Okay, so I freely confess that sometimes when the G-Kid Force is excited about something and telling me a Story I'm not paying close enough attention if I happen to be busy. Such was the case when the Young Prince came Home one weekend from his stay at the Aunty's House dragging a large Black garbage bag behind him that he claimed was full of Treasures...
I was busy Cleaning and Foofing Vignettes such as these first two Images, so only half listening as he excitedly regales me with his Story of this Old Lady he helped his Aunty pack up for a Move. He tells me she told him he could pick ANYTHING he wanted from her Treasures as Appreciation for all his hard work and how much he Appreciated her Stuff. He wants to unload said garbage bag full of Treasures in the midst of my nicely Styled and Cleaned Room so I tell him, "Not now, maybe later...", assuming that some Sweet Old Lady had let him pick out some inexpensive little Chachkes that a Child might Cherish and be over the Moon about receiving, but I didn't want all over the house right now.
Yes, I know, Bad Gramma... I had dampered his Excitement & Enthusiasm, I didn't deserve not one Treasure in his bag of goodies... but in Childlike Forgiveness he was still intent on GIVING me any of these Treasures he was so Excited about "Scoring" that I might want or like he says!? Life gets Busy & Hectic, I forget about the bag... so Fast forward a couple of days as he's dragging the big Black garbage bag around and finally unpacks it for an Adult Guest who shows Interest in his Story and bag of Loot. And as he's unpacking each piece I realize OMG... these are indeed Special Treasures that this Generous Elder had so Generously bestowed upon him!!! Holy Mother Of God, had I known I wouldn't have let him tote them around the house for days in only a Black plastic garbage bag for protection & safekeeping!!! *Gasp!*
I'm also feeling mighty Guilty and Convicted for putting him off and not at least feigning Enthusiasm when he first wanted to show me and tell me the whole Story! Sometimes we do that with People don't we, fail to give them our Full Attention... especially the Very Young... Heavy Dose of Conviction now laying upon me!!! And not just because he had some Great Stuff he's pulling out of his humble bag of loot... but because I had underestimated the Boy, his Intelligence and his ability to spot & Appreciate the Good Stuff.
You'd think after the Persian Rug 'Score' his Lil Sis had Picked that I'd know by now that when the G-Kid Force tells me they've 'Scored' TREASURES I would KNOW that they were telling the Truth! Not perceived Treasures in their own Innocent Inexperienced Eyes, but the Real Deal and I should be paying Attention and Trusting their Discernment and Good Eye... they've had Exposure and they are Interested and becoming more and more Knowledgeable in the Good Stuff!!! But lets face it, though us G-Parents Adore our G-Kids and have a Wealth of their Home-Made Art and actual junk they consider Valuable laying all over our Homes too... we don't always want an Avalanche of it and so at times we draw the line on how much can be kept and/or displayed... or maybe that's just me? *Winks*
And now Prince R is re-telling me his Story and the Details he had tried in vain to add on before I had been too Busy to patiently Listen before... preoccupied with my tasks at hand and too tired to bother giving him my Full Attention at the time. *Blush of Humility!* "Well, Gramma, I had TRIED to tell you... this Old Lady was Rich and lived in a McMansion so she had a LOT of Good Stuff! When I was packing for her I was telling her about the Stuff I recognized and knew something about and she was Impressed that I knew what some of it was or that it was expensive or valuable. She was telling me Stories about her Stuff and said that I could have ANYTHING I wanted for helping her and working so hard!!! She kept trying to get me to pick out MORE but I didn't want to seem greedy or take her Best Stuff." God, I Love this Kid, what an Old Soul and Sensitive Spirit he is, he would have helped this Old Lady for Nothing, with no expectations of Reward or Payment & he didn't want to Exploit an Elder and initially declined her Generous offer... and yet she had insisted on Blessing him Richly & I'm certain it gave her Great Joy to see it going to a Kid who Loved it as much as she did!!! And I especially liked the "McMansion" reference to a Modern Oppulent Custom Home! *LOL*
Even though this piece had condition issues he knew it was a heavy, good quality Metal Crown for an Antique Infant Of Prague since we have several in our Collections at Home so he instantly Recognized it as something I'd Love. Often the Crowns go Missing so it's always good to have a Spare... and what Diva doesn't Love Styling with Crowns & Tiaras anyway... we don't have to have a Purpose or Reason? *LOL* High Five Prince R... Good Eye, I LOVE IT!!!
And look at this Adorable Porcelain Couple... Prince R was particularly excited about these pieces... he thought they looked European so he was confident they were Good Stuff like what Great-Nanna {My Mom} would have Collected. *Smiles*
They aren't what I usually Collect, but now the Provenance of the pieces and my Grandson's Joy and Excitement at Working for and Picking them made them a Precious & Priceless Family Story... so I'll keep them Safe and proudly Displayed for him until he's ready to properly care for them himself in his own Home. Just like the Persian Rug 'Score' that one day in the Future Princess T will take to her Home and tell her Kids & G-Kids about 'Scoring' curbside when she was Six too.
I Can't believe these Delicate Fragile Treasures all survived the Black Plastic Garbage Bag Experience!!! *LOL* Because it was all packed & stuffed in there and unceremoniously dragged around by an 11 year old Kid for days!!!
But Prince R wants to know more about his Treasures and since these aren't my 'Thing' perhaps any peeps out here in the Land Of Blog with Knowledge can Enlighten him as to what he has? I thought they were somewhat Meissen-like but not quite that Quality, I don't see any distinguishing Marks that would Identify their Origin so I'll just call them Victorian Style Porcelain. He Loves them so we're keeping them & it really doesn't matter.
And Prince R is an avid Bird Lover so he really liked this Sweet Scissor Tail Flycatcher Porcelain piece and has always been somewhat bothered that my Antique Italian Tole standing Bird Cage only holds Morroccan Tea Glasses used as Votives rather than a Bird... so in the Cage it went! *LOL*
Yes, the G-Kid Force think Gramma a bit Weird that I Love Vintage or Antique Bird Cages with Candles flickering or Chandies hanging in them rather than Birds! *LOL*
Note to Self: Clean the Bird Cage too! *LOL*
And speaking of Sweet Birds... here's the Treasure Prince R Values most of all... a tiny Glass Hummingbird...
That was nestled within a small felt lined Metal Treasure Chest shaped Bank from Las Vegas...
Which is certainly fitting because the Young Prince certainly was a Big Winner!!! *Winks*
Blessings from the Arizona Desert... Dawn... The Bohemian