Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Flexible and made to last.

Meet the Other Phone.
Flexible and made to last.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Forces sweethearts

If you have a family member in the Royal Navy, RAF or army, find support from other Mumsnetters here.

Original poster

Army quarter downstairs loo books!

40 replies

vintageteacups · 13/01/2011 10:16

Okay - so I've decided to build up a few books for the downstairs loo in my next army quarter.

However, I want to buy some really quirky, weird little gems that will make people giggle - mostly vintage books.

To start I've just found the 'weird books' section on www.abebooks.co.uk and pee-ed myself laughing at the book titled:

'All About Scabs'. This one, I will be buying for DH who has always, since he was tiny, picked his scabs!

So list me your quirky/strange/vintage type books that'll make me laugh and that I can still purchase. The smaller the book in size the better really - it'll only be a small shelf I should imagine.

I posted this on 'books' and someone suggested 'Knitting with Dog Hair'. Hmm

OP posts:
Asteria · 13/01/2011 10:28

very childish
Blush

bumpybecky · 13/01/2011 10:32

I was just going to post the same links Asteria! it's cheaper at the book people though, only £1

Original poster
vintageteacups · 13/01/2011 10:33

asteria - saved in my faves - love it!

OP posts:
MrsSnaplegs · 13/01/2011 10:36

The books published by the daily telegraph of unpublished letters are very funny and both small. Waterstones also tend to have a few funny little books by the till, I like the vintage military books they do, things like guide for US servicemen in WW2 etc

Original poster
vintageteacups · 13/01/2011 10:41

Hi Snaplegs it's funny you mention that because it was that exact book I saw when out shopping the other day in a homeware store. Will google some more then.....

OP posts:
Asteria · 13/01/2011 10:41

very proper! I am sure that this would appeal to any chap who found himself in your downstairs loo too!

Asteria · 13/01/2011 10:46

I am now obsessed with the wierd book room on abe books - you also need this

Saltire · 13/01/2011 10:48

Well in our RAF quarter we have "history of the British Army" aways raises a laugh Wink

Original poster
vintageteacups · 13/01/2011 10:57

So would I leave that oragami book in the loo or just use it to prepare my loo roll???......and then let nobody else see it so I have the edge on pretty loo roll Grin

OP posts:
Original poster
vintageteacups · 13/01/2011 10:57

saltire Grin

OP posts:
Asteria · 13/01/2011 11:05

I would put the origami book at the top of the pile and hope that guests leave you something pretty! My surrogate mummy has a brilliant downstairs loo - she has a little magnetic letter set and we all take it in turns to leave eachother messages/responses during our stays there!

Original poster
vintageteacups · 13/01/2011 11:09

Ah - so it's the guests that do the oragami - let's me off the hook!

OP posts:
Original poster
vintageteacups · 13/01/2011 11:09

ooh - how do I find the weird book room on abe books - can't seem to see it?

OP posts:
Original poster
vintageteacups · 13/01/2011 11:10

Found it!!

OP posts:
Original poster
vintageteacups · 13/01/2011 11:22

It's annoying they don't tell you what the books are about

OP posts:
Asteria · 13/01/2011 11:33

I googled them and managed to find a good description of most that way. The DIY sex toys book is HILARIOUS - it would just depend on the visitors to your downstairs loo really!

brambleschooks · 13/01/2011 12:03

You need the erotic dot to dot book. Very very funny!

Scootergrrrl · 13/01/2011 12:07

We have the social stereotypes books from the Telegraph. One of them has "The Officer's Wife"' in it Grin

Original poster
vintageteacups · 13/01/2011 12:29

Hmm asteria - don't think dh would approve of the sex toy manual (I was about to buy it thoughGrin)

scooter the whole point is that I was to debunk the 'officers wife' myths and actually give the people who visit my downstairs loo a chance to see that I am not the typical OW. I am postively quirky and think that people don't really see that in me - they just think I'm a bit odd I reckon.

I thought some books that are funny/vintage/interesting might make them differently towards me. I can be quite shy but funny books always give people something to talk about and give others an insight into what a person is really like.

OP posts:
Asteria · 13/01/2011 13:22

I know you want to debunk the myths and all that - but you MUST have a copy of Gumboots and Pearls in there too! (although as an aside - surely it is about time an updated version was brought out?)

Scootergrrrl · 13/01/2011 14:11

I wish you were on my patch - you sound like fun. We only have the officers wife stereotype book as I too am far from the flower arranging, pearl wearing wife Wink

Original poster
vintageteacups · 13/01/2011 16:09

I did actually buy G & P as I had never read it Asteria. I didn't think it was that well written and after DH read it, he said he thought it was geared more towards infantry and cav officers. All very old school and proper.

Thanks Scooter- I hope I'm a bit more relaxed and although I keep trying to make DH chill out a bit more (he's very into the whole tradition and rules thing), it's hard going.

I don't own or never will own pearls Wink

OP posts:
trumpton · 13/01/2011 16:27

Maybe not for the loo as it's a story but one of my favourites .the young visiters (sic)

Asteria · 13/01/2011 20:00

Ah - I'm from a heavily Cav family - once went out with a chap in the Infantry and my mother was HORRIFIED! Perhaps I will set to writing a new version!

Original poster
vintageteacups · 13/01/2011 20:29

whoops - sorry Grin

Speak to snaplegs too - she wanted to start a book modernising the Gum Boots and Pearls school of thought.

OP posts: