My First Real Post of the New Year.

Hello everyone,

So good of you to drop by for a visit.

As my first mosaic stated - I'm not setting any New Years Resolutions again this year and will continue to work my way through my self care cards I received last year. Setting one particular goal on a month to month basis seems to work so much better for me. One month is long enough to really feel one has worked on the goal and hopefully commit it to memory.

The card I picked for this month as you see above - is Gratitude.
I was raised to say Please and Thank you - and while I really don't feel too deficient in this particular virtue; It certainly is one - we can never get to many reminders about.

With that being said - I wanted to tell you all about the wonderful surprise I received on Christmas eve. The mailman pulled up in front of my house and was carrying a package. Since I had received all the packages from my distant family - I was wondering what it could be.




This package arrived all the way from Germany - sent to me by my friend Johanna; who has a wonderful blog called "Silber & Rosen" (Silver & Roses) and if you haven't checked it out you really should.

This wonderful Sea Serpent plaque set my heart all a flutter - I just love him to pieces and insisted that Sir Knight get him hung up in a place of honor ASAP. So there you see him on the antique map of Odious, world we have on the wall in our Library. He looks pretty happy to be swimming around in those mythological seas don't you think? I thought he did.

My Dragon book mark is currently holding my space in "Women Who Run With the Wolves; Myths & Stories of the Wild Woman Archetype" by Clarissa Pinkola Este's, Ph.D..
The book and bookmark feed my wild woman side.

Thank you so much Johanna; your generosity knows no bounds and I am thrilled and thankful for your gifts; and I am especially grateful for you friendship.




Usually Sir Knight and I don't buy each other gifts - since if we feel we can afford it - we buy whatever we need when we need it - but this year he went ahead and bought me some great new punches. I am thrilled and delighted with them and can not wait to see what kind of flowers I can make out of paper with the McGill set.

Thank you dear Sir Knight - I will be using them soon. Never fear.




As you heard from Genghis on Monday - Sir Knight and I went to the Grand Opening of our New and improved larger Goodwill. It was pretty crowded - but I was still able to find a few Thrifty Treasures and wanted to take a little time and share them with you.

Whenever I enter any Goodwill I always head to the housewares aisle first. Mainly I look for any and all pieces of my Pfaltzgraff Tea Rose pattern - but I look at anything pretty. So anyhow - I found these two cute little trinket boxes in a delightful chintz pattern. The price was right at $0.88; so they came home with me.



Next I headed over to the wall of books and immediately found these great buys. The Renaissance Rat in me seems to smell a Renaissance book a mile away. Since I didn't have this particular one on Henry the 8th I was thrilled to find a $25.00 book for only $0.88. The one on William the Conqueror is not Renaissance - but how could I pass it up - as it was written by the same author and probably part of a series. and besides another $25.00 book for only $0.88 is a steal.




As I moved down the bookcase to the children's book I spied this great little Disney pop-up book about the Fairies of Pixie Hollow and I had to get as well. Fairies are always welcome in my studio and are acceptable reading for when my granddaughters come over. And the price - yep you guessed it only $0.88.

So for a grand total of $5.00 and some change for the Governor - I walked away with some really incredible finds.

Now I really don't mean to be too melancholy here but I do lament the loss of my Old Friend Goodwill before he became "the" in place to shop. When the rich and even most middle class folks turned their noses up at his treasures refusing to step into the store much less shop for used items.
Now Nate Berkus and his Friend Mr Goodwill Hunting have turned it into the Place to be. Brand new Cadillacs and Lincolns grace the parking lot and the rich flood the store, filling their carts to overflowing - making it difficult for the poorer & middle class folk to get in on the bargains.

Oooops, sorry, this has turned into a novella - so I guess I best get off my soap box and get busy around the house.


Hugs,
Penny

I hope you have most Pleasant 12th day of Christmas and a Wonderful 12th Night.