A Dapper star leaves a legacy

 

Movie Lovers View

 

Having just recently had another birthday and waking up alive I thanked the Lord for a new day.  I am luckier than many, especially it seems lately with   the famous, in having another day.  Sadly, again I am writing of a star actor who has died. He  had a part in my view of television as I grew up. Living in Montana now, I  understand  having a television in Wisconsin was a real gift that only a few had in the beginning.  My family used the TV as their entertainment and it became part of the culture of our family.  I grew up with the excitement of a new series being a big deal.  Television brought new worlds into our lives with its entertainment.  Even though I spent time weekly   watching   Efron  Zimbolist Jr. on 77 Sunset strip and later on the series “Remington Steele”  with his daughter, Stephanie and on “The F.B.I.” series. Only now, in reading his obituary have I   gotten  a small glimpse into the real man.   

It amazed me how our lives mirrored each other in tiny ways of which I will only mention a few. His family was of

"The FBI"

Russian decent which also is  in part   my background. His gift of music came from his great grandfather, grandfather and father. His great grandfather was a conductor.   His father was a violinist with the Berlin Philharmonic and later the Boston Symphony Orchestra. His mother was a known   soprano singer and later after his mother’s death his stepmother founded the Curtis Institute of Music.  His life work included introducing to Broadway   three operas he produced.. One of his operas he produced   won a Pulitzer Prize and the New York Drama Critics' Award.  He went to Yale for 2 years   enjoying  the freedom of the world.  Others can speak of his wild lifestyle during that time as he sowed his oats.  Not wanting to tell his mother of his escapades or his departure from college so  he moved in with a   friend   where   he worked as a NBC  page. He was not excited about “77 Sunset Strip” and for 6 months refused the offer.  He finally gave in but just saw it as a job. “I ended up with my life slanted toward television and I just accept that,” he said. “I think you play the hand the way it’s dealt, that’s all.” I have to admit “Kookie” the car attendant was my favorite.  Roger Smith was the crazy kid and Zimmerman the straight handsome glamorous dapper man in the show.  They won a Golden Globe in 1960.  He was excited for his second series. The series “The FBI’ mimicked the actual organization and ended with a most wanted criminal.  He saw the need for the FBI and was known to J. Edger Hoover, Later in 2009, the FBI honored Mr. Zimbalist with his own special agent’s badge, making him an honorary G-man in recognition of the contributions his show and his character made to the agency’s reputation. At the time .FBI Director Robert S. Mueller III   said , “We could not have asked for a better character, or a better man, to play his role” .He also was a   close friend of Ronald Reagan.  In my life I also had a very unique brush with the FBI as a teenager and understand how they work.   

.    He also  joined the service and received   a Purple Heart after being wounded. With the loss of his wife   of   cancer he left   acting to work with his father.  He also  appeared in the soap opera   “Concerning Miss Marlowe.”  He was   offered   roles with actors like Clark Gable and Spencer Tracy. His contributions to film also were many. Under Warner Bros. direction he was   cast  in several feature films, including” ‘’Home Before Dark,” ‘’The Crowded Sky”, “Too Much Too Soon, ‘’The Chapman Report” and “Wait Until Dark.” For me his most memorable movie appearance was as Audrey Hepburn’s husband in the 1967 thriller “Wait   Until Dark.”

If  you are young you may not know him from the old TV roles.  As he was good in doing, he reinvented himself again and in 1990 he started using his voice in roles the younger generation would know.

He was the   voice of Alfred the butler in the cartoon version of the “Batman” TV series.  He was quoted as saying that  cartoon , “has made me an idol in my little grandchildren’s eyes.”  He was also in Superman: the animated series, The Batman animated films   Mask of the Phantasm,  Mr. Freeze: subzero, Mystery of  Bat woman and  in the Spiderman animated  series he played Doctor Octopus.

He also shared his quiet faith with others using   his voice and   wisdom on the Trinity   Broadcasting Network.

His families announcement  sums him up well,  “We are heartbroken to announce the passing into peace of our beloved father, Efrem Zimbalist Jr., today at his Solvang ranch,” the actor’s daughter Stephanie Zimbalist and son Efrem Zimbalist III said in a statement. “He actively enjoyed his life to the last day, showering love on his extended family, playing golf and visiting with close friends.” He was 95 years old when he died on Friday, May 2^nd   and   what a contribution he made to the world of entertainment and to the world in general. 

