Thursday, October 13, 2011

Just Thinking

There were easily five times the vendors at the flea market this week compared to last, but there wasn’t a darn thing worth buying, at least not at a price anyone was asking. ($27.50 for a Gloss Palomino FAM? I don’t think so!) I’m sure a lot of the vendors were counting on a higher proportion of market visitors being tourists on their way to a cider mill, rather than the locals looking for a deal.

I bought a few groceries and sundries I needed to buy, and left. (A toothbrush, dog treats, potato chips, and a bag of green peppers, almost too beautiful to eat. Yes, the potato chips were a "necessity." You don’t need to know why.)

The fact that I had to pay the second half of the dental bill this week was also weighing on my mind. I wasn’t going to have a whole lot of "walking around" money for the rest of the week, and I didn’t want to fritter it away on stuff that was going to sit on my sales list for months.

(The dental bill turned out to be a little less than I anticipated, so I did splurge on a dollar’s worth of books at the Salvation Army yesterday. I may never get around to reading James Joyce’s Ulysses, but it does "class up" my bookshelves while it waits.)

My minding of the pennies probably explains my muted reaction to Pamplemousse’s arrival on Tuesday, too. He seems like such an extravagance now.


He looks good in Dappled Light Palomino Sabino, but I already knew that: I got to admire/fondle the sample piece up close and personal at BreyerFest in the Hobby Information Booth. Mine has just enough small flaws to make me consider returning him, though I’m not sure I want to bother waiting for a replacement. I will have to give it some thought.

Stopped by the local Tractor Supply on the way home today to check out the holiday selection; just because I’m not in a buying mood doesn’t mean I can’t look, right? Plus, I thought the sight of this year’s Holiday Horse might perk my mood up a bit.

It did. The teeny-tiny bells sewn into the costume just slay me: they manage to look simultaneously adorable, and ridiculous! The "Winter Belle" model itself, sans decorative ovenmitt, seems quite nice - definitely not the same as the red bay #950 Dover release from 1996-1997: the finish is slightly metallic, with an opaque base.

I might pick one up if there are any left after said holiday. Just like everything else this time of year, I’ll have to think about it.

I won’t have to worry about allocating my cash for anyone else this holiday season: it doesn’t appear that there are going to be any store-specific SRs for TSC this year, just the usual XMAS assortment and some regular runs, like Chub, Valentine and Heartbreaker, and the ASPCA Benefit Set. I’m okay with that, especially after last year’s glut of SRs.

I have a suspicion we’ll be getting at least one holiday-themed SR via the Web Special program in the next month or so. Considering my recent luck on those, I’m not even going to think about it until I absolutely have to.

6 comments:

GWR said...

I'm a little surprised that they didn't go for a Currier & Ives motif with that mold, she is perfect for it. A new sleigh or a reissue of Jingles' sleigh would have been nice, too.

Pamplemousse is one of those SRs that Breyer just gets right. Lovely mold, perfect color. I even like the gloss this time.

plastiqueponi said...

Hmm, I either got lucky or I'm just not a picky as some collectors are. :-P My Pamplemousse is quite lovely, and only a very few small flaws that I can see--couple dark dots in obscure areas, and a tiny glaze flaw, again in an obscure, not easily seen area.

As for TSC, We were there on tuesday, and the plan o grams for the holiday shelves were lying there. And yes, Of course I snooped! lol! Nothing but the already mentioned regular horses. No cut in space for anything TSC exclusive, nor anything mentioned on the attached product lists. Anyone who has worked retail knows that space is allotted well in advance, if it's not on the plan o grams, it's not coming. :-(

Anonymous said...

I happened by TSC wednesday and snagged both glossy and matte versions of the mare and foal. I was jumping around like an idiot. They girl who checked me out made fun of me. I dont care. I'm stoked I got the glossies for a normal price.

Stockstill Stables said...

I think ill have to wander out to my TSC next week and take a peek. m gonna pass on Winter Belle tho, the "oven mitt" is too much IMO and Im not a fan of that mold. I kinda wish I had gotten pamplemousse but when they were taking orders it was a bit much for me to spend.

Anonymous said...

I'm also fairly certain there isn't a store specific TSC SR. The shelving plan was taped to the shelf at my local TSC - there was nothing listed besides the holiday models and other RRs.
-KW

bubbasmom said...

Well, I'm going to spring for Winter Belle just because I have the whole set of Christmas horses and I love the way they look every Christmas:^) I have to say, though, I'm not fond of the oven mitt, either.

I didn't go for a Pamplemousse. I'm not fond of the mold, and to me he just didn't have the wow factor.