You didn't think I'd go all through the winter without showing you some teasels, did you? Here they are, nestled down in their flat rosettes to bide away the colder months before their flower stalks grow next spring. We've got a ton of them out there -- maybe seven or eight?
Well, here it is, Dec. 21, and I have nothing for Dave for Christmas. I've been racking my brains for some ideas, but he just doesn't need anything. He's got a closet full of clothes and I'm not buying any more kitchen gizmos that never get used. Plus, I'm not really inclined to go shopping.
He's been wanting to make a couple of household purchases, so I think we'll do some of those for Christmas and call it a day. Among the ideas are new window blinds, a new stove top, a light fixture for the dining room and a new armoire for the bedroom. Some of these I've been resisting because, after all, we rent this place, and why should we pay to install a stove? But it doesn't look like we're going anywhere, so I may as well give it some thought.
I did, however, buy myself a present yesterday. You may remember that I was an ardent stamp collector as a child. You may also remember that I wrote several months back about the world's rarest stamp, the one-cent magenta from British Guiana, purchased by London stamp dealer Stanley Gibbons earlier this year? I tried to go see it at their shop in August, and it turned out I was too early and it wasn't yet on display. Well, I still haven't seen it and only just learned that its display period ended on Saturday (argh!). But Stanley Gibbons is selling shares in the stamp, and I bought one, so I can now say I am part owner of the world's rarest stamp.
As you can see, I even got to virtually add my initials to the back of the stamp, as its previous owners have traditionally done.
Of course this is all kind of ridiculous but I couldn't resist the opportunity. That stamp is just about the most famous in the world of philately. I have no idea what happens to my "share" if it gets sold again or appreciates (or depreciates) in value. Time will tell. Basically I just bought bragging rights, and hopefully at some point I'll get to see the darn thing.
Oh, and I did clean the heck out of the bathroom yesterday, so that's a job done. I cleaned the walls and I think I can get away without repainting them. The bathroom is another part of the flat that seriously needs an update -- the fixtures are old and when they get dirty it looks downright squalid. After my scrubbing it's slightly better, maybe less like Afghanistan and more like...Bulgaria.
57 comments:
When I worked for American Express many years ago, I dealt with the incoming post and had the opportunity to keep a lot of the stamps, they were so pretty some of them. Not sure what happened to them in the end but I understand your attraction to them.
Briony
x
Good to see the Teasel leaves..garden in waiting!
We haven't done any decorating..I think your idea if a good clean is a grand idea, a present for the house!! It is difficult with renting. Our landlord won't be renewing anything...we got a cheap rent and we are paying for it as it was when we got here!!!
I have got Pirate a present.. unfortunately he managed to find it!!
Like you we have what we need and I don't give presents just for the sake of it.
The stamp share is a blast. When it sells for $50 billion, you should get some money. We stopped exchanging Xmas gifts ages ago, because we both bought whatever we wanted all year. Then we decided to buy ourselves some big joint gift (new TV, etc.) Then, we just canned the entire idea.
When I visited Bulgaria, I was struck by the swankiness, modernity and pristine cleanliness of their lavatorial rooms. I suspect that your bathroom would attract keen interest if ripped out and re-installed in the V&A Museum.
I like the look of your part owned stamp.
We've pretty well given up on buying gifts for each other. However, R broke his sunglasses, so there I go. A Christmas present for that he will choose and I will pay for. I could not come up with anything I needed (rent boys are excluded from gift giving), so I guess I will receive a bottle of nice Scotch.
Tom and I have decided to buy household presents for each other this year. Things we need and want. I'm so glad. There comes a point where our possessions just weigh us down.
Carlos and I are both so hard to buy for at Christmas; Carlos because he can never think of anything he wants or needs until Christmas Eve and then suddenly: BLAM! And me because I really don't want or need anything. We'll do like you and Dave, some household things.
PS I DO want Peace on Earth but I've been asking for a long time and it hasn't arrived yet.
Why not give him an IOU for a day out to a place of his choice with a nice lunch.
Your last sentence made me laugh. I'm not even up to Bulgarian standards, I'm sure, even though I have no idea about Bulgaria.
Anyway, good morning from Lloyd where I'm drinking my coffee, it's gloomy and drippy outside, and I'm trying to work through my morning angst.
Well done on buying a part of the stamp. It made you happy so why not?
The big guy is getting a 23 and me genetics test. He was interested when I did mine. And diabetic socks because that's how we roll:)
Have a lovely Christmas you two.
That last line made me laugh out loud.
I only exchange Christmas presents with my friend David and his partner. And, this year I purchased tickets for the three of us to see The Nutcracker this Thursday. I just got an email this morning saying that the Phoenix Symphony will not be playing for the next four performances because of COVID. The ballet will go on but to recorded music. I'm so disappointed.
I wish I had known of your blog a few years ago when I inherited my great uncle's stamp collection. It consisted of five large plastic bins, probably 20 cubic feet of stamps! After spending a long time, I kind of suspect that the good stuff, was somewhere else and that all I had was the bulk stamps. They probably had value but it wasn't going to be worth the effort to do it myself and try as I might, I couldn't give them away to anyone. I eventually parceled them out to top off my trash can over a period of a month and they are now moldering away in the landfill. I know my uncle would be appalled after spending all that work collecting and organizing them but I just didn't have the room in my house or the will to find a better place for them.
P.S. My daughters' bathroom is worse than Afghanistan. After we force them to clean it from time to time, it might make it up to Afghanistan levels.
I vote for the new armoire because if you had to move for some reason, you two could take it with you. Or maybe your landlord would chip in on the new stove, new blinds, etc. or give you are break on your rent if you pay for those? Seems only fair...