 

 

 

   

 

                            

Congratulations TCM and Robert Osbourne!

I love chocolate and the outdoors.  I love people and   wildflowers. But my   all   time love beyond my husband and family is old films.  I am an old   movie junkie.   They make me cry, laugh, sigh and think.  They fill my day with the sounds, actions and music of a time gone by.  Oh, don’t get me wrong, I also love some new movies as well like Argo and Lincoln to name a few.   I enjoy that those old movies have so much content. They share their family,   values ,  their adventures and their troubles.  Life’s messages come on a reel of black and white or color.  Songs are sung with dance or opera or rhyme.  You get to travel to Africa, Australia and other places unknown.   

Being a lover of vintage I enjoy seeing the sets and fashion.  I also have watched the movie houses being closed and torn down. I read the obituaries of the film stars of the past.   I have read the stories of the loss of film destroyed by fire or fading away from light and dirt.  Twenty years ago that started to change when TCM was born from the idea of opening up the vaults and showing again those films of the past,  With that came the possibility of raising funds to digitally preserve those icons of the past.  It opened the door for me and others, young and old to enjoy another time and world.  Wise people found Robert Osbourne  to host the show with his wit, knowledge and connections to the industry.  So as TCM turns 20 years old I will say the slogan that seems so trite but true, “thanks for the memories”.   

Happy 20th Birthday

   

Happy Birthday's are a part of everyone's life and they definitely come and go.  We  often hear in the news what star, political figure or singer is celebrateing their special day.  With the last name of Kappelhoff  you might not even react when you hear she turned 90 yearsold  the other day. Her dream at 15 to have a career in dance was destroyed in a car accident. She spent several times in her life fighting depression, went on the road singing at 17, married young to a "psychopath musician" according to her memoir and won one Oscar.  She found love again and married for 17 years. After he died she found out he had embezzled all of her life earnings.  And yet she kept on smiling.
She started singng in clubs, on radio and later sang with the Les Brown big band of the 40's.  She became well known as a recording star on records . She was this perky lady who actted across from Cary Grant and many other leading men.  Have you guessed who it is?   She sang the song "Day by Day" and changed her name to Day because of the lyrics. Of course, by now you recognize her as doris Day.  That's right she turned 90 on April 3rd.    Can you remember the first time you saw her in a movie?  Her perky face, wonderful ability to be the "straight man" or should I say girl.  the won the Oscar for Pillow Talk but she made 30 movies from Calamity Jane to Julie and lastly "With six you get eggroll".   What a gift she gave us.  Watching those movies now I realize how timeless they are.  Thank you Doris for being willinging to put yourself out there and share your talent with us.

No Blarney in this St. Patty's history

Happy St. Patrick’s Day. As you wear your green and look for leprechauns here are a few things about this special day.

St. Patrick has quite a history of adventures including being kidnaped and held for 6 years. He traveled many places. How do we know these things? There are two documented letters totally or partially written by St Patrick in which he describes his life. One is called the Declaration and the other is a letter to soldiers of Corotius.

The history of St. Patrick contains quite a bit of folk lore. For instance the legion of him chasing snakes out of Ireland cannot be true. Scientists have determined there were and are not snakes in Ireland. It is one of the few places in the world with that distinction. The symbol may be connected to the fact that he was known to change heathens minds to Christianity. Change serpents to angels as has been said.
In many of the pieces of artwork found from St. Patrick’s time showing him wearing blue not green. Lue is often associated with Ireland and its flag. The change of color for his vestments may have something to do with the “emerald isles” of Ireland as they are often called.

If you are a betting person don’t bet that you can find a 4 leaf clover in a day or a week or a month. The chances of finding one is 1 in 10,000.
Did you know? There are more people of Irish decent in the USA than in Ireland in the 1900’s . In the 1900’s the Irish immigrated to the USA because of discrimination and famine in their country.
We celebrate St. Patrick’s Day on the anniversary of his death. He died on March 17th 461.
Did you know that the in the early 1900’s to 1970 St. Patrick’s Day was a religious day in Ireland and because of that all pubs were closed for the day in honor of him. In 1970 it became a national holiday and then it became a day to drink.
So whether you are irish or only Irish for the day if you are pinched for not wearing green you now can prove your origin by sharing these tidbits of knowledge.

