What riches come...
Dec. 4th, 2007 04:08 pmSometimes, one must simply bow their head in wonder and gratitude...
Master Tirloch and his lady wife (I include her even though she didn't know about it until he told her - she could have always vetoed the idea) have donated a laptop computer with all sorts of bells and whistles to the Pennsic Quartermaster's office and I cannot even describe the lifting of the storm-cloud stress that has brought. I'd no idea of how much it was nibbling at the back of my mind until the worry was erased. What a kind and open-handed gift! Now whenever I gain a successor, I will not have to be concerned about handing them a job more difficult than a sane person would agree to take on.
Thank you, Tirloch and Anne. Thank you very, very much.
Last night Opi came over with a bulging coat and from it he produced a card of 4 penguin decorated magnetic bookmarks, an embroidered pillow to leave in Arni's truck for long trips, a Chilly Willy christmas tree ornament, and (WOOT!) a gift card to Barnes and Nobles... I couldn't keep from grinning and grinning as more and more appeared out of his jacket. What a unique way to wrap a birthday gift! The decoration is overseeing my kitchen table right now and the gift card is in my back pocket waiting for the day when I need a pick-me-up...
I was in the midst of addressing holiday cards when he arrived so the glow of happiness was brightened for the whole night. I love sending my cards out (and if you think you're not on my list and wouldn't mind indulging me, please send me your address) almost as much as I love receiving them. It's good wishes and friendship symbols a person can hold in their hands. Whichever one of us is the first to read any card we get, s/he puts it back in the envelope so the other one can "open" it too - then I tape them up on the wall at our front door so the cheery greetings are there whenever we're arriving or leaving, or I can see them as I sit at my computer. This year I'm adding to our decorations so I can create a sort of frame around where the cards will be - our friends are slowly growing out of the card-sending habit and I need to do something so the wall won't look so empty. Arn's going to roll his eyes that I'm buying yet more decorations. After 31 years, you'd think we'd have enough!
I went out looking for a miniature tree. I've wanted one for years and have never found one but haven't really looked, either. I love miniatures* so the small decorations for trees that we see this time of year make my fingers itch. But the artificial trees I've found so far all seem to be made from the big branches used for the large trees (as if they'd lopped off the top of a big 'un) and aren't appropriate for small delicate decorations. I shall have to keep looking. What I'd like is something about 16 inches tall or maybe a tad larger that really looks like a tree shrunk small. Guess those are not as easy to locate as I'd like. Or maybe that's because I hate the crowds so haven't been going to the 'good stores' at the right time.
*Actually, I should say that I love 1/12 miniatures but haven't been collecting them in years, but along with that, small little somethings - like the tiny ornaments and earrings that could be ornaments - make me smile too. Okay, well, on thinking about it, "I love miniatures" really does work. I was t-h-i-s close to buying a little "keychain" miniature "pet store" toy just because it was so cute and I could tuck it into my basket to hand to a bored child sometime... I used to collect "Little Twin Stars" toy houses while we were in Japan but rowdy friends and children kinda killed that collection. *sigh*
Master Tirloch and his lady wife (I include her even though she didn't know about it until he told her - she could have always vetoed the idea) have donated a laptop computer with all sorts of bells and whistles to the Pennsic Quartermaster's office and I cannot even describe the lifting of the storm-cloud stress that has brought. I'd no idea of how much it was nibbling at the back of my mind until the worry was erased. What a kind and open-handed gift! Now whenever I gain a successor, I will not have to be concerned about handing them a job more difficult than a sane person would agree to take on.
Thank you, Tirloch and Anne. Thank you very, very much.
Last night Opi came over with a bulging coat and from it he produced a card of 4 penguin decorated magnetic bookmarks, an embroidered pillow to leave in Arni's truck for long trips, a Chilly Willy christmas tree ornament, and (WOOT!) a gift card to Barnes and Nobles... I couldn't keep from grinning and grinning as more and more appeared out of his jacket. What a unique way to wrap a birthday gift! The decoration is overseeing my kitchen table right now and the gift card is in my back pocket waiting for the day when I need a pick-me-up...
I was in the midst of addressing holiday cards when he arrived so the glow of happiness was brightened for the whole night. I love sending my cards out (and if you think you're not on my list and wouldn't mind indulging me, please send me your address) almost as much as I love receiving them. It's good wishes and friendship symbols a person can hold in their hands. Whichever one of us is the first to read any card we get, s/he puts it back in the envelope so the other one can "open" it too - then I tape them up on the wall at our front door so the cheery greetings are there whenever we're arriving or leaving, or I can see them as I sit at my computer. This year I'm adding to our decorations so I can create a sort of frame around where the cards will be - our friends are slowly growing out of the card-sending habit and I need to do something so the wall won't look so empty. Arn's going to roll his eyes that I'm buying yet more decorations. After 31 years, you'd think we'd have enough!
I went out looking for a miniature tree. I've wanted one for years and have never found one but haven't really looked, either. I love miniatures* so the small decorations for trees that we see this time of year make my fingers itch. But the artificial trees I've found so far all seem to be made from the big branches used for the large trees (as if they'd lopped off the top of a big 'un) and aren't appropriate for small delicate decorations. I shall have to keep looking. What I'd like is something about 16 inches tall or maybe a tad larger that really looks like a tree shrunk small. Guess those are not as easy to locate as I'd like. Or maybe that's because I hate the crowds so haven't been going to the 'good stores' at the right time.
*Actually, I should say that I love 1/12 miniatures but haven't been collecting them in years, but along with that, small little somethings - like the tiny ornaments and earrings that could be ornaments - make me smile too. Okay, well, on thinking about it, "I love miniatures" really does work. I was t-h-i-s close to buying a little "keychain" miniature "pet store" toy just because it was so cute and I could tuck it into my basket to hand to a bored child sometime... I used to collect "Little Twin Stars" toy houses while we were in Japan but rowdy friends and children kinda killed that collection. *sigh*