Sad Lobster... or Be Very, Very Careful What You Wish For...

Yes, it's all true... this very, very sad tail.



In the throws of the Beanie Baby craze back in 1997 I made the irretractable error of asking the following of my mother-in-law in the midst of putting her on a plane back to Dallas.

"If you see any of these Beanie Babies during your connection in Chicago could you please pick them up for me?" Then gave her the list of the "few" I was looking for.

Because, you see, I had two little girls at the time and I was just trying to be a good mama Jones...

The following week several little critters arrived on my doorstep. None of them being the one's I had asked for but they were very cute nonetheless.



In the next few weeks boxes started coming in droves. And at first I think I went "Wow... Hee... Cool!" As the weeks progressed though... not so much. Because there were just SO many of them and my house was beginning to feel like a zoo! Because I'm talking BOXES!!! And THEN she began to include the receipts with instuctions to save them for insurance purposes (no doubt). But NO WAY did she pay $299 for a Beanie Baby! Yep, she did.

And then THE TRUNKS arrived on my porch...to keep them in of course. And within those trunks they still safely lie... and have for a decade now. Completely free of dust.

I think a couple of years ago I finally sorted them all out, making sure that both of my children had a complete set... and labeled their trunks accordingly. The rest and the extras... I tossed into the "various and sundry Beanie Baby basket."

Brought a "few" of them out just recently for a breath of fresh air...

Squeeze IN guys!

At any rate... Gramma passed on a couple of years ago. No inheritance was left to her grandchildren. Everything she owned had to be sold to offset her debt.

I don't let myself nag on it very often because I know how very much she loved them. Her grandaughters that is. And I have about 948 ways to remind me.

This handbook says that by the year 2007, most of the Beanies sold 10 years ago will be worth approximately $40 each... with a couple soaring to $300. I've also found that the handbook serves as a lovely coffee table display and also as a great ice-breaker.



So... any takers? Because seriously... a buck a piece... plus shipping of course.

Are We Smarter Than A Fifth Grader? **Updated...again**

In some ways, I think this question deserves a big resounding YES! I mean, for example, none of us would probably have EVER known where Chautauqua was in the Fifth grade... unless we lived there or something. Because otherwise, why would we have even NEEDED to know that?.. So I think that should be a question on that show, don't you? Just to show them that some things that Fifth graders don't know.. are STILL important.

But yes, I for one am WAY smarter in the ways of Geography than I ever was back then. And smart enough, for sure, to know that "Frisco's" not in Texas... *g*



Notice that there are still SO many places to stick those little thingies across this vast America and even into Canada, Hawaii and even Alaska too. Do you think he'd ever go to Alaska? I think that'd be very cool because I'd really like to learn more about Alaska, ya know? Particularly in August.

Anyway... this blog is dedicated to my good friend Sally Rand McNally who actually lived in Alaska once. Oh heck... she's pretty much lived everywhere once!

Map will be updated in a timely manner in conjunction with any and all knowledge acquired...

**updated as promised : )** 3/9, 3/13, 3/17, 3/24, 3/30, 4/2, 4/7, 4/13, 4/24 and 4/28.

**Note: It appears that this may be the final one. And look at all those vast and wide open spaces still unthingied...


Technorati tags:
Clay Aiken, Summer Tour

In Like A Lion...

Luckily I did my grocery shopping on Thursday, when all we were having to deal with were intermittent torrential downpours, flashflood warnings and icestorm residuals...

Compared to that, today seems like a piece of cake.

I'm glad that, at least for today, I am completely unrequired in the world. And I'm extremely relieved that I'm not in my ninth month of pregnancy or anything. As if.




But inside, my cockles are all warm...



A Tour! And a summer one at that! Seriously folks, there is nothing like one! And the memory of them is all it takes to wear away these winter blues. But I guess you'd have had to have "been there" at least once to completely understand.

And since I am snowed in today and have nothing else to do but reflect...

Disclaimer: Over the years fallen away Clay Fans have removed their videos from the internet so I've just done my best to replace them when possible.

Trifecta: LovesClaysVoice

Back For More: SLC

Tears Run Dry: 4192spooky via moi

Ya know how sometimes the senses can trigger major memories of the past? Kind of like how the smell of bacon can immediately transport you back to a time from many years ago when you awoke on a Saturday morning feeling safe and secure and knowing that all was well with the world?

Well, that's kind of what those videos do for me. Cause even on this very cold and blustery winter day I can still almost feel those beads of sweat trickling down my spine.