Military Micro Machines

What are the holidays without a few toys?  I felt inspired to pull out some of my old military Micro Machines after the popularity of my Star Wars micros post.  There were few toys that my friends and I played with as often as these, and half of the fun was just provoking one another to attack and the following debates about who shot who.  For several consecutive Christmases and birthdays, Micro Machines were always at the top of my wish list.  As it turned out, it was a pretty good way to build a sizable collection.

The Triple E Antique Store

As I've mentioned before, the north railway area of Medicine Hat is one of my favorites in terms of aesthetics.  Its proximity to the tracks meant that it was originally home to a bunch of warehouses and services for the rail yard.  It's probably why I love The Triple E so much, because it doesn't seem like all that much has changed.

I actually used this location as a backdrop in my 2006 short, Educated Detours.  It's a really cool, visual and detailed place, although I have to say that the buildings could use some work.  After all of my research for Around the Hat, some of the antiques were particularly cool to see.  Items from Medalta and Hycroft, for instance, seemed more significant now that I've explored both locations.  The Triple E is jam packed with treasures though, and half of the fun is not knowing what you might stumble onto.  

I ended buying an old seabreeze fan from the 1950s for $10.  It turns out it was a pretty good deal, as I found some of them listed on eBay for upwards of $80, and it still works! Not that I needed much more convincing, but the find was just one more reason to appreciate the place.  If you haven't been, you should check it out. 

Vintage seabreeze fan I bought.