Do you notice a theme here?


I guess if I had to admit that I collect something, I would have to say that it's nutcrackers. Of course, I only display them at Christmas, but I can at least enjoy them for two months out of twelve. I can attribute my love of nutcrackers to two things in my past.

First, when Dad was in the military and we were stationed at Fort Polk (i.e., "Fort Puke"), Louisiana, we got to be good friends with his commander and his wife and son. They had been in the military long enough to have been fortunate enough to travel overseas, namely Europe, several times. Jane, his wife, became ultra fond of nutcrackers, and it was oh so evident. Instead of a myriad of gifts encircling their Christmas tree were a spattering of nutcrackers. These weren't just department store nutcrackers....these were Steinbach nutcrackers from Germany. All sizes, all heights, all colors, all themes. Gorgeous.

One summer we took a family trip with this family. Well if you can call it a trip we took "together"..... Dad and Colby actually rode their bicycles 250 miles from the base to New Orleans, and we women followed behind in cars. While there, we were eating one night at a restaurant over the Mississippi River. Over dinner, they announced that they wanted to spend the next afternoon shopping in the nutcracker shop a few streets down. Evidently, there was a store in N.O. which sold nothing but Steinbachs. Oh, if only my allowance fund was properly stocked up at that point! (Well, it still isn't stocked up enough for Steinbachs.)

The second thing which spurred my love for these little wooden contraptions was when I traveled to Atlanta by train in 1993 to actually see The Nutcracker performed by the Atlanta Ballet troupe. I had always been intrigued by this story, and I must admit the the half-held belief in the fantastical occurrance of one coming to life and being able to waltz around the room made my blood rush, and made my childhood last a little bit longer.

Some people get excited over hot chocolate at the holidays....I get excited about pulling out my stout soldiers and putting them out to enjoy. I also look forward to shopping around for another themed version. (Last year, I was actually able to find a bagpiper for Dad.) I know I can't buy one every year from now on....otherwise I'll be overrun with them and I'll be "one of those old ladies everybody talks about." I plan to quit one year soon, but not yet.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Ouch

So I tried one of Billy Blank's special series yesterday, called "Focus on Abs and Glutes." Today I'm having trouble sitting AND breathing. :0) I mean, I knew I was not as in muscular shape as I was before being pregnant, but I had no idea. I had no idea such muscles existed on the sides of my legs....nor did I realize that my obliques wrapped around my middle quite that far. Wow. I think I will hold off on the crunches today and just stick to a powerwalk outside. I don't think my muscle fibers will stand up to more so soon. Billy Blanks is quite a motivator. Though it appears as if he never once took a public speaking course in school, and even though his eyes are a bit harried and even a little bit freaky as they bore through you by way of the television screen, something about him makes you want to go, "Look at me, Billy! I'm doin' it! I'm trying! I can do it! Yeah! That's right!" You imagine that you're actually &qu
Read more

Part of the "Lost" madness.....

Yes, it's official, Ken and I (and many of our friends) are really addicted to this phenomenal show on television called "Lost." Silly as others may think that it is, all have to agree that the plots can be pretty compelling. The only thing that is frustrating is that, as Ken pointed out, there are more questions brought up in each episode than there are questions answered. How frustrating.... But that's what keeps their viewers coming back, and they know it (the producers, I mean). So anyway, to celebrate episode 12's airing (I think it's 12) last night, we had an informal "Lost" party of sorts. We got together some friends and all hung out, making biscotti and drinking coffee, and gluing ourselves to the screen as the plot (somewhat) unfolded. The thing that made us part of the "madness" is that we went all out by dressing up as our favorite characters. Ken was Jack, donning a white tee and jeans, scruffy face, medicine bot
Read more

Gaining inspiriation

I am a person who, well, dwells on the past quite frequently. I mean, I should've been a historian because I revel in history so frequently. I guess you could call me a "history buff," too, of sorts, though I do not collect Confederate swords or wax stamps from the Victorian era. Nor can I spout out verbally every turning point of the battles of our country's wars. I do admire those who are able to do such things, however, one of which being Dad. He is like a walking history lesson, and I always feel richer, wiser, and more well-rounded after one of his expositions. Though I adore history, and swear sometimes I was born in the wrong decade (I think I would have fit right into the times of the 1930s and 40s), I am not talking about that kind of past. The past I dwell on most frequently is my own, these (almost) 27 years that God has allowed me to live here on earth. The journeys I've taken, the experiences I've had, the moves I've made, the friends I
Read more