http://www.rubylane.com/item/357173-101895/Charming-Kelly-green-Elf-w

A bit of the Irish

• 
  Happy St. Patrick’s Day!  Treat yourself to one of the   wonderful old movies that remind us of the Irish culture we all become a part of for St. Patrick’s Day even   if we were not ‘born Irish”.  One delightful movie is full of the Irish Brogue and is called   Little Nellie Kelly.  This movie is from   1940 and features Judy Garland & George Murphy.  Judy sings her own version of “Singing in the rain” and” It’s a great day for the Irish”.  This movie is based on George M.  Coan’s   Broadway   play.   Another   wonderful movie to watch is   My Wild Irish Rose from 1947 which was nominated for an Academy Award.  Featuring the tenor voice of Dennis Morgan & acting of Arlene Dahl.  It tells the story of Chancellor Alcott in the late 19^th century and early 20^th century.  Not only does it have the movie title song but also the beautiful ballad, “When Irish Eyes are smiling” in it.  And if you want leprechauns, dancing and song watch   Finian’s  Rainbow from  1968.  Featuring  Fred Astaire & Petula Clark it is a whimsical childlike quality.  Each of these movies will put the Irish spirit in your day and the Irish jig in your walk.

   

  

           I am a little pencil in the hand of a writing God who is sending out a love letter to the world.
                                                                 Mother  Teresa

:Sparkle Shirley Sparkle"

•            

 

Think of a girl with curly bouncy blond hair tap dancing and singing and your mind always goes to  Shirley Temple.  No matter what age,  whether you are 10, 30, 60 or 80 you have been somehow touched by her image or her talent.  The fact that there are DVDs out again in 2014  illustrates that point.  I could easily speak of her movies but I’d  like to share the other Shirley Temple who was hidden from the public eye but who leaks out of the pages of books and stories  written about her. Shirley was more than that talented child that director Allan Dwan was quoted saying, ''With Shirley, you'd just tell her once and she'd remember the rest of her life," ''Whatever it was she was supposed to do - she'd do it. ... And if one of the actors got stuck, she'd tell him what his line was – she knew it better than he did”, the director of Heidi said" As Shirley matured her life changed remarkably but each of her new experiences made her an impressive woman. When she found her film career was not going well she made a surprising announcement that she would retire.  At age 17 she married John Agar Jr  who had starred with her in Fort Apache.  She found out quickly that he could be a mean drinker  and philander.  She was forced to drive herself to the hospital when she went in to labor with her daughter Linda Susan. With the reality of her life she divorced and decided to retire from her film career to give her daughter all her time.  A year later she fell madly in love with Charles Alden Black a California businessman.  He was also interested in world economics and politics.  Shirley found she had a real interest in it.  She and her new husband had two children, Chuck and Lori.   Her next focus was helping others doing community service. When her brother developed multiple sclerosis she involved herself in learning all she could about the disease.  She went to the doctor with George to learn as much as she could. She found that more people needed to be doing research on the disease so she became co-founder of the international Multiple sclerosis Society.  She could be seen visiting at the hospital doing things like  serving meals and visiting tirelessly. Her focus was on them, never herself.  Later she was asked to be a UN delegate.  She saw that her film reputation helped her to be able to speak to many political  figures and she took advantage of that fact and became an asset to the UN. Later she became the Ambassador to Ghana.  She was able to help with the crisis there,  Her next  appointment was as  Ambassador to Czechoslovakia.  After arriving in Czechoslovakia she and her husband heard a group of youth demonstrating.  They followed the noise and ended up right in the center of the start of a revolution.  After escaping  to the hotel 61 yr. old  Shirley took a seat on the upstairs window ledge as the  Ambassador and  watched the event. She was spotted by the newspaper and she again became a new kind of leader.  The area of Prague was a political hot spot and she fought  a huge battle trying to free prisoners ,  fighting for human rights and working for democracy  behind the scene.  She worked for 20 years in service starting with Nixon and ending with Carter when he came into office.  Her ability to see and work through the complex issues of a foreign power showed the abilities she had.  One day she discovered a lump in her breast and returned to the US for a mastectomy.  She decided that she should use this recent crisis to make women aware of the need to take care of themselves.  She was the 1^st celebrity to speak of her mastectomy and cancer  publically.   She helped to promote self - breast exams.  Over the years she received many film awards including a mini Academy Award  but she lovingly said at age 80 that her greatest roles were as wife, mother and grandmother. "There's nothing like real love. Nothing." Her husband of 55 years, Charles Black, had just died a  few months earlier.  That curly topped singing dancing little girl changed the morale of the US during  the Great Depression  and gave us so much more in her 85 years that sadly is not often recognized. Thank you Shirley, you sure did do what your mother said   “Sparkle Shirley Sparkle” in your life.

