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At my local Ealing shop I encountered these three pretty dolls. I couldn't tell if they were genuine Barbies, but suspected than one of them, in a blue and pink gown might have been. We had this really funny phone conversation with a girl who takes care of collectible and valuable items. She asked me to look at the doll's bottom or the back of her head, see her tummy. Now I know why, having googled it. As it happens, one thing led to another and I discovered to interesting links to follow if you are into Barbie collecting or Faberge Imperial Barbie Dolls and Eggs!
This book went into the hands of an avid reader. I thought it may interest some of the people I know...
I have an amusing story to tell about the fancy dress in this picture. A middle-aged, Middle-Eastern looking man wanted to know the size of this dress, but there was no label so I put it against my front to give him the idea. It looked like a size 8 or 10 at the most, as seemed a bit too small for me. I asked the man what size his wife was. He did not know, but told me that she was much bigger than me, more or less his size. And he probably was twice my size (horizontally)....
The sweet she-dog was really cute. She was dressed in an amazing kit, a present from Japan brought by the owner's mother-in-law. The dog was absolutely adorable and so well behaved. However, I learnt she was sad because it was raining outside. You can always tell when she is sad or upset, as then her tail goes down. Normally it sticks up. The other occasion when it hangs down is immediately after a meal, I gathered!
I assembled this collection on a top shelf. The pineapple symbolises hospitality. I learnt about it at The British Library long ago. Albert Einstain's thought may appeal to someone, I thought.
See the two cups below? They are from Hungary. A friend who came to the shop was most surprised to find them here. A set like this was used in her family home in Budapest. How did it get to Ealing?
This bit of embroidery reminded my of one of my eldest living relatives. The auntie loved all sorts of needlework and made lovely pieces. One summer, when I was a young girl, I visited her. We went to the attic of her farmhouse and she showed me a lot of her beautifully embroidered linen. I was given a few pieces. I kept them in my parents' place. Will they still be there? I don't know...
My memory also took me to The Malahide Castle, north of Dublin. We went on a guided tour of the imposing historic building and were shown some impressive pictures created with a needle by the ladies of the castle. They looked like intricate paintings, really.
Another thing about today I'd like to mention before I switch off the lights at my desk is the most fortunate encounter with a lady who used to work as a social worker for decades. I told her about the homeless boy you may have met in my Monday post and convinced her to take down his phone number to pass it on to the right people who can help him.
:-)
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