The Enid Blyton Society

I know this isn't the 'full' version because only the first edition can be classed as that, but this edition does have the extra five chapters, as I have this edition myself.

Not a bad price.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Adventures-of ... SwaEhZLZbM

If you're thinking of me there, Rob, I very much appreciate it, but that dust jacket isn't in good enough condition for me to bother. As you say, though, good price.

I was partly - but think maybe there were some others, too. I agree about the wrapper, although if I bought it I would soon fix it at the back with paper!

Rob Houghton wrote:I agree about the wrapper, although if I bought it I would soon fix it at the back with paper!

And then all the purist collectors would have the screaming horrors.

I don't care! I'd sooner have a wrapper that looks good than one that's falling apart and gradually gets more ripped!

I know - I'm a right pleb!

Courtenay wrote:And then all the purist collectors would have the screaming horrors.

We've always said "the screaming habdabs".

Anita Bensoussane wrote: We've always said "the screaming habdabs".

Never had those before... I'm sure they're much worse.

I've always thought it was 'screaming abdabs' - but maybe that's just Brummies dropping the 'h'

I just checked the Collins Dictionary and Oxford Dictionary online. They each contain "habdabs" as well as "abdabs". Collins lists the two versions separately but Oxford has "abdabs (also habdabs)".

I have always thought it was "abdabs". My goodness, we do have some strange words in our language, don't we!

Its funny - one of those words that as a kid I thought grownups I knew had just made up!

rather like people saying 'behopes he does' as in 'better hope so' - well, I think that's what it means. people might say 'behopes it doesn't rain' or 'behopes its a good dinner' or 'behopes the party goes okay' etc etc.

Is this just a Birmingham/Midland expression?

I've never heard of screaming habdabs or abdabs, but they both sound pretty scary!

Rob Houghton wrote:I don't care! I'd sooner have a wrapper that looks good than one that's falling apart and gradually gets more ripped!

I know - I'm a right pleb!

My thoughts exactly. If a wrapper is torn where's the sense in letting it get worse if you can patch it up and preserve it? A repaired dj is better than one that's fallen to bits. For what it's worth, to me the wrapper on that book is in a more than adequate condition, I'd mend it up a bit then pop it in a protective clear cover and it'd be good as new in my opinion .

Naaah, still not convinced myself, not least because I don't have the time or the skill to do a decent repair job on that dust jacket! My dad could — he works in a library and is really good at repairing damaged books and dust jackets — but he's in Australia and I'm not...

Rob Houghton wrote:Its funny - one of those words that as a kid I thought grownups I knew had just made up!

rather like people saying 'behopes he does' as in 'better hope so' - well, I think that's what it means. people might say 'behopes it doesn't rain' or 'behopes its a good dinner' or 'behopes the party goes okay' etc etc.

Is this just a Birmingham/Midland expression?

I've never come across it here in East Anglia.

We do have the screaming habdabs though.