 

BIG NEWS!!

Are you tired of the cold?  Tired of the ice?  Frustrated with the snow.

Wishing you could go to a garage sale....Well here is your chance 

Coming on February 22nd & 23rd, many shops on The Vintage Village  will be hosting a huge on-line yard sale

 

Keep the  days open  and get ready to browse. 

Changes in Sneezes and times

Pretty handkerchief from Vanity Flair Vintage

http://thevintagevillage.com/photo/hanky-vintage-1950-s-sheer-flocked-b-monogram-valentine-s-day?context=latest

 

As I sit here coughing and sneezing with what has become the annual New Year cold there was a knock at the door.  The UPS man stood there with a package in hand.   I was a bit surprised as I had not ordered anything.  Looking at the address label I found it was from my sister-in-law, Ann.  Thinking it was a very late Christmas gift I opened it.  Inside I found an envelope with a note and a couple of “things to treasure from a time gone by”. We had lost my mother-in-law before Christmas and Ann was breaking up the house.    In it were four embossed and embroidered handkerchiefs.  They were perfectly   ironed and folded.  Her request was to share them with the four little girl grandchildren as a bit of great grandma.  Perfume wafted up from the envelope as I held them.  I got to thinking about what she wrote.  With the tissue boxes and take Kleenex   packages that my grandchildren knew as a part of their life those handkerchiefs probably would seem pretty strange to them.  The other part of those hankies that would be foreign to them would be the time Mama   had spent ironing them.  Mama loved to iron and took it very seriously.  She ironed everything from sheets and pillowcases   to underwear for her family of seven kids and husband.  It was serious business   and I can remember my bewilderment when I learned she even ironed Papa’s underwear which my mom did not do.  Things have sure changed since then and I don’t know that either of my daughter-in –laws has an iron.  Guess maybe we will have to have a little lesson on ironing for the little girls later.  The perfume tried to fill my nostrils.  Ladies never left their house without perfume.  I remember my first bottle of cologne and later at graduation a bottle of special perfume. Definitely another time and a different  normal for me.  Memories are filling my mind and I will have to share them with the girls.  Maybe I need to give them each a new hankie of their  very own as well.    



                As I watch the contributions one man gave the world some thoughts come to me.

 

One small soccer ball and one simple gesture from a man  changed a country.

Imagine what could happen if each of us thought of ONE move to make

 

In the US wearing a team jersey is an act of pride

In South Africa that action spoke of reconciliation.

It became the first step of acceptance of the hated.

 

One act of allowing the world to hear of his son's' HIV

changed every  "HIV leper" into someone worth knowing and  gave HOPE to a whole country.

Just a few sentences changed so many

What could we do in our life that would do the same?.

 

One man spent 27 years, 9850 days in  jail and  still found a way to meet the challenge of   loving  his enemy.

He spent another 23 years, 8395 days meeting one person at a time, changing attitudes and teaching acceptance with love.

Imagine what could happen if each of us met 365 people in a year and met them with love and acceptance.

What a change that would be to our world and there's.

 

Nelson Mandela was no angel, he had flaws just like all of us.

His gift was his ability to move on, to live the law of love and illustrate it to all of us.

One handshake at a time, one soccer game jersey,  or one carefully worded sentence at a time.

Imagine what the rest of us could do if we followed his example.     

 

   

                                    Thanksgiving time....or was it?

Thanksgiving is over?  How was it?  Did you eat   bargains   or turkey?  Did you enjoy the day with the kids playing games or watching football or having a lively conversation? Or were you chasing the sales during the day or evening?

Now, don’t get me wrong I love a bargain.  I will participate in Black Friday and get up in the wee hours. I can chase the sales just like everyone else but this year I privately decided to boycott the Thursday sales. 

I spent several days before the big sales shopping for something to wear to an event and I overheard wives and mothers trying to figure out how to have their Thanksgiving   family gathering.  Each had one or more of   their children or spouses having to work or leave early to sleep so they could be up in the wee hours to sell. 

