Bereft of Baubles

I have been collecting vintage/antique jewellery for about 20 years.  Mainly I concentrated on the Deco era and had managed to build up a lovely little collection of brooches, bracelets, rings and necklaces.  Lucky I started when prices were quite manageable and was able to pick up some bargains along the years.  Most of it wasn’t ‘real’ jewellery, it was glass and paste but it was all gorgeous.  I did get a few genuine amethyst & diamond rings and a bracelet with emeralds in it, but most of the value was in my enjoyment at looking at it all.

A few months ago someone decided to come into my house and take it all (they also fancied my tv and my video camera).   There were a couple of sentimental pieces I was quite devastated at losing but overall I coped with the loss quite well - only about 2 whinges per minute for the first 3 weeks.  I kept opening the drawer and looking at the empty spaces where I had it all displayed and felt quite cranky, but my real regret was not wearing it enough.  Now I look back and think Why?  why didn’t I wear the pieces more often and for no reason.  I was scared of losing it - well look how that turned out.

What is the point of owning beautiful things if you don’t wear them or display them?  It’s kinda fun to start the collection again without having to do any rigorous culling of what I already have (thanks burglar).  In some ways its actually re-invigorated my interests.  Looking back,  I was too worried to wear some of this stuff out in case I lost it or ruined it.  Well I damn well hope my burglar is mincing about in the stuff right now because it deserved to be worn and I never gave it that chance.  Oh and if any-one sees a burglar lurking around covered in vintage bling - it’s mine.

A little bit of Romance

My life needs some more romance in it.   More Sinatra playing on the radio, more candle lit nights and fresh bouquets delivered to my door.  I need a grove of orange trees to wander about in at midnight whilst wearing a pale pink satin robe and slippers.  My garden requires a rose covered arbour into which I am invited for flower filled afternoon teas.  How I long to be swept around a highly polished dance floor to some heartfelt murmuring french tune and drink champagne to cool down afterwards.

To have holidays in an old stone cottage in the green countryside and be presented with breakfast in bed, on a beautiful white tray.  Later to go off riding on a ruby red bicycle with a basket on the front filled with scented roses and stop to cool my feet in a fresh water stream.  Over a candle lit dinner that evening on the balcony to see a shooting star in the night sky and have diamonds presented to me as a special gift (beautifully wrapped of course).

Back home to my fresh smelling, beautifully arranged, light filled home for a cup of tea from an exquisite china tea service with pale pink macaroons to eat.   I would wear long silk skirts with flowers on them and cashmere twin sets and handmade leather shoes in jewel toned colours.  If my beloved thought I looked a little cold he would go and get my mohair wrap and gently lay it around my shoulders, without me even asking.   Then we could go for a walk in the moonlight.

Oh sigh.  I may not have much romance but it appears I have an extremely rich and active fantasy life.

Tagged again

I have had the pleasure of being tagged three times in the past week so I shall attempt to de-tag myself now.  First up is 6 random things about me from Ashe Mischief

• I own about 12 sets of pjamas
• I do not know how to spell pjamas, pajamas, pyjamas?
• I rarely watch television
• At my wedding I walked down the aisle to a ‘Frankie goes to Hollywood’ song
• The song was ‘The Power of love’ extended remix
• I live at the very top of a hill

 Next materfamilias has a meme for which the rules are;

1. Pick up the nearest book.

2. Open to page 123

3. Find the fifth sentence.

4. Post the next three sentences.

5. Tag five people, and acknowledge who tagged you.

 The meal came to an end.  “No coffee” said Thyrza apologetically. “One doesn’t want to be overstimulated.”

I’m sure you all picked up where that came from!! It is an Agatha Christie novel “The Pale Horse”.  I love to read Agatha Christie novels, as they are mainly set in the 30’s and 40’s and I like to pretend I am there - except for the murdering bits of course.  In between the murders which are not grisly, it’s all beautiful ladies swanning about in satin evening gowns and staying in country houses.   

Final tag is from La Belette Rouge and is an interesting and lengthy one.  Since I feel a bit indulgent talking about myself so much (you know so different from my ordinary postings) I’m only going to answer the first six questions.  I hope thats alright?

1. Last movie you saw in a theater?  Sorry its been so long I actually cannot remember.

2. What book are you reading? ‘home sanctuary’ by Josephine Collins.  Its a how-to book on creating the perfect space for body and soul.  I’m dreaming again.

3. Favorite board game?  Connect Four!

4. Favorite magazine? I love magazines I don’t think I could choose a favourite, it would make the other magazines too sad.

5. Favorite smells?  Home-cooked cakes, the world after it’s just rained, Lemon eucalyptus gum trees

 6. Favorite sounds? Kookaburras singing (or whatever it is they do), rain on the roof, children laughing, happy people

Food glorious food

If I had to choose just one food to eat for the rest of my life, I would choose cheesecake.  I am cheesecake insane - I need to go to Cheesecake Anonymous or something and get myself weaned off the stuff.  I have certain suppliers around town who help me with my habit.  There is a cafe just around the corner that I go to, but I start to feel ashamed after my second or third cheesecake takeout in a week.  So then I have to go further afield, hunting out restaurants and cafes with a good supply.  Also it has to be cafe cheesecake, it can’t be that inferior supermarket stuff.

Sometimes while I am finishing off the last of a piece I am already thinking about where the next bit is coming from.  I have made friends with someone I ordinarily wouldn’t, because she is a terrific cheesecake baker - oh the low depths I will go to for provisions.  People without cheesecake addiction wouldn’t understand why I do these things, but I have no control when it comes to this.

I have referred to past holidays as “the place that served the great cake” ahead of many other lovely memories.   I have photographed the cafe refrigerators containing the assorted cheesecakes as holiday keepsakes.   The varieties of cheesecake that are on the market nowadays, cookies & cream, Kahlua, rocky road, chocolate, plain,  ooh la la  - the world has truly benefited from experimentation in this area.  If it were in my discretion to present a Noble Prize (and it will be one day, I’m sure) I would present it to the inventor of cheesecake.

Since you asked…

This is a view of the hair, the pink stripe isn’t particularly visible (thank the lord) because I have washed it many times.  In fact this is a rather flattering shot, perhaps I should tape this photo to my head?

The pink stripe (which is at the right of the photo) really glows when I’m outside in the sun, but I’m hopeful it will fade and once it does I know I’ll want it back again.  Sigh.