Beanies

In the mid to late 90's I went through an all out obsession with Beanie Babies. Have no idea why. I know it started when B.'s babysitter at the time (Donna) showed me some at her home and sent me to Nordstrom to get them. The line was out the door - they were giving out numbers to people to wait for the latest shipment to hit the sales floor. It was crazy. And I guess the excitement of the 'panic-like' atmosphere made it hard(er) to resist. I was hooked. And thus began years of searching, spending, selling, storing, etc. It was a wild time. The Teeny Beanie craze at McDonald's led to more Happy Meals than I can count. I used Chicken McNuggets and french fries in so many creative casserole-like dishes, you can't imagine. I gave homeless people Happy Meals 'cuz the kids were so sick of eating at the golden arches, they revolted and refused to eat them anymore.

I had two display cases FULL at one time. Some of the Beanies were valuable in the 'hey-day' of the craze. But time has passed and they have been moved out of their display cases (which are now book/game cases in the play/game room upstairs) and into bins that have been stacked in the garage.

AND, since we are working on the garage - yes, really, we are - there is concrete floor visible where none has been for a long, long time - I finally 'let go' of the Beanie thing and packed up all the beanies, including the Teeny Beanies, Beanie Buddies - display cases (plastic boxes) and all - and delivered them to the Shepherd's Gate shelter in Livermore this afternoon. Bags and bags of Beanies, and Bionicles and other stuffed animals from H.'s collection - along with toiletries, etc. I know they can use. The shelter staff was incredibly thankful and nice - insisted I bring them directly to the office (vs. their usual collection center) and were so happy to have them. I saw a bunch of kids there around the facilities and I know the Beanies are going to be well loved. Bionicles, too. It felt great to give them to a place that I know will use them. A lady was there - a volunteer - and she said 'oh, I can't wait to get them into baskets for the kids'. That made me feel good - they will go to kids, not just be sold at a thrift store, or tossed. I know they will be loved a lot. And there's a lot more space in our garage and many more empty bins to move.

Next on the list is to offer the dryer on FreeCycle and put the raggedy old sofa bed out at the curb during next Spring clean up - sadly not until early April. Oh well. It's too hideous to give to Goodwill and I doubt it will be 'snapped up'. But the trash folks will haul it away for us if we just wait until the 'free pickup' event happens. I'm too frugal to pay for the pickup earlier.

There was a brief moment in the garage this afternoon when I thought 'hey, my grand kids might like these'. And they might. And if they do, I'll buy them some. But keeping them - sitting sadly in plastic boxes inside plastic bins - is not what Beanie Babies are for. They should be loved. And they will be. I just know it.

I am heading to a Lion's meeting shortly. The cleaning crew came today so the house is 'presentable'. Although there's still a lot to put away (aka Christmas decorations, etc.) and still much to do (thank you notes, cards possibly - which will now be 'Happy New Year' cards more than anything). We still have 10 more days 'off'. Looking forward to a great New Years Eve party and then multiple days to recoup and regroup after the holidays. Poor J. has to return to work on the 3rd. I pity him. The boys and I are off until the 7th!! Yippee!!