In so many ways the world is chiseling away at family time, the enjoyment of our holidays and one on one conversation.  Marketing has become part of our family and now they are planning how we have our holiday. People say they see what is happening, resent it but have no way to stop it.  I believe we can only fight these intrusions by letting businesses   know with one email, letter or phone call at a time.  Companies only listen when people complain or when the number crunchers see their idea does not work.  So I am speaking out my feelings.  I want to take my   Thanksgiving Day back and any other holiday they decide to   change for my family by letting them know I am not happy. I may be one small voice but after all Dr. Seuss did make all of us hear” Horton’s   Who”? Won’t you join me?   

 

 

NO, not that!

 

We are all in trouble.  The rules are about to change.  The battle of man verses machine is about to   change.  We are losing, I am sad to say.  To make it worse we can’t even protest.  It is so scary.

Remember   when you were going on vacation and the fight was on for the window seat in the car?  Remember when as a kid   no one wanted to take the garbage out and   you all decided   with a game who will take the stinky bag out.    Having a 9 year old granddaughter who has to make the big decision of does she want mac n’ cheese or ravioli for lunch reminds me of my childhood.  She pulls out the often used decision maker, “ennie, meanie, miney, moe”   and ravioli is the big winner.  The song is a bit different and to be honest much less racist that I grew up with but for children everywhere it still works.

But now with sadness I must tell you that soon the world of decision making for all will change.  Science has done it.  They have taken a bit of our childhood and are in the process of ruining it.  It has been announced that they have made a machine shaped like a hand that can play “rock, paper, scissors” with you and it wins 99% of the time.  It reacts to the movement of your muscles and can tell what you are going to show.  How dare they ruin everything!  Will the child in the back seat pull out their handheld scissor hand and win the seat by the window every time.  I think we need to protest!  I think I will start a petition   against the ruining of this long time game. We can’t let science and machines ruin this time honored game.   Let’s keep the child in rock, paper, scissors.  Let’s keep the “ hands” in the rock and the scissor.  We need sanity.  Won’t you help fight this atrocity!

 

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2487401/Rise-rock-paper-scissors-machines-Japanese-robots-reflexes-fast-beaten---technically-cheating.html

A pretty for a Fall table

 

Just right for your fall table this retro condiment table delights the eye.  Just the right colors for Fall.  Use fall colored cloth napkins and charger plates in many colors.  What a table that would make! 

See it at Carmel Collectibles

   http://www.rubylane.com/item/357173-41A72/Retro-orange-black-U-S

Falling leaves

Peaches and cream, minks, laughter and cake are memories I hold dear.  I love fall.  I  loved it even as a child.  I remember running in the leaves before raking the red, orange yellow and brown of the front yard. The tree lined street we lived on arched over the cars as they drove down our street.  Later as a teen the city had to take away the beauty because of a massive attack of Dutch elm disease.  I remember standing at our front cape cod window watching them tumble down with tears streaming down my cheeks.  We were lucky, for we had an oak that stood tall in our front yard and a maple next door.  As a child I remember staking out the neighbors pear tree in the fall in the backyard.  I watched for a pear to drop to the ground and made my dart to capture it before the birds got to it.  I never saw Mrs. S peeking around the curtain watching me.  Years later she laughingly reminisced of catching me and delighting in watching my siblings and I steal her fruit.  Years later I fell in love and he and I walked the streets of town and went to the neighborhood parks to kiss under the maples and oaks.  We kissed under the trees  the buds of the flowering crabs in the Spring, trees green in the Summer, and later under the reds of Fall.  So when we married, of course, it was an  October  day  with autumn in full beauty.  Orange and red were not colors acceptable for my wedding so I chose peaches and cream for the roses that were so beautiful in the Fall.  Our day was not the normal weather of  the season.  We had sun, rain, wind, sleet and snow on our day.  Some told us it was an omen of happiness to come saying we could weather any storm.  We honeymooned seeing the colors of the season in Wisconsin.  We kissed under the same reds, golds and yellows again  that year and  for 39 years. I watched my husband and my blond haired  granddaughter rake the golden leaves in the front yard from my living room window as they frolicked jumping in those beautiful leaves. My love of leaves has come full circle.  I do so love Fall and its fluttering leaves reminding me of the cycle of life.                

