NIB

     So often when I am trolling e-bay for treasures, NIB appears.  It means "new in box".  Everything is worth more if it's new in the box, the original box, mind you, not some Johnny-come-lately replacement box.  Now I have been looking for furniture for Mary Lincoln's room for some time.  She is taller than doll house dolls.  1/6, in fact, not 1/12.  That's Barbie size however most Barbie items are not old fashioned enough to suit Mary's taste!  But Bill has found something New-in-box!

 As you can see by the label, "Wood Dresser with Mirror"  Made in Japan, not occupied Japan so pre-World war II.  About the 1930's.  The style is just exactly Civil war era, called Jenny Lind, after the singer.  I was so pleased and I confess, happy to spend the grocery money this week on it!  We have installed the new window, the wall paper and the dresser but not the curtains and the scenery outside the window yet.

Note the tiny soap on a tiny doily.  Hand-made lace decorates the mirror and lies under the bowl.  Each drawer opens and I now lust after tiny gloves, hankies, a fan, and comb and hand-mirror to put in them.  Some people are never satisfied!

     Last week the most successful dinner menu was lamb stew.  I wasn't sure Bill would like it.  There was some ground lamb left in Rose's fridge when she moved.  I carefully added garlic, finely minced red onion and smoked sea salt and pepper and made large meatballs of the mixture, then simmered them in beef broth, with carrots, celery and mushrooms and a couple of tablespoons of barley.  It was a big hit and made enough for two meals for us, just with salad and toasted rye bread.  Yum-o-la!
More about our diet next time.

Art Show

     I've been to the Waldron Art Gallery twice this month.  I went to see a 40 year retrospective show of the employees and former owner of Pygmalion's Art Store.  The store always advertised itself as the Art store owned, run and staffed by artists.  My Daughter worked there for years.  So two of her pieces are in the show.  It was a lovely show but I hadn't taken my camera and the place was really too packed to make picture taking feasible.  So Eliyah and I went after school.  However, my photography leaves a lot to be desired!

"Tree" by Jude Heichelbech

Artist - Jude Heichelbech

 

 This wet-sculpted cement dog was the work of Tom Zeta, I just love the look this dog gives you!

All in all, a very successful show!

     I have put my sewing in the downstairs closet.  I confess the picture makes it look cluttered but I feel very comfortable in there.  My projects are lined up in hanging shelves on the right.

     I have cut out a pink dress to sew.  I'd like to finish it this week.  I have a pink and white shawl I want to wear with it.  It's a very simple pattern with only three pieces.

 

Feeling grateful

     I don't know why but as I age, I don't sleep as well as I used to.  After two nights of interrupted sleep, I woke up grumpy at 3:30 in the morning and couldn't get back to sleep.  After several hours of trying I gave up and got up to get breakfast.  Padding around the house in bare feet, I went towards the dining room to get the big teapot and at the window I stopped, entranced.  Three deer, two does and a yearling were drinking out of the tub I've put out so that the birds could have water.  They were hardly 8 feet from me and with the room darker than the dawn beginning outside, they couldn't see me and I was able to watch them for about ten minutes.  Immediately I felt different, I felt grateful for the many good things, the birds at the birdfeeder, the sturdy wildflowers that bloom in spite of the drought and now a few deer.  I watched them until they moved on and then fixed breakfast with a different attitude.   Still feeling grateful, I went out in the evening to see the meteor shower though we are so close to town I usually don't see much but this year was different.  At 11pm I saw two but when I woke up again at 3:30 I saw 4 or 5, three big bright ones and two so faint I wasn't sure.  Then I came in, thoughly chilled and snuggled under the cover and went back to sleep again.

     Last week I showed you a picture of an inexpensive contempory doll (1989), cheap and not worth much he nevertheless intrigued me and I have been working on him this week.  Not entirely finished but here he is today:

       That's a cashmere sweater I've cut down for him, nickers and a newsboy hat, made from the material I've bought to make my fall suit.  Here's hoping I haven't cut off too much!  He still needs shoes, a bag for his papers and a white shirt.  Bill is looking for proper sized newspapers too.  I am very happy with how he is looking.
     For breakfast this morning I made an Italian omelette, with mushrooms, mozzerelli and leftover spaghetti sauce.  I liked it very much!

 

Pork fajitas tonight at 7pm, to watch "New Tricks" and eat in front of the tv.  We only do this on Sunday nights as a treat.

     I have been looking at my stats and was astonished at the number of people from other countries who read my blog!  Welcome to Russia, France, UK, Germany, Latvia, Ukraine, Vietnam, Canada, Sweden and Australia!  And anyone else who's interested!

New things

      In spite of my buying diet, things do come into my house.  People send me things, or give them to me when I help them move, or I just break down and buy them anyway.  Last month my sister-in-law came to visit me and I joyfully took her to all the antique malls, and of course, in the spirit of companionship, I bought a couple of things, noteably this mincey purse, so called because carrying it absolutely forces one to mince slightly with each step, it's so girly.  Saks Fifth Avenue too, so it's marked!

 And then my best friend sent me some Hollyhock seeds, in time for fall planting.  Thank you Ida!

 And these aren't new, I've had them for 50 years.  I asked my then new husband to get them for me when we were newly married and had bought a sewing machine for me to use.  "A good pair of scissors" I said as I sent him off to the store.  He bought the best, some Gingher shears.  I used them for decades, having them sharpened every so often, until they no longer worked, having been sharpened too many times.  We sent them back to the factory last month to be refurbished and for $7.50 they were fixed, sharpened and inserted into a new sheath and mailed back to me, good as new!  I was most delighted to have them back, like old friends.

 When I went to drop off stuff at Good Will, I could not resist going in.  I found a little china "trug" style basket for Mary Lincoln.

Now for some cut flowers to put in it!

But these last two I shamelessly shopped for and, though I put off buying the head for a month, eventually I caved in and went to the Seventh Street Mall and bought her!

She is only a head but I am getting ready to make her into a whole doll.

  
 This contemporary boy doll and Limoges tea or soup cup with miss-matched saucer just came along with.  The total was $21.50 so not a serious budget deficit!

I have been keeping the food budget at $70 or below each week though and it has so far worked out.  I'm worried that prices will surge when it becomes apparent that the harvest has failed because of the drought.  We are in the midst of it here.  Last night it rained all over the state but only a few drops fell here.
     Here are my suggested menus:
Today, big meatballs, small tomato sauce and miniscule pasta.  I will have as an appetizer hot spinach and artichoke and cheese  dip with french bread slices for the others.  I'll just eat mine with a spoon!  And a big tossed salad and canteloup and blueberries for dessert.
Tomorrow salmon, roasted vegetables, salad and low carb ice cream.
Tuesday hamburgers and salad and chocolate square.
Wednesday the second salmon dinner, about the same though I might just fix steamed broccoli instead of the roasted veggies.
Thursday Lamb patties with sour cream and cucumber sauce and a salad enriched with herbs and lots of cheese.
Friday an old favorite. Chicken Fajitas with refried beans but no rice.
Saturday we'll have chicken and herbed cream cheese sandwiches on low carb bread and pumpkin and peanut butter soup.  

     This is not all the stuff that has come into my house this month but I'll save some for later!