I’m Done with Winter’s Shenanigans

I was reading some poems about spring to get me in the mood, when I saw the word shenanigans and thought about what a fun word it is. It might be just a bit too much on the mischievous scale to truly describe the vileness that is winter, but maybe it’s how I need to think. We need winter as much as we need summer, especially in Colorado; it’s when we get a great deal of our yearly moisture to see us through the summer. We sure would take warm weather for granted if we hadn’t been shivering in our slippers just a month or two before.

I went looking for these before it snowed last Wednesday, per schedule:

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My snowdrops are always the earliest of my flowers—even beating the dandelions!! I’m ridiculously happy to see them when they show up late February/early March. They are tiny but mighty and even if they get snowed on. their message is that spring is just around the corner—hang on! And you know, that’s just about the time of the year when you need to hear that.

This is a mostly benign post, I really don’t have anything too bad. We all need to have a break now and then.

First up, something sparkly:

There was a whole shelf of very nice crystal and glass serving pieces that were priced reasonably. This elegant bowl was just $9.99 and you know the previous owner paid way more than that. It wasn’t even chipped and has a pleasing pattern.

This sugar and creamer were right next to the bowl and we felt sad that no one wanted them. We don’t buy crystal or glassware very often for our Etsy stores; it just doesn’t sell. And, we’ve found that there is a limit on how much we can rescue and stash in our houses. You know, there really isn’t much difference between glass and crystal—crystal is usually stronger and thinner because it’s made of 2-30% minerals along with the glass. I like putting glass in my windows to turn purple (from manganese interacting with sunlight and iron) because I love purple and no one wants the glass anyway. It horrifies glass collectors, but there are fewer and fewer of them every year as far as I can tell, so sue me!

If you are wondering if something is glass or crystal, crystal is usually thinner and always “rings” when tapped, or you can run your wet finger around the rim to make it ring.

We haven’t seen any doggies like these before:

They were made in Japan, which doesn’t surprise me at all because they are kind of goofy! I have to wonder what the B!tch did to the poor Husband to make him so worried about breaking a dish! My goodness, he’s doing dishes, be happy! The Student seems a little angry to be a child, but he does have the short shorts, so that’s settled He’s up to something and I wouldn’t trust him an inch.

Kathy and I couldn’t figure out why the Play Boy has a pink ribbon and looks three sheets to the wind, but maybe that’s how he looks like after a night on the town. B.H. theorizes that the pink scarf is to help with his hangover pain. The Dreamer looks half-asleep, so he must be on the verge of thinking up something innovative! I guess we should have bought them for our Etsy stores because someone on ebay is selling The Dreamer for $24.95.

This album cover made me laugh:

I’m not sure exactly which dance they’re doing since they’re separated by a column of words and look like they’re doing the slowest, lamest dance possible. She is a real live Barbie and he is the kenniest Ken I’ve seen in a while. And while we’re at it, who learns to dance the merengue from a record? B.H. and I had to take lessons at the YMCA before we got married to just learn how to fox trot! A rumba would be totally befuddling before YouTube.

We love looking at coffee cups:

I have a female relative who this would be the perfect cup for, but she would never own it; that’s the thing with high maintenance people. Kathy and I reassured each other that we aren’t high maintenance, and then just left it on the shelf for someone more self-aware than us.

I bought a big bag of vintage sewing things:

These are the reasons I bought the bag, even though there were things that I want to sell, too. Kathy and I both have a thing for vintage sewing kits for some odd reason. They are just so tidy, tiny, and useful; that’s what appeals to me. The plaid one is the older one and the blue one is more complete:

I think that there were probably some buttons in the left one, and a pair of tiny scissors that have wandered off from their tiny triangular plaid holder. But, it still has its red plastic thimble in the center, which is awesome. I love how supplies are tucked under the little straps and they just stay there. The little hard plastic case still has its scissors, tweezers. and needle threader. They aren’t valuable, but somehow I find them so satisfying.

Thanks for reading and I hope you all find your sliver of spring this weekend; it’s coming!!