Last night we shopped for a cake, a new dog toy, and birthday party decorations.  Today was going to be the celebration of the sixth birthday of my beautiful Cocker Spaniel Checkers - our first child.  I was running his bath, and looking for him when I noticed the front door had been left open.  I looked out and saw Checkers lying beside the road.  I yelled for him, but he did not get up.  I screamed for my husband, who ran to his side.  He told me to stay away as he crossed the road, dropped to his knees and cried.  I watched then as he gently scooped Checkers lifeless little body up and carried him away.

I lost my Dad in December.  Before that, we lost our lifelong family pet our Cocker Spaniel Jasper at the old age of 18.  They say that bad luck comes in threes.  That must be true.  I feel right now that there is a hole in my soul that will never be filled.  My house is filled with one memory after another which right now are all unbearable.

Checkers was a brillant dog.  He understood countless words.  I could instruct him just like a human.  He loved me more than anything or anyone, and I felt the same.  He brought me through very low times, happy times, and those regular days that would normally not be memorable, but he always did something to make even the most ordinary days wonderful.

Each night Checkers slept by my side.  I would tell him to snuggle in, and he would get as close to me as possible.  My husband did not mind.  He loved and cherished him too.  Every day when he would get home from work, he would sit down, and Checkers would come and give him hugs and kisses. 

I see Checkers toys everywhere.  The kids and I had been playing with him this morning.  He kept me and my daughter company in her room as I put her clothes away.  She played, he watched her, and even helped bring me some of her toys as we cleaned up her room.  He loved my daughter so very much, and she loved him too.

We are planning an addition to our home.  We were going to build a window seat so he could look out on the country side.  Now he has a much bigger windowseat. I hope he is with his best friend Jasper, and my Dad, who loved him very much too.  All looking down on me thinking of hugging and licking my tears away.

As a Mom of two wonderful kids, and the wife of an outstanding husband, I try to juggle quite a bit.  I have gone back to work full time recently, and had hoped that I could keep juggling ebay and everything else (because it is my favorite hobby).  Alas, I am struggling with my juggling act, and need a break, so I am taking a vacation from ebay in order to spend time to get acclaimated to working again and in order to spend more time with my wonderful family.

I am sure that I will be back, because my various collections still need thinning out, but I am now going to have to resist purchasing more wonderful bargains!

At the Homefront, we have some listings coming up that you don't want to miss.  I am an avid collector of many things, but Bakelite and buttons are two of my favorites.  I have amassed quite a collection of vintage buttons, Bakelite, and various types of vintage jewelry over the years.  I have determined it is time to share more of it with others before my collections take over my home.

Stay posted over the next several weeks, add me to your favorites, and check back often if you are a collector of vintage buttons, Bakelite, or vintage jewelry!!! 

News from th Homefront.....

I haven't blogged much since the death of my Father.  It has been quite an adjustment for all of the family to be wihout him.  Daily I will see something, or recall a special moment and break into tears at the thought that I will never see him again.  But my life has gone on, and I am just trying to live each day in a way that would make him proud.

I have gone back to work on a contract basis working on a special project for a local company, and I am considering going to work for them full time.  Since ebay has been such a big part of my life over the past year, it will be an adjustment not ebaying on a daily basis, but since ebay is my favorite hobby, you will still see us at the Homefront offering up our found treasures!

My little girl has turned one, and is getting new teeth daily.  She has always had a winning smile, but is even more adorable with her toothy grin.  She is a fiesty one.  She really gives my son a run for his money!  They continue to be the joy of my life, along with my wonderful husband, and faithful Cocker Spaniel.  I truely am blessed.                      

My friend, who I lovingly call the Christmas Diva, is actually a lover of all holidays.  She especially loves to collect and send vintage holiday greeting cards.  At an estate sale earlier in the year, she picked up a rather large box filled with vintage Christmas and Valentine's Cards.  The estate was of a lady who had run a store out of her home in the 1940s and 1950s.  When she closed the store, much of her inventory was boxed up and stored in her basement.  Amazingly enough, her paper goods stored extremely well.  The greeting cards that my friend purchased were, for the most part, in their original store inventory boxes or cellophane.  They are mint condition with no water stains, musty smells, discoloration or other maladies that often plague old papergoods.

Throughout the month of January, watch our listings because we will be sharing the bounty of that purchase with you amorous lovers of all things 50s.  You simply must send  your Valentine one of these quaint little cards.  Considering the fact that most brand new cards average around $5 each, these vintage beauties are a steal at the pricing we are offering.  If you are a collector, let us know.  We have multiples of many of these cards, and most still have their original packing boxes.  We would be glad to set up a larger lot private auction for you!

Our Valentines are mainly Barker Cards of Cincinnati Ohio.  There are a few Norcross cards as well.  We also have some vintage invitations from Castle and Buzza Cardozo of Anaheim California.  All of the cards span the early fifties with some dated 1949. 

There are also several cards that would be suited to sending to an ex (wife, boyfriend, girlfriend, etc).  We have labeled these cards as Sarcastic.  But most of them are just downright mean. 

If you really want to get into the spirit of the 1950s, we also have several fountain pen sets from Waterman and Parker that most likely hail from the 40s and 50s.  Purchase one of these sets, and sign your Valentine with an instrument of the times!

We also have some wonderful highly collectible Christmas themed items listed, including a rare Dresden ornament, a gorgeous mercury glass tree topper, and a beautiful Tasha Tudor print.  We will probably continue to offer some Christmas items throughout the year, because it is never too early or too late to start thinking about Christmas!

News from the Homefront....

We celebrated our first Christmas since my Father's passing, and it was very strange.  Instead of the usual turkey and dressing, we had rib eye steaks (which was my Father's favorite).  Had he still been with us, he would have said it was one of the finest meals he had ever eaten.  My sister has taken on a Martha Stewart role.  She decorated our family home in such grand style right after Thanksgiving, so that my Dad could enjoy a little bit of Christmas before passing.  Our Christmas meal was planned out exceptionally well starting in mid afternoon with lucious appetizers and culminating in a dinner including home made salad dressings and steak marinades, and ending with homemade coconut cake.  We all stuffed ourselves and then felt a little lost. A family tradition had been to go to the movies on Christmas night - which my Father enjoyed most of all.  We could not bring ourselves to do that this year.

Shortly after Christmas, my husband's grandmother fell ill and had to be hospitalized.  Sadly, they found that she too, just like my Dad, was suffering from terminal cancer, and it feels like we are now reliving the same sad struggle over again. 

We are hoping and praying for better family health and luck in the coming year. 

Great Christmas Items...

We have chosen to part with our Pottery Barn reindeer plates, some Possible Dreams figurines, some sweet angel candleholders made in Japan, and several items that would make great Christmas gifts.  Keep a watch on our listings because we will add to them periodically throughout the next few weeks. 

Sad news from the Homefront...

I knew that the day would come that I would write about the passing of my Father after his valiant battle with Cancer.  This morning, while everyone was out of his room, my Dad fell into an eternal sleep.  We all spent time with him last night saying goodbye.  I believe that he took the opportunity this morning when he was finally alone to pass away peacefully so that none of us would have to see the moment of his passing.

My Dad has been bedridden for quite some time.  My sister decorated for Christmas before Thanksgiving, but my Dad never got to see it.  Our home looks like a winter wonderland.  In one area of our den, she set up a beautiful miniature carousel that plays music.  This afternoon, she turned off the carousel before leaving the house.  My cousin and I were sitting in the kitchen a few hours later and heard a very faint sound of music.  It turned out to be the carousel.  We like to think that our Dad has now seen the Christmas decorations, and he was just letting us know.