Storm passed safely, dolls in disarray

The storm was less dramatic than feared, minor flooding, son home from work before it got under way. All's well. But it's good I brought in the ficus. The storm would have battered her 

For non US readers, the title refers to the NYT (newspaper) every time the Democrats start doing good things, screaming headlines:  Dems in Disarray!

Meanwhile the moving caused a few attendant changes. There's not much choice of where to put furniture in this engineered space, without blocking your own path. So all my attempts result in minor effects.

I did move a couple of things, including the doll colony, which now looks like the shore in summer, an extrovert's delight. 

The Dollivers insisted that the bears be downstairs, in account of the noise. The bears thumped about and shouted what noise? We're good neighbors, we are. And what about them there dogs, barking and running and jumping? But the Dollivers won, as the handmade people do.

The bears' table is now a plant stand

Meanwhile in the space the Dollivers vacated, gracious living seems to be under way. 

This is looking more like a sociological study than home decor. All art is political.

Valentine's Day. Presidents' Day. Wedding Anniversary 6WS

So much to mark.  Don't know where to start!  You'll notice that when they abolished separate celebrations for Lincoln and Washington, and moved a lot of statutory holidays in the US to the nearest Monday, Lincoln seems to have been bumped.  Just sayin'.  I think the Cherry Pie Makers Full Employment Council won it. 

Cherry pie, for non US readers, being the iconic food to celebrate the man who claimed to have chopped down his father's cherry tree and been unable to practice self-preservation by lying about it.

Wedding anniversary, February 16, 1963 Handsome Partner and I  were married.  No we were not trying for Valentine's Day, cringed at the thought. It was the logistics of a Catholic wedding in the UK, where there being a state religion, not Catholic, priests have no legal authority to marry people, and the city registrar has to be physically present in the church to make it legal. 

Getting the registrar to agree to ANY of the dates the priest offered delayed it from the October date we originally planned on...registrar finally said I'll be there at 3.20 p.m. on February 16, and I will give you ten minutes.  Then I'll leave.  So we had to crush the whole thing into his time requirement.  Reason 45,679 why I'm so happy with the US freedom from a national religion...but it was still a nice day.

Finally, Valentine's Day is for celebrating all kinds of friendship, not just the  romantic red overpriced roses kind...so I wish all our blogistas a happy day whatever you're doing.  

Me, it's cowering in the house in zero temps, with a nice glass of merlot this evening and maybe some hot chocolate at some point.  Dollivers it's preening and prancing about in their red dresses with the lace trim.  Elton it's prowling in search of new outfits, after an incautious remark in here yesterday.

Oh,oh, here's an unsuspecting Upstairs Bear playing with his friends.

 
And here's Elton after a successful Sweater Raid after explaining that it's nice to share on Valentine's Day.

This Is Not Over!  the bears confer on how to raid the sweater back again without having to confront the Dollivers. 

Watch this space for further developments...

We're going to new homes! we've been picked! The Great Bear Farewell

The large contingent of bears sitting around on the  spare room bed these few months are about to be launched on the world.  

Tomorrow, off in the arms of a wonderful freecycler who will distribute them to families who really need a bear.  Bears have a presence, and we're all sorry to lose them. Well, maybe the Dollivers thought they took up too much time and attention, but, supervised by Marigold,  they still put on a good show and a party.

With Elton playing a brisk accompaniment, the assembled company of Dollivers and Departing Bears broke into song, ranging from Teddy Bears' Picnic, to Off we Go Into the Wild Blue Yonder, and If My Folks Could See Me Now, and with shouts of bear with me, I'm being borne away, beary Thanksgiving to you all at Boud's, they leapt into their carrying bag ready for the Bear Ride.

The house will be a lot quieter now, though a couple of bears did vote to remain, to keep an eye on the household.  Not pictured, because the Ds might not approve.  They fancied a  clean sweep and a bear-free environment, but since they caught sight of the new ski caps, they have enough material for complaint already.

Thank you Freecycler C., for always being willing to take and distribute good things to good people.