"Well you act like a child most of the time so why don't you write about children's television of the past," she replied.
Actually I made up the bit about acting as a child but she did say the other. So when I found out that Newsround is celebrating 50 years I thought that's not a bad idea and I can develop that a bit.
So who remembers Look and Learn magazines? Who remembers the newspaper aimed at youngsters? I need some help here as I can't for the life of me remember its title.
Years ago somebody I worked with said they had bound volumes of Look and Learn and she was going to throw them away.
"You can't do that," I said offering to take them off her hands. They were large and took up far too much space but I couldn't see them being put into a skip. So I had a good read and then found a good home for them.
Look and Learn was a wonderfully coloured magazine that covered many topics. It ran from 1962 until 1982 which spans the years when I would 1/ be delighted to have such wonderful magazines (1962) to 2/ I wouldn't be seen dead reading a children's magazine (1982). Now you can buy copies easily on e-bay for very little outlay.
Which takes me to the subject of part works. You know the thing - History of Mankind in 4,897 parts. I used to be an avid collector of these in the hope that they would appreciate in value. They didn't and not so long ago I tried to get rid of a 12 volume set of sports magazines entitled The Game. Despite offering to give them away, I had no takers and they did end up in a skip. The problem is the Internet carries more information on the subjects covered than the magazines did or ever could.
Which takes me to Encyclopaedia Britannica. Who remembers the salesmen who would come to your door and try to flog you numerous volumes at huge prices on extremely good terms (not sure who the terms were good for)?
I very nearly bought a set. Thankfully we didn't go ahead with the purchase and, of course, once again everything in those books is now on the internet. Indeed Encyclopaedia Britannica is now exclusively online. A number of years ago we stayed in a hotel in Staffordshire (I think it was Staffordshire). It was in the middle of nowhere in a wild stretch of moorland. The bedrooms were full of strange artefacts and the dining room was full of suits of armour. We sat in our bedroom watching the forest fires that were raging many miles away but which could be clearly seen in the distance but would never reach us.
Our bedroom had a full set of Encyclopaedia Britannicas. I was in my element (that's a strange phrase as I'm not sure which element I'm in although I did work for the Norwich MERCURY for many years). I could have stayed there all day. You can imagine the scenario. Being an old romantic I would get up at about 7 am and say to the other threequarters: "Would you like a cup of tea." I would then mash or brew the tea (depending on which part of the country you come from) and pop one on the side of her bed along with volume six of the EB. "Thought you might like something to read with your tea," I would say.
Incidentally the EB was first published in 1768 in Edinburgh - those Scots have a lot to answer for.
Now I feel that I have waffled on enough and you deserve a break. Problem is I have talked about some old publications and haven't even mentioned children's television which was meant to be my starting point.
Oh well that gives me something to talk about on another day. Just remember when people ask you what day of the week it is - the answer is it is always Blogday.