Gifts of love

Love...remember how you felt when you first fell in love?  I fell in and out of love in high school and eventually married my high school sweetheart several years later.  I remember the trip to the fair where my love gift was earned at the shooting range booth.  I remember the French valentine attached to my locker at school.  He was so proud of his being able to write Amour on it.  The gifts have changed over the years and so did the celebration.  I remember the romantic meals on the set up card table in the living room with fancy glass candlesticks and burnt food.  One year I got my Fontanni nativity set on the seat of the car after he  faked a sprained ankle and sent me out to retrieve something on the seat.  The homemade chocolate cake he made and put on a cut-glass plate that was more crumbs than cake.  As the years went on the creativity changed but the gift was never forgotten.  It could be jewelry, a pretty vase, a piece for my collection or a bouquet of flowers.  Many times I told him,  "just bring me one rose,  you   don't have to buy a whole bouquet" but he always said  " You are worth more than that, honey".  My favorites  are the homemade cards he  made when we were too broke to buy anything.   Such wonderful days and how wonderful to be loved. The lesson learned for me is the gift doesn't have to be from Kay's Jewelers, or from the florist it can be something small or tenderly written because it is about the action rather than the amount spent.  Happy Valentine's Day, honey.

My take on "When old becomes new again"

     Goodbye 2012......

Loving collectibles and antiques as I do I was interested in the end of year numbers for what has sold on the collectible site Tias.  As anyone who sells on line  "old junk" we all try and pay attention to what has "returned" and what is not "in" anymore.

Looking at 2012 from a sellers point  of view I saw jewelry as the big seller. When I looked at the "What was selling" area of  Ruby Lane, ebay and Tias I  found that fact frustrating as I do not sell much of the items. All year I have found the numbers  climb weekly. I also find it alarming that the cost of gold has made the allure of money and the economics of the time  more important than holding on to beautiful pieces that were placed on a lapel or a ring by our ancestors who cherished them.  What does that say about the attitude of the young about "old" in any category including people?   Those beauties of stones and gold are now gone forever I am sad to say. The reality is the stories are gone as well of family and how they were obtained.

I love pottery and not just one kind but many types and price brackets.  I cannot pass up a figurine with wonderful details and delicacy.  Just head to a dollar store or a huge merchandise store to see the lack of workmanship our young people are buying.  It lacks detail, quality and even weight.  Sadly each one is the same and  mass produced as well. The quality is just a sad reflection of the fact that buying a piece of technology is far more impressive to young people these days then finding a piece of our past made by a crafters hands. The beauty of a planter is definitely a plus when you are talking pottery.  Yes, there are some beautiful pieces of planters now but isn't it interesting that at my garage sale every year that is one of the items most asked for.  Maybe people realize the sturdy durability of the old pieces Grandma used.  In looking at my own selling numbers sales have definitely been slower of those pieces on line this year but they have been consistent.

I am in heaven when I get the chance to look at old toys and games.  I am definitely hung up on the memories they bring  I guess.  Interestingly this year I have sold quite a few.  I believe there is a renewal of the" old" slowly trickling into the market.  My thought is that some parents are seeing the unwanted influence of technology and are looking for a way to bring  family time back  into their life. "Game nights" and the resurgence of the remake of old standby games prove that in the trendy specialty stores.   Even though the WII has become a family favorite I believe there is also a sense of some wanting the next generation to learn how to do fun without the modern conveniences and in a simple way.  From my view my granddaughter was totally enthralled with a game of jacks on the front sidewalk and we played for a good hour.  I think that says it all.

Lastly, is the trend of vintage clothing.  Now there is where you see quality.  Goodness knows, we all complain about the quality of the mass produced new these days.  Hollywood has helped this trend upsurge, I believe.  Economics has helped as well.  People are now not as able to afford the price of the fashionable new and fashion has, as it always does, taken from the past so that has definitely helped vintage clothing sellers.  I am afraid the real reality is as the population increases in size the ability to wear the clothing of the past will become less marketable. Tiny waists and small sizes were the trend years ago.   So if we want sales we need to promote the diet and exercise push now in our market not only for sales but also for better health. 

So that is my take on the end of year evaluation.  It is not worth much I am afraid and is not done with the economics of numbers as math is not my God given talent.  It is just one lonely seller with a keyboard and an opinion. 

Check out my "The Vintage Village" blog for my page to see the numbers and what was in and what was out.            

