Saturday, August 11, 2007

In Search of a Tacky Housewarming Gift

A friend from work is having a house-warming party this evening. “Admission” to the party is a tacky house-warming gift. The tackiest gift gets a prize, according to the invitation. I wasn’t sure what I’d bring. I thought of the cow jigsaw puzzle in my basement storage room. The one I’d been carrying around for 11 years. It’s circular. It’s Holstein cows (you know, the black and white ones). It’s printed on both sides. It has 800 pieces. I’ve never opened it. This seemed like a golden opportunity to get rid of the damn thing.

Until this morning’s visit to some neighborhood garage sales. I made quite a haul of tackiness. First, there was the “miniature Americana” pots and pans set. Consists of a 5 inch long rack with little golden hooks to hang the little copper kettles and pans. Only 25 cents. Then there was the book “Uppity Women of the Middle Ages”. Got that for free. And of course, the 6 inch high snow person, with vest, made out of yarn, wrapped around three Styrofoam spheres. Ah, but saving the worst for last, for only 25 cents, a small conch shell with spikes, that hangs from a little brass stand with a hook. Inside the shell are little pink roses, with little pink beads and all tied up with little pink ribbons.

I’ll save the cow puzzle for another purpose. And I know JUST the person for “Uppity Women of the Middle Ages”.. I think the hanging shell will take the prize, whatever it is.. Tune in tomorrow for results!

4 comments:

Ed said...

I can't help but wonder who "just the right person" might be. I have a hunch, but who knows?

poodledoc said...

you may be right, ed......

Suzy said...

I'm just a teensy bit worried.

Now the cow puzzle … I know a soon-to-be college freshman who finds doing jigsaw puzzles meditative and in about 5 weeks will be missing Holstein cows more than she ever thought she would.

poodledoc said...

Bwahahahaha! Don't be worried. Really.

I have the cow puzzle in my hand, still wrapped. 520 pieces. Identical on both sides. But...the sides are rotated 90 degrees with respect to each other. Claims that it is "The World's Most Difficult Jigsaw Puzzle". I will drop it off sometime this week for above mentioned soon to be college freshwoman as a going away gift.