purple, then magenta. Just the right side. It was fun, but the best part was when a kid came over and told me he LOVED my hair, He was probably 20 and I figured that pretty much proved that I wasn’t too old and I couldn’t go too far…in a 20-year-old’s eyes.

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    • Linda, I’m so proud of you! That tri-colored hairstyle sounds awesome–especially the navy and magenta. You know, I’m too afraid to spray “out there” colors in my hair (no particular reason, I’m just neurotic), so I’ve decided I’m going to go to a hair supply store in my neighborhood and buy a purple or light pink hair extension. That way, it will clip on and I can take it out whenever I want. I guess it doesn’t matter what we do to look the way we want, as long as we get there somehow.

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  26. Go ahead and spray some ‘pink’ in your hair, Cathi…..And if not the pink, at least the ‘gold’ (it’s a really nice shade).
    Insider’s Tip – Avoid the ‘silver’. I tried it — DEFINITE MISTAKE!

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  27. Hi Cathi,
    Thank you for the invite to your blog, I enjoyed your allegory above & had a giggle as I too have wanted to go with a blue rinse in my hair for ages! I have naturally white hair now after being a natural strawberry blonde in my younger years…I too am wary…which is so funny because I started out as a hairdressing apprentice in my teens & all the senior ladies had the blue & rose hair rinses! Now its the young ones!

    I’m glad you enjoyed our time together over a cup of your favorite beverage & delicious treat, looking forward to our future time’s together…
    Jennifer

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