Bits and Bob

This is just another one of my posts of random drivel.



For starters, this post will be interspersed with pictures of a few of my pipe cleaner people. The first picture is of Bits and Bob. They grew their own food this year, and made their own clothes out of old suits.



The pipe cleaner people were made using a WONDERFUL book by Salley Mavor entitled, Felt Wee Folk. Hers are more complicated, as she wraps the pipe cleaners in thread. Mine are made following the directions for dolls that children can make.

Everything but the actual pipe cleaners is just bits and bobs of thrifted or found objects around my house.


In other random news..,

This morning when I took Zeke for his morning 'business' walk, I noticed that our neighbors cat was out. This seemed unusual, as the only other times I've seen their cat outside, they have been present also. And, this cat seemed bigger and more fluffy than their cat. I know. I cannot fool you for long. It was NOT a cat at all. It was a very large skunk. I want you to know that I CAN run. Yes, I can. Zeke had not wrapped up his business for the morning and we had to leave soon so I did have to let him out again. Business MUST be transacted. Sooo.., I carefully ventured out again, and as soon as we reached the business spot, the skunk emerged out of the bushes. This time, it headed right towards us! Aren't skunks supposed to be shy creatures of the night? This one is NOT. I am scared. I would welcome ALL thoughts about the beauty and necessity of such creatures, as I'm just not feeling it. But thankfully I am also not smelling it.

Another random thought, when the TV guy tells me that viewer discretion is advised for a particular show, it always makes me think that view discretion should ALWAYS be advised. Sort of like how cigarettes have the surgeon general warning. Apparently, being wise and discrete seem to have gone the way of the dinosaur. Which ever way that was...

Yesterday and today were my thrift/antique shopping days. Mostly, I'm pricing things. I found many many plates at Valueland for 79 cents a piece. The very same plates at the antique mall were very much more than that. Sometimes I wonder about how that all works out. Because at other times I find things extremely over-priced at thrift stores, and priced very low at antique malls. My advice to anyone who thrift shops? Stay away from the ones that have the word 'upscale' anywhere in their advertising. They truly don't understand 'thrift'.

See that ball of wool I'm using to prop up my little people in these pictures? It was 25 cents. I also found two old decks of children's playing cards. One for 15 cents and one for 39 cents. Those are the kinds of finds I like. Happy little surprises that can be had out of my change purse. I also found a wooden hat stand. Usually, hat stands have the NFS sticker on them. Not this one. It cost me 50 cents, even though it still had it's original $19.95 sticker on it from the Gift Barn at Robinettes.

Robinettes. My favorite apple orchard. Hot cider, pumpkin spiced donuts.., I LOVE fall! (and i hate diabetes.)

My Thursday was a bit over-whelming. First, when I checked the on-line obits, I noticed that one of the residents from the nursing home had died. While reading this, the mail came. In it was the last correspondence from the hospice facility where my dad died, asking after us and offering phone numbers for continuing services. Another piece of mail was from the nursing home, inviting us to a memorial service for the most recent residents who have died, including my mom. Ugh. Suddenly everything just felt heavy. I dragged that feeling around with me all day and could not shake it. Although I did learn that it is possible to actually feel a cloak of depression laid on one. I am working hard at taking it off.

Then on Friday, as I dropped my two ice cubes into my orchid planter, the thick lush green leaves ALL fell off. I know NOTHING about orchids, so maybe that is just what orchids DO. I do not know. Sometimes, diligence will get you nowhere.

Oh, well. It isn't that I didn't know that skunks stink, dogs poop, some TV shows are not good, thrift stores aren't always thrifty, people all die, orchids won't last forever; it's that I never before realized just how much I need to make silly little things to help myself feel better about things.

Silly little pipe cleaner people, holding on to dried pods that look like pumpkins -

make me happy!

(okay. mostly that just makes me weird. but a happy sort of weird. and i'll take that.)