No gift giving here either--we just told each other we'll spend it on travel in 2022. I've already got another trip over the Pond scheduled. He has a car enthusiast trip planned for May. Solo trips. That way we both get to do the things we like the most without annoying the hell out of each other. :) Joint trip out west later in the year to celebrate his father's milestone birthday.
I like your comparison in the last sentence. We also cooperate when it comes to gifts for each other.
I think getting something for your apartment that you both can enjoy is a wonderful idea. A new stove top can make cooking a lot more fun. Enjoy your day, hugs, Edna B.
Your stamp share is almost, but not quite, a nonfungible token. I guess it is a fungible token. Very cool. Dennis and I are giving each other a substantial donation to Belize Bird Rescue, our favorite NGO.
Mike & I "gave" each other a new Chromebook for our anniversary/Christmas. Our laptops are elderly & fine for writing things and doing finances, but we needed something with better graphics to hook up to the TV to watch sports & movies. I guess we could have gotten a smart tv - ha!
I'm surprised that you think about doing so much work in your rental. Is that typical for rentals in London? Or is it because your landlords don't really do much upkeep or upgrading?
No gift giving here, but I do like the idea of buying something for our household as a holiday gift. Now I'm wondering what that should be.
I got as far as looking up the price on the SG web site. I'm tempted by nostalgia for my childhood stamp collecting days, but don't think I will be a fellow owner.
Steve since you're investing and it seem like most anything, I do have a garlic bed in my back yard that I would like to offer you some stock for Christmas.(laughing hard) I can barely type this for laughing so hard. It will cost you $200 a share. Let me know if you want to invest in garlic. (lol)Love you Olga and Dave no matter what.
We've already exchanged spin bikes and home gyms. We're done!
When bathrooms get old it seems the only way to really make them better is to remodel. Of course you can't do that.
Seems to me if the stamp sells again you should get part of the sale price since you 'own' part of it.
Whatever makes life more pleasurable and comfortable is great in my book. I'm spending a ton of money in my house right now--gas fireplace went out, I had a leak, etc. NOT the right timing for any of this!
I had to look teasels up. Thank you for broadening my plant repertoire.
Gifts? When stymied we give Heffer International. This year we gave flocks of chickens.
I think buying something for yourselves that you need is a great idea! I think the share of the stamp is pretty neat, too.
Heifer is a great organization! I've given the "flock of hope" and honeybees to folks many times!
With a country that has such a lovely named capital, your bathroom should be happy with Bulgaria.
I bet they're still tucked into a drawer somewhere. If you find them, feel free to send them to me. :)
Re. the garden, it's always nice to see the promise of things to come, right? I don't mind paying a bit to improve a rental property, but buying appliances seems a bit extreme.
It does seem kind of pointless. I've never been great at gift-giving anyway, because I'm pretty practical and unless we need something I don't see the point of buying. (Never mind the stamp share!)
You are correct that I'm unfairly casting aspersions on Bulgarian plumbing. I've never been to Bulgaria and I'm simply falling back on post-Soviet stereotypes!
Well, that was a well-timed sunglasses mishap! Did he do it on purpose? LOL
Exactly! So we're basically in the same boat.
Maybe we're asking the wrong person?
Dave's "place of choice" is his recliner! :)
I have no idea about Bulgaria either. But if someone says "Bulgarian plumbing," you kind of get an image, don't you?
Oh, the genetics test is a good idea! We did that a couple of years ago and it was pretty interesting.
Oh, that's a shame. But at least the dance will continue. (Weird that the orchestra can't be there but the audience can?!)
NOOOOOOOOooooooooo!!!!!!
This makes me absolutely heartsick, and I'm horrified to think what might have been thrown out -- but I understand your need to do something with such a large collection. I used to donate extra stamps to the American Philatelic Association in Pennsylvania -- you can ship them philatelic material and they parcel it out to stamp clubs and other groups that can make use of it.
Well I'm glad I'm not the only one!
I feel a little weird making that pitch given that we're still trying to get them to do essential repairs on the outside of the house. First things first, right?! If we installed a stove I'd be tempted to take it with us and re-install the old one before we leave.
LOL -- I make solo trips now and then, too! I told Dave I don't want things for Christmas, but experiences. Something like travel would be perfect.
It makes sense when there are only two of you and you just don't need "stuff" anymore.
I told Dave to prioritize his desires and we'll go from there. I suspect the stove will be at or near the top!
It's basically the same idea as an NFT, I think -- except, as you said, there IS an object in this case.
Sometimes new computers are a must if you're going to run modern programs or need good resolution. I get it!
They seem very reluctant to spend much money on this place. I think they basically do what they're required to do. Anything cosmetic is pretty much up to us.
Yeah, the price is nothing to sneeze at. I was surprised it was that much. And the purchase form defaults to something like nine shares -- who's going to spend £900 on something like that?!
I would TOTALLY invest in your garlic, Angelicastar! Where do I send the check? LOL
That must be a good feeling!
Yeah, this place is badly in need of some remodeling. We often fantasize about what we'd do if we bought it.
If I were assured that we could stay put indefinitely I'd be less worried about investing in this place. But I don't want to be told when our lease comes up that the landlords want to take it back. Know what I mean?
I've done that too! One year I gave my whole family Heifer gifts.
It's an interesting idea. I do need to look at the fine print and see if my "ownership" entitles me to anything at all. LOL
It IS one of the better capital-city names, although I always said I'd name my children Kuala Lumpur (girl) and Ulan Bator (boy). Fortunately for them I never had children.
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