Gross, huh? None on my hair, though. That’s the good news.

I also got these on a whim. Well, more as a knee jerk. I mean, for $1.99, how could I resist?

Amazing! No, they aren’t Lacoste alligators, they are dragons, and I believe they are the Canadian version. The cooler version.

And after some very careful consideration, I’ve decided to sew them onto everything I make, as a tag. I don’t know how many there are but I do plan on counting them, right after my coffee.

I just like china, it’s much nicer than eating of cheapo, crappo normal plates. I have 2 of the small saucer size plates and I also have one dinner plate that’s in pink and not from the same company as these ones. They are made in England by the Johnson Bros. And correct me if I am wrong but the smallest ones are the same that VCC’s mom had when we were kids. Another friend of mine’s parents collected 8 sided plates and she had an amazing and completely mismatched collection of beautiful dishes.

Anyway, I like them a lot and I’m willing to go slow and easy on this collection.

Yes, I still go there. No, the pigs weren’t organized as such, I did that. It was easy though, there were so many. These guys weren’t the only ones either. Or the ugliest.

See what they did there? It says “PIG” just in case you couldn’t tell what the heck it is.

Oh, I liked this part:

Ha ha! Get it? They’re charging $1.99 on an item that sells at Dollarama (the sticker is still on it!) for…a DOLLAR! Amazing, really,  I didn’t realize just how much junk from the dollar store could appreciate over time. I’m going back tomorrow to buy this kitty and it’s orange friend (not pictured) to save for my retirement.

Please, no one explain this small dish to me. I like it’s air of mystery.

Well. I did spend a few bucks. I got a book about card tricks and stunts for Shannon, a couple drinking glasses and a giant bag of spools of thread. And a zipper but the nice check out lady threw it in for free. I’m mostly psyched about the thread, I love the wood spools.

Lots of it is Coats and Clark, some are new. I have a sewing class this weekend, finally learning to put in zippers.

So why is it that all shoes seem to disintegrate at the same time? I mean, srsly, how does that happen? And it happened to Ari too this year!

Evidence #1  Gladiator boots.

To be entirely fair I got these (for free!) (from Janine!) when I worked at Stainless Studios so that makes them at least 16 years old. You can tell. They look toughballs.

They’ve been replaced countless times but I have never been able to bring myself to actually letting them go. I wore them today: they’re still comfortable. I like how the screws are getting worn out to. I plan to replace them with a pair of Palladium boots, but I still won’t throw them out.

Evidence #2 Rolling high heels.

These are about as old as the boots (also from Janine!) and have been my extremely comfortable go-to shoes forever. Now that I look at them, they’re sure not the prettiest shoes, but they’re practical. Then the heels exploded and I can’t wear them. But I would!

Those shoes have been to lots of fun parties and weddings.

Evidence #3 Chuck Taylor One Stars.

These guys have been replaced by 2 pairs of Vans and one pair of fancier Converse but I keep going back to them. They’re so comfy and gross and cute and I love them. I even almost bought a new pair last time I was at Target but talked myself out of them because these are still wearable. Almost.

I swear they don’t stink, none of them. I have lots of problems but stinky feet ain’t one of them.

I wish I knew what set of toys this fellow came with. I remember flat, plastic,  checkerboard floors (grey?) that walls (green?) slid into and I remember Nurse Nelly.  I think it’s safe to assume that there was assorted hospital furnishings too.

And if anyone was wondering, my birthday is exactly 2 months from today. Get crackin’!

But I did much better than that. First there was a bunch of my favourite kind of bedding, vintage floral silliness that you’d have found at your grandma’s cottage in 1978. It’s very specific, heavy, soft cotton that’s perfectly worn in. Score 4 pillow cases and a flat sheet that will potentially become patchwork quilts. Maybe.

And this, a perfect Spirograph kit. And to my extreme surprise and pleasure, it was absolutely complete, including the original pens (which, to be fair, don’t work anymore), all plastic pieces, instructions and a pad of blank paper. Amazing!

I did a couple the minute I brought it home. Ari’s quite intrigued, but I’ve made her promise to not touch it without my supervision. All this for $1.99 and that’s what I mean by good score.

(And the description of the process, from Ashley’s blog to help us understand:

“Shipley has hit honoured me with a blogging baton award.  Ms. Ship has a great blog herself where she often tells hilarious family tales and shares pictures of her gorgeous baby (who I am desperate to meet before she goes off to college).   Honest Scrap is blogger pat on the back by a peer or quite possibly it is the “friendship cake” of the blogosphere.  And I have given out my share of friendship cakes, let me tell you.

Now I get to share with you ten things you may not know about me, and nominate some other bloggers who I lurk, who will in turn do the same.“)

1. It looks like Shannon and I just might be allowed to get legally married. While I don’t want to actually start planning and be hideously disappointed yet again, it’s exciting to know that the ball that had been sitting in someone else’s court for years has finally been put back in motion. I have a huge file of pictures of pretty dresses and cakes and stuff to inspire me so I might start looking at those again soon.

2. I no longer have a best girlfriend. That long term relationship ended almost a year ago for a bunch of sad, silly reasons. We haven’t done the return of borrowed items yet (and I think we’ll just cut our losses) I can’t see it ever going back to the way it was, not even remotely. I used to be sad about this but now it’s gotten down to a weekly blip where I think, oh, I should call her and…nevermind. I miss the comfort of it, the familiarity, but I don’t miss the last little while where I felt judged constantly.

3. I have pretty good health over all and for that I am grateful. I don’t rock the boat by taking vitamins or anything, but I do exercise twice a week. And when I am stressed my body does do fun stuff, like seriously twitching eyelids. My ex would notice my eyelid dancing and he’d back off out of fear.

4. I get migraines. I think half the time they’re stress related and the other half they’re…just bad luck. Sometimes I get one because there’s a neon light flickering and I look at it the wrong way or it could be a very bright light, the sun suddenly in my eyes or a camera flash. My migraines don’t actually hurt, but I get a weird visual effect that means I can’t read or watch tv or do much of anything. Usually a couple aspirin help it go away and laying down in the dark helps too.

5. I am a technophile. It’s taken me a long time to realize and admit that, but it’s true. I love all my tech toys and my fingers itch to fiddle with my iphone, looking for new podcasts to download. I also love my sirius radio, kindle and ds. These are the things I pack on every trip I take.

6. For years I kept my hair short and bleached it blond. Now that it’s long, I like it much better and I can’t remember why I had it short for so long.

7. The last opera I saw live was a performance of Turandot, almost 4 years ago. I miss live opera very much and I see it as an extension of the years I spent going to rock concerts weekly.

8. The older I get the less likely it is that I will ever have a baby and I’m mostly ok with that inevitability.

9. I think about our trip to Panama every day and fantasize about living in the Kuna Yala territory.

10. My secret career goal is to become an ornithologist but I have no idea how to begin that process and will most likely keep it filed in my dream category.

Nothing profound, sorry. Now I pass the torch on to Shannon, Jana, Corrie and Ryan.

I got to tease him about getting old-he’s almost ready for that senior’s discount.

Then on my way home today from grocery shopping, there were 2 pictures propped up in the doorway of the Salvation Army store, someone’s generous donation. I tell you what, I am heading back there tomorrow for the bigger of the 2, the photograph of the big orange pussy cat. I’m thinking I’ll give it to Bill to decorate his new shop, lovely!

I like the kittens too. How to chose?