Something Is Leaving Me With a Nasty Taste

WARNING: Venting Session in Progress!

I am so sick and fed up with the media in this lovely country of ours, especially when I see headlines like "Baby Boomers Spending the Kids Inheritance". What gives anyone the right to feel so entitled to what most "baby boomers" worked their butts off for?

When my hubby and I first bought our house of a moderate size (not 40 squares with a media room) in 1979, we couldn't even afford to put carpet on the floors or curtains up at the windows . . . we had bare boards (not polished) and sheets to cover our windows. Like many of our peers, our furniture was either cheap or secondhand, but we kept our spending within our means.

Continued hikes in the Reserve Bank rate pushed 30-year mortgage rates to record highs throughout the 80's & 90's. To put this into perspective, the monthly payment for a $100,000 loan at the historical peak rate of 18.63% during this time was $1,558.58, compared to $421 at today's U Bank historical low rate of 2.99%. You might reason, land and houses are more expensive now, but wages are so much higher, and if people would consider buying a smaller home their mortgages wouldn't be to hard to meet . . . but these days there are those who have to have it all as soon as they move in!

The "baby boomers" also went through “the recession that Australia had to have”, when wages were low and jobs hard to find. Like many of our generation, both of us continued to work just to survive and so as not lose our house, my hubby worked three jobs.

Those parents have loved their children, fed them, clothed them and educated them, but obviously not well enough to make some of them and/or theirs, stand on their own two feet! To be honest, our generation has probably given them far too much already, we've spoilt them and our government has also had a hand in this.

When we were young and looking for work, we took any job we could find, we couldn't afford to be picky as we received no government assistance. A single person in Australia today who is “looking for paid work” is entitled to up to $555.70 a fortnight and could also qualify for $138 in rent assistance a fortnight. Australia is also one of few countries that does not charge a specific tax to employees or employers to fund unemployment benefits. In the UK, Canada, Germany and the US, employees pay to be “insured” against unemployment. In other words you have to have worked before you are entitled to anything.

Then when our parents passed we expected nothing and got nothing. Just knowing that they had the foresight to make sure they didn't leave any debts or funerals for us to pay for was enough of a blessing.

It took us 40 years to get to where we are, and now when the "baby boomers" could do with a hike in the interest rate to be able to live off their superannuation, it's at an all time low. So yes, reading those headlines did leave a nasty taste in my mouth . . . how dare anyone make claim to what we have worked so hard for all our lives!!! We earnt it, so we are going to spend it when and how we like! If that means some may choose to use their equity in the home they have paid for, good for them! After all it is theirs to do with as they please! "The good to come from this", you may well ask? Well if there's nothing left, the kids can't fight over it, can they?

Well now that I have got that off my chest, I'm going to have a cuppa and play with my dolls.

P.S. Please don't take this vent the wrong way.

-oOo-

I don't believe everything I read, but I do worry that others do.

I don't think for one minute that all people are likely to take their parents for granted, but some do.

Nor do I think all people are greedy or lazy, but some are.

As the journalist obviously believes that there is a generation which is entitled to receive an inheritance,
I wanted to point out they are not.

I simply get a bit fed up with those who continually take and give nothing back.

If parents wish to leave something to their children, they will do so.

If parents want to spend it on their children while they are still alive,
to see their kids happy and enjoying what they have been given, they will do so.

Whatever anyone thinks, it's up to the parents to choose what they do with their own money.

-oOo-

You may feel free to comment on this post and I will read them, but I will not post them or reply to them,
this is my vent and not an open discussion.

A Box Opening

They are here at last! They left from Endicott, New York on the 10th, then via Chicago, Illinois to departure from Los Angeles, California on the 17th. They arrived in Melbourne on the 19th, had to clear customs before being delivered this morning.

I am very happy with them overall, the vinyl is smooth, their joints are firm, but work well and they stand unaided. I like their eyes and the clothes which are nicely finished, but I'm a little unsure about their hair, it's really fine and I'm not certain how well it will style, but I'll let you know later.

DD's New Look

After a visit to the hairdresser for a wash, condition, cut and style, you can actually see her eyebrows now!

She also has new underwear, socks, shoes and a ribbon for her hair. The wig has been glued back on.

Next on the agenda is a fancy new dress.

The Arrival of DD Garnet

Well the funny curly headed Dolly Dingle doll arrived today, and what a peculiar little doll she is. I soon stripped her of her clothes, bow and hairpiece to find her body in good nick.

She came with her shoes and stand. The top layer of her dress is sheer and the underskirt satin.

She really was in great condition and her clothes were like new, but I couldn't quite get over her face. It's the funniest face I have ever seen on a doll . . . it looks like someone has sat on it! LOL!

She has great eyes though, very alive and I think with a little styling her hair should be okay. It's a glued on wig and it has this little clump that sticks up at the top, which could pose a problem. However, I'm pretty sure if I do have problems, I could remove the wig completely and give her a new one.

Her undies will need a little attention if I want them to stay up, the elastic in the waistband is completely stuffed, but that's to be expected, elastic doesn't last forever.

Later this week I shall begin making her a new wardrobe of clothes, starting with her underwear.

I hope my Dolly Dingle makes you smile, she does me!

P.S. Below are original illustrations from Pictorial Review, which are what I want to base my DD on.

From left: 1922, 1923, 1924 versions, none of which have a top knot or ponytail on top of her head.

A Long Search is Over

I have been looking for a Tonner/Effanbee Patsy for quite some time, years in fact, but they are pretty scarce, like hens teeth! When I have, on rare occasions, had the luck to find one, I haven't had the dolly funds available and when I have had the funds, there either hasn't been any available for me to purchase, or none that I loved enough to warrant spending the money on shipping from the USA. Until today . . . now there are two on their way. :)

Of course this all had to happen not long after I said the famous words "I have no plans for any additions this year". Now we are only just a week into February and I've already purchased four new dolls.

-oOo-

The first little girl is a new 2013 Tonner/Effanbee Patsy Basic #5 with a black saran wig, hand-painted facial details, made from a combination of fine quality vinyl and hard plastic. She has a new