Happy Anniversary

I had the chance to watch this movie again and it is just as good as it was when it first came out. A synopsis of the 2005 movie, Coach Carter, would tell you it is about basketball at Richmond High School, academics and showing youth the value of education.  It is excellent and should be shared with our children and grandchildren.  The lessons on values, what is really important and the lack of some to see that teaching our youth is more important than using sports to get ahead are a reminder of what many people believe.  Although, I do not embrace all that Marianne Williamson   has written this portion of the quote used in the movie speaks volumes. 

Your playing small doesn't serve the world. There's nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to  manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we're liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others. 

When I started my Carmel Collectibles Shop I had my husband pushing me to expand my world.  There were others who saw me as a foolish person, or a collector of “knicknacks” or junk, or someone not wise enough to be able to do it.  I took the step and am glad I did.  I have succeeded to have kept the shop open since November of 2005. I have lost a partner, closed a brick and mortar shop and have had very lean years.  Have I made oodles of money, no, but I have enjoyed what I have done.  Have I enjoyed the hunt, oh yes!  Do I have way too much inventory and could some say I border on hoarding, oh yes.  Do I still have nay sayers in my family who believe I should load up everything into  black garbage bags and walk it to the trash, oh yes I do but to them I say, no. 

It is another shop anniversary.  To my buyers and friends thank you for your support.  If you find something you like lower the cost with my blogger 20% discount.  Just mention the name ”coach”.  Why the blog about the movie?  Coach Carter defied the nay sayers and he believed in what he believed in and I hope I always do that as well and not let anyone  convince me this is not the right thing to do.  Happy Anniversary to me and Carmel  Collectibles.    

Most people head to the second hand store looking for items to buy but I also look for “the lookers”.  I enjoy browsing at next to new shops, The Rescue Mission, Goodwill and Salvation Army.    I love to watch people picking through the shelves of the Goodwill Store.  I have kind of categorized the people.  There is the   ”select picker”.  They lean over slightly with their hands on their back or at their side and they only pick up if they are truly interested.  When they pick up they don’t scrutinize the item they just take it.  There are the “lookers” who wander but never touch.  They just tip their head from side to side or elongate their neck to see the upper shelf.  They never seem to find anything to buy or hold.  Then there are the “grazers”.  They pick up, set down and pick up again.  Glance at the item and put it back.   Their cart usually has only one or two items in it.  Then there are the “grazers” who pick up everything they like and put numerous items in the cart and after they walk through the aisles they go back and put half the cart back on the shelf.  The ones I always am amazed at are those who are not intimidated by the search.  They are willing to spend an hour checking out the tubs piled high with items not on the shelf yet  or search piles of clothes to see what is at the bottom.  I call them the “bottom finders”.  Often they find a goodie way down underneath that no one else ever even saw.   And finally   there are the “collecters” who selectively look at items checking the bottom for marks or ringing   the edge looking for nicks.  You see them in there a lot and some days the cart is full and some days they leave empty handed.  The clerks know them and they exchange a hi or a smile.  Next time you head to the Goodwill Store play the treasure hunter game and see how many of the “lookers” you can identify.

It is definitely Fall.  My yard is 3inches deep in leaves so I have had to move my vintage garden containers to the shed for the season.  The tomatoes have been picked, My two cucumbers are waiting in the frig to be eaten.  I had fadja last night with some of my yellow and green pepper cuttings.  I did so love my little garden and will do it again next year.  Are you ready for cold and snow? I wish the gold and orange colors had stayed but our hard frost ellininated the seasonal colors.  I sure miss the Wisconsin  maple bright colors.So here are a few of my vintage garden shots.  

gardening in vintage

Fall is here and it is time to clean up my vintage garden.  Using vintage items in the garden has been so much fun this year.  I actually have had vintage items in my garden for years.  This cream separator has been a member of my yard for years and always finds itself full of flowers each summer.  Obviously my lab finds it a restful area to just relax near. My stove actually came with the house and in pieces.  We put it together and hopefully I never have to move the jigsaw puzzle and put it back together again!  this year I made a vegetable vegetable garden area and had some success gaining a few tomatoes, 2 whole cucmbers and some peppers in red and yellow.  I had a few failures like the peas that did not like their new home location and the squash that lost to the volunteer moss roses but still I think it was a success.  I will do it again next year. It was fun finding the iron pieces to put out in that garden.  Fits right with what I love!