Okay, so I had my lil haitus from Christmas Posts yesterday and now I'm back... back to Christmas! I do Love the Holidays and everything about them... its just my Mind that wanders elsewhere... and well, all over the place actually! *LOL*
One of my Fav parts of the Holidays is that so many of the extended Family remembers to take and share Pictures this time of year. The Babies grow up so fast that when we cannot be there in person to Witness this, the Images give us glimpses of all that we're missing and the ability to see their Precious Faces! This is the Beautiful Princess AB who now lives in Texas and will soon be bound for England in early 2013 when her Daddy returns from his Afghanistan Tour of Duty! To the very same Military Base, Lakenheath AFB, that we spent several Glorious years at in the 60's & 70's! So you can be certain I'll want to see how much things have changed... or remained the same?! I'm so excited for them since the European Tours are so Enriching and Culturally Diverse as so many of the Countries are close enough to visit several, so a Wonderful Travel Experience. My Niece and her Husband are looking forward to spending their next Anniversary in Italy while they're overseas... how Romantic! The Princess AB looks so much like Princess T did at that age... two Peas in a Pod they are!!! Love and Miss you guys so much!!! *Mwahhh from Aunt Dawn!*
And as for me... this is the 1st Christmas in Memory that I'm not Working Crazy Mad Hours at a Career and Volunteer Work during the Holidays and so I've been reveling in alternating between all of the Holiday Revelry and languishing at Home all day in my Jammies doing absolutely nothing! Who knew 'nothing' could be so Glorious and Restorative!?! *Smiles*
But for those of us who are afflicted with OCD and ADHD the doing of 'nothing' doesn't come Naturally and takes Practice and Patience. I've been Practicing... I'm just not all that good at it yet though, I must Confess... and Patience has NEVER been one of my Virtues! I find myself in Jammie Garb... Allegedly Gellin'... and eyes darting about Bohemian Valhalla to see what I can Edit, Purge, Tidy or Style next or make a Vignette out of?!? *LOL* Whereas The Man can languish comfortably in his Recliner in a seemingly comatose state for hours or even days on end it seems... sometimes we check on him just to make sure he's still Alive and not doing a 'Weekend At Bernie's'?! I just feel like making sure he hasn't died in his chair and we didn't notice is a Wifely Duty, ya know?! I'm very Maternal that way. *Winks* With the G-Kid Force it's much easier to know all is Well... if they're still moving at Warp Speed past me in a blur, they're probably Okay!
And I've been able to Attend some Interesting & Fun Classes & Workshops with having a more flexible Working Schedule this Holiday Season. Having the Freedom to pursue various Interests has been a Welcome Respite from the daily grind of Work and Caregiving.
This one was all about Vintage and Antique Bears held at our Antique Mall... I Learned a lot about how to discern Valuable and Collectible Bears. Believe it or not there is a $7,000+ Bear on that Table peeps... yeah, I did say SEVEN THOUSAND DOLLARS!!! How Awesome would it be to 'score' something like THAT in one of your Goodwill Hunting or Junquing Forrays, huh?!? *LOL... Hey, in the words of hilarious Comedienne Judy Tenuta, "It could happen!"*
Yeah, you can be sure that my Friend Pamela, Prince R and I were really eyeballin' those super expensive Antique Bears so that they'd be seared into our Memory Data Banks for Future Reference! We're gonna be such a Wealth of Knowledge and nothing is gonna fly under our Radar during our Future Junquing Forrays!!! *Smiles*
And this Antique Bear had the Awesome Provenance of having a Lovely Sepia Photograph of him being held by his Original Child Owner back at the turn of the Century!!!
And I don't know if it's because of the Christmas Season, but all of a sudden anything Red or Green is just jumping right out at me Visually! Or at least moreso than usual.
And having more Time to Browse and Trawl the Shops during the Holiday has certainly been a Rush too... even though The Man and I aren't exchanging Gifts doesn't mean we can't Visually Enjoy the Special things that would be on our 'Wish Lists'.
And have the Bonus of 'Scoring' those Items that will soon Grace my Showroom & Loft Spaces... like these Adorable Lamb Chocolate Molds which will be perfect for Christmas or Easter. Whether to use in Culinary Creations or just to Display they are Sweet 'Scores' that I was Delighted to find!
And this was an even Sweeter 'Score' because I Rescued this Gorgeous pair of heavy Wood Vintage Foldable Tables curbside on Bulk Garbage Day where they would have been Landfill bound! *Gasp, Heaven Forbid!* There had been a trio but sadly one was broken under the weight of the garbage piled on top of it, but the duo was able to be Salvaged. These are SUPER heavy and The Man suspects they are Oak with a Cherry stain. They actually have hardware underneath that latches them together if you need to make a longer Table! Perfect for extra Holiday Serving Space don't you think?
And the Patina and Grain of the Wood is gorgeous... as are the Lion Foot Details on the legs. Funny what people will throw out as garbage rather than Sell or Donate isn't it? It saddens me to think how much has already been Lost to Landfills rather than Donated to a Charity, given away to someone who needs or could use it or put up for Sale. So that it could be Saved, Used and Cherished by those who Appreciate the 'Good Stuff' from days gone by or perhaps don't have nice things in their Home and would be overjoyed to Receive some.
There's just something about Beautiful Wood that speaks to my Soul... and Old Growth Lumber in particular is Amazingly Beautiful! To utilize that Quality of Wood now would cost a small Fortune!
{Getting down from Soapbox now... I know, I'm singing to the Choir here, YOU guys would NEVER throw such Treasures to the Curb to be carted off to the Landfill!} But I am Reminding fellow Junquers not to forget Bulk Garbage Day in your areas... you could Rescue some Awesome Treasures... you never know what folks will simply throw out... don't be too Proud to Rescue forsaken Antiques & Found Treasures from a Landfill fate!
Yes, being able to spend more Precious Time with Family and Friends this Holiday Season and participate in more Activities & Traditions Together sure has been the best Gift of all!
And I think I could really get used to this more Simplified, Pared Down Approach to the Holidays. And allowing others to Indulge us with their Delightful Holiday Excess in the Sharing of it... Thank You Always Mr. Bob Rix... visiting your Home has been a Christmas Tradition for 35+ Years now!
Some people just do Christmas Excess so well and in the Sharing of it they have brought so much Joy to others!
Blessings and Merry Christmas from the Arizona Desert... Dawn... The Bohemian