What Makes a House a Home? Gifts from Friends!

Yesterday I had lunch with my friend Kara, a truly lovely person who I don't get to see nearly often enough. Kara and I used to work together at [COMPANY] before she left to become a full-time mom.  I stayed on until recently when [COMPANY] was bought by [OTHER COMPANY] and I, like hundreds of others, was swept up in a mass layoff and dumped into the trash heap like yesterday's TPS reports, after 12 years of hard work and dedication. But I am not bitter.

While I was still with [COMPANY] and we were all waiting to find out if we would get to keep our jobs, there was a lot of reference to The Bobs scene in the movie "Office Space." Well, there was a lot of reference to it by those of us who love the movie, mingled with expressions of horror and pity towards those of our coworkers who had never seen it. (Seriously, how do you work in an office and not know this movie?  I submit that it should be shown by HR to all incoming employees:  "Yes, what you are about to see is a comedy. But it illuminates Great Truths about the absurdities you will be subjected to every. single. day. that you toil in corporate America.  And the sooner you accept this, the happier you will be.")

So instead my usual song of the day, I bring you "The Bobs:"

Tom Defends His Job 

(From the movie, "Office Space" 2oth Century Fox, 1999)

I've always believed John C. McGinley should get some kind of Comedy Achievement Award for his delivery of the line, "What would you say...ya DO here?"

I didn't have an exit interview quite so brutal, but I did find myself unemployed, for the first time since I was 15 years old. While this was a revolting development, it freed up all kinds of time and explains how I was able to purchase, build, paint, shingle, and almost completely furnish Ange's Dollhouse in a little more than month, and start this blog about it. (Note to potential employers:  See, this is the kind of results-oriented hard work, enthusiasm, time-management skills, and attention to detail that I bring to the table!)

Wonderful Things

So getting back to my lunch with Kara. She is the person who inspired me to blog a few months ago, when we had another lunch with some of our current and former [COMPANY] coworkers. That's when I found out that Kara writes a beautiful and very popular blog about crocheting, Petals to Picots, which I have been following ever since. I am in awe of her talent. She creates her own patterns - including one for the dolls below. I think they are absolutely gorgeous! The pattern is available at her Etsy shop:  Petals to Picot - Crocheted Doll Pattern

 Adorable Crocheted Dolls - pattern from Petals to Picots

After our delicious lunch, we were chatting over a cup of tea about what we've been doing, and I told her about my new hobby and the blog. Kara asked, "Ooh, do you want some stuff for the house?" and I was like, "Is the Pope Catholic?" (Stuff for the mini house is pretty much ALL I want these days. I'm hoping at some point I will regain an interest in buying other things, like maybe clothes and books and accessories for the house I actually live in. But for now, not so much.)  She disappeared into some part of her house that must be way more organized than mine, and produced this little tub full of tiny things, telling me to take my pick!

Now besides the fact that they are wonderful unto themselves, I'll tell you what makes these things so amazingly special. All of the items below came from a dollhouse that Kara's grandfather built for her when she was a child. The house is long gone, but it was much played with and loved by Kara in its day. The fact that she would share these with me is so sweet and generous that it brings tears to my eyes just thinking about it. I will always treasure them.

Beautiful blue enamelware dishes

Pots and bowls

Hip bath and pitcher

Miscellaneous kitchen accessories

An embarrassment of riches!

When you look around your house, it's the things that remind you of family and friends that touch your heart and make you the happiest. And now when I look into the Mini House and see these things, I will always think of my friend and smile.  Thank you again, Kara!!