Monday, August 15, 2022

Sweet Twisted Sisters And Their Bad Mama


A few days ago Jessie and Lily and I decided to get a pedicure this morning. We asked May if she could come because she does not work on Mondays but she needed a day to herself after a long hard week of work and boy, do I understand that! So it was just the three of us and the girls wanted to get together fairly early, ten o'clock, which for me means I have to leave the house at 9:30 and that's about the time I'm really waking up these days. I mean, I get up earlier, but I just mess around for a long time, drinking coffee, reading blogs online, reading the news online, doing a crossword puzzle- online. 
But actually, it turned out that it was no big deal at all and I was the first one to get to the nail salon. From Lloyd to the middle of Tallahassee only takes me about twenty minutes if I use the interstate. I usually go the back way down Buck Lake Road but I decided to get on the Big Girl road today and it wasn't busy. No problem at all. 

We had such a good time getting our pedicures. We laughed so much. We even made one of the pedicure-givers guffaw a few times. I probably shouldn't tell you this but we can get quite ribald when we're together. To put it politely. I've been thinking lately about how my role has changed so much when it comes to being with my kids. For so many years I was the MOM, the one who always had the last word (well, sometimes, mostly) and was the absolute authority on everything. I was a grown-up. I knew shit. I never pretended that I knew everything but I knew how to drive and write checks and all that adult stuff. And that was a very specific role. Now, I am not in charge of anyone's behavior, my kids know far more than I do about a lot of stuff, and I don't have to pretend that I don't know anything about profanity or sex. 
It's great! 
There were quite a few "that's what she saids" today. We are easily amused. 

After our pedicures we went to a local nursery. I was looking for a few very late tomatoes to try and see if we could get in another crop before it freezes and also, two plants to put in the beautiful pots that Mr. Moon gave me for Mother's Day. 
There were no tomatoes which was not really a surprise, but Lily found a few plants she wanted to take home and Jessie found a cactus that is called something that has the word mammary in it, that had the prettiest little blooms and I got a bird of paradise that has two plants in one pot to put in my beautiful green planters. 

And then of course, off to lunch! It took us at least ten minutes, sweating in the parking lot of the nursery to figure out where to go. It was ridiculous. We ended up at a sports bar place, believe it or not, that Lily had been to and liked. I saw an ahi tuna salad on the online menu and that looked good to me. And it turned out to be pretty good although the girls both ordered Brussels sprouts which I cannot stand. That is a food that no matter how it's cooked, tastes wretched to me. As soon as the kitchen put those little green hockey pucks on the stove, we could smell them. 
"Y'all's Brussels sprouts are stinking up the whole restaurant!" I told them. They didn't care. I tried a bite of one of Lily's because once more I was assured that the way these were cooked made them delicious. 
No. It did not. They were still Brussels sprouts. And what a bizarre name. Do they come from Brussels? I suppose they must. But to my mind, that is one more "s" than is necessary. 
My tuna salad was delicious but not terribly healthy. I enjoyed it though. 
Mostly I enjoyed being with my funny wicked girls and I wish May had been there because she is the wickedest of all of us. 

I went to Publix and the lady at check-out asked me what I had planned for the rest of the afternoon. I stood there for about twenty seconds wondering if she really wanted to hear about me carrying the groceries in and putting them away, etc. I finally said, "Well, obviously I have no idea." 

Last night's trapping was another possum and believe it or not, Maurice got herself in there too. That was before the possum. They did not share the cage. She hasn't been acting any weirder than usual so I guess she wasn't too traumatized. 

I have been trying to do a little research on Dorothy Anne to at least find out her age. She does have a marking on her neck but Google image search is not showing up with anything. Well, a few death masks if you must know, which is a teeny tiny bit weird. 


I have discovered that she is what is called a composition and cloth body doll although I cannot find that specific marking online. I'll try again later. But I do think I found a doll who looks very much like her from the 1940's made by the Ideal company. 



I know that my doll has no value on the market. She is cracked and her body cloth has a hole in it. The fabric is so thin around that hole that I am afraid to try and mend it. I think that I will just treat her with great and tender gentleness instead of trying to "fix her up." She does still have eyelashes! 

Two more pictures just because I like them. 


Koi in the nursery's greenhouse pretty little pond. 


Jack the cat. I was making the bed the other day and instead of disturbing his nap on a pillow, I just laid the pillow that goes on top of it over him. He did not even wake up. 

That's it for now.

Love...Ms. Moon

28 comments:

  1. Lovely day! What it must be like to have daughters! I have a son who doesn't get salty with me because well, woman and that!

    I had a good time researching that porcelain doll's markings too. I expect her new mom will get further, though.

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    1. It is WONDERFUL having daughters. And I understand what you are saying- Hank and I can be frank and open with each other but not on quite the same level.
      Dorothy Anne's head is not porcelain, but what they call "composite". I guess it was a pre-plastic material. Almost all of the dolls I've seen like her online have cracks and broken fingers. It was probably pretty sturdy but the years have taken its toll.

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  2. Google told me she is a Horseman doll. I googled "copyright H. C."
    Your day with the girls sounds perfect.

