Mockingbird Hill Cottage

This will be a longish post!

News: Don’s car will cost about $1000 to repair. Frankly, we didn’t need this right now. But then again, who does? It’s never the right time. We had it towed to the mechanic yesterday and it turns out the mechanism that controls the all-wheel drive broke. The car is almost 18 years old, so… Anyway, though we could get by with just one car – we have in the past – it’s easier and more convenient for us to keep his Honda Pilot, which drives beautifully (except for the other day) and is very roomy. It’s the perfect SUV for him, especially when he’s carrying his equipment for gigs. Also, we often have to drive out of town for work and leaving someone behind with no car is not a good idea. I’m not sure when we’ll get it back. Thursday or Friday, I suspect.

Given the circumstances, it’s fortunate that Don finally booked an acting job for two episodes of a series! Yes, after more than 6 years (2 of them in lockdown and several months of the actor’s strike) of no work, he got a call from his agent. I am so happy for him! He needs the work, yes. But more importantly, he needs to feel like he still has a career. The character is a Mummer (remember the Mummer’s Parade in Philadelphia?) so Don played his banjo during the self-tape audition. He shoots both scenes/episodes in one day – a week from today.

I guess we know where that paycheck is going.

Okay. I finished a puzzle:

This is a vintage map of Canada based on the 1946 Census. I have always been fascinated by maps, so working on this was a true pleasure. Three of my grandparents were born in Canada, as well as my mom, so I have a special fondness for that country. And for Michigan and the Great Lakes, which also figure prominently. It’s by Cavallini.

Drum roll: The Final Day of the Egg Cup Tour!

This beauty – a Holland mold that was hand painted by someone. These molds were made specifically for clients who wanted to paint the mold themselves  – much like we see in certain shops today. I think this particular painter did a bang up job of it. It’s a large egg cup, at least 6 inches high. I think this was a gift from a reader.

The grand finale:

My prized collection of 1937 Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs egg cups. Originally very inexpensive, sometimes even free in a cereal box, they became rare and quite expensive for many years. My friend Nels searched high and low for his before the days of eBay, and he paid several hundred dollars per cup. By the time I started to collect, they were still out of my range, but as eBay gained traction, the prices dropped. They’re still somewhat pricey for egg cups -$30 – $70 a piece depending on the rarity. Much better, however, than $200 or more per cup, which was what I was seeing in the early days of collecting.

It took me 17 years to complete the set. I found Doc first, then Dopey and Bashful. And that is where it stayed for several years until I found another. I eventually posted about my collection in an egg cup collectors group on Facebook and a woman from Orillia, Ontario contacted me. (Mom and Grandma were born in Orillia.) She had a set available, but I was only interested in three of them. We negotiated the price. She was still under the impression they were going for the prices of several years ago and I had to update her on that. And Sneezy, Happy, and Snow White arrived at the cottage. The set became complete when I found Sleepy. For some reason, there are two Sleepys out there – one that was on the exact same mold as Sneezy, which made no sense, and another that was the actual Sleepy. That’s the one I found, though I still think I’d like to find the imposter Sleepy some day. It took me 17 years to find the correct Sleepy.

There are a few egg cups I didn’t include because they’re rather plain. I might have missed a few others as well. If I notice that, I’ll post them. I did find out some other information about one of my cups.

Remember this cup that I found in a the Paris Flea Market? It’s open on both ends – the only one like that I own. A woman from France posted her collection on the Egg Cup Collectors page and I noticed a cup very like this one. I did a bit more research and discovered that they are called diabolo egg cups – I’ve yet to figure out why the ‘devil’ enters into the name – and I think they are more prevalent in Europe. Back to this woman’s collection – it’s full of egg cups with that unique kind of French transferware design that I love. Oh my heavens. I am entranced! Remember that big bowl I purchased in Paris with a red flowery transferware design? Same kind of thing. Every cup is in red or blue or gray in that delicate oh-so-French decoration. If she gives me permission, I’ll post a copy of one her photos on this blog so you can see what I’m talking about.

I see a new group of egg cups in my future.

Okay. Grocery shopping, the library, mailing a package at the post office, and the bank are on the agenda on what will be a rainy day.

Stay safe.

Happy Wednesday.