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  3. It must be great for Jessie and Lily too - observing their mama becoming a girlfriend and a very cool one at that. I hope you'll get some quality time with May in the next couple of weeks.

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    1. I don't know that my girls think of me as cool but they do certainly know that I am fairly accepting and definitely not a prude!
      May and I need a mother-daughter day for sure!

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  4. https://www.google.com/search?q=%22little+buttercup%22+horsman+doll&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjzjeSlq9_MAhXCdz4KHakdBkQQsAQIHA&biw=1680&bih=953

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    1. I think you're right although the mouth is different. It is so hard to tell what she originally looked like because of all the aging and, I assume, love that she has experienced.

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  5. H © C – Horsman – H copyright C
    I believe Linda Sue is correct that it's a Horsman doll. Same marking on
    the neck. Check eBay for Horsman dolls. They have some neat ones from
    back in the day. They also reproduced some of their older ones back in the 80's and 90's. My Mom had a huge doll collection that I inherited. She delt in dolls on the antique market, so I got to learn some of the history of dolls. If you ever would like to have your doll restored, I have the name of a fabulous restorer of old dolls. You'd have to ship to Ohio, but she'd gladly do it. She would look brand new. She does wonderful work with composition. She wouldn't look so scary. But some like keeping the doll as is and I get it. Let me know and I'll shoot off her facebook page and you can see her work. She's extremely reasonable, too.
    Paranormal John

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    1. Thank you for that information! But I really don't have much desire to make this old doll look like new. I want to love her as she is, gently and tenderly. And once again, I am sure that I am projecting my feelings onto an inanimate object- I, too, want to be loved for who I am, wrinkles and all. Is that weird?

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  6. https://www.facebook.com/dollhospitalandshop
    Paranormal John

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  7. The markings are wonderful. I knew if she had open/close eyes, she must have markings.

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    1. She also used to say "MaMa" I think. She still makes a tiny rusty little noise when I raise her up and down and you can feel the old box inside of her.

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  8. Aww, Jack with the sweet little crossed paws! Lola does that sometimes. I had to pull back from my screen to realise those were fish in a pond. (I need new glasses) I thought is was an abstract splash of colours at first.
    You could men the hole by finding the firmer thread in a wider area and hand stitching a patch? Or spread glue on a piece of fabric and glue it over the hole. Or not. I didn't know she was cracked too.
    Your day with your girls sounds wonderful. I've never had a pedicure. nor a manicure.

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    1. I love it when cats cross their paws. They look so elegant. As I always say- cats are all super models.
      Yep. Koi in a pond. There is a sign that says, "Do not touch the fish." I guess these koi are really tame.
      In looking at Dorothy Anne's cloth-skin, I can tell that it is all very fragile. I've had some experience with mending fragile material and it seems to me that one patch (handsewn, of course) leads to another as even the mending stress the fabric. And yes, she definitely has cracks.
      I think you should make an appointment with a friend for pedicures. You will not regret it!

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  9. I'm with you on the Brussels sprouts - yuck. I tried grating them raw to make a salad with a wonderful sauce but nah, still yuck!

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    1. Ugh. Raw. No thank you. There are plenty of other delicious foods to eat.

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  10. I used to like brussels sprouts, small ones steamed. This was before people started roasting them. I ate them roasted once or twice but that particular way of cooking them came just as I was turning off them. Don't like them now, steamed or roasted and don't eat them anymore.

    Sounds like a fun girl day.

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    1. That's a great thing about being a grown-up- you do not have to eat one damn thing that you don't want to!

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  11. I like Brussels sprouts.
    From the comments, I see there is info on your dolly. It is fun to find out about her history.
    It is nice to hear about your fun day with your girls! Sounds wonderful!

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    1. It IS fun to learn about vintage dolls. There is a lot to know, too!
      I had a terrific time with my daughters. They're the best.

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  12. Olga loves to fall asleep under pillows. And Birds-of-Paradise should be beautiful in your pots!

    I like Brussels sprouts, actually. I think they're like cilantro -- some people like it and some hate it, and that has to do with variations in the way we all taste things. Some people think cilantro tastes like soap, and some think Brussels sprouts taste like old socks. I don't really taste either one that way, though, which I guess is why I like them.

    Interesting about the doll. I'm trying to imagine what HC could stand for. Probably (something) Company. Hasbro? That's a wild guess.

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    1. Oh, just saw the comments above. So glad that mystery is solved! Little Buttercup!

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    2. Well, getting those pots on the porch and filled with dirt is going to be a task that I think Glen is going to have to help with. I think a dolly (the kind you use to move appliances, etc.) is going to be involved. But I think that yes, they will be lovely. Good entrance plants.
      I had the exact same thought about the taste of cilantro and how some people cannot abide it. Now I love cilantro but Brussels Sprouts can fuck right off as far as I'm concerned. (Sorry for the cuss but you know me.)

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    3. Birds of Paradise planted in gardens here grow absolutely HUGE.

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  13. You know, your drive to rescue Dorothy makes sense to me on a the most basic level. I am so glad you did.

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    1. Oh, Jill! That brought tears to my eyes! Thank you for understanding. I feel sort of crazy/not crazy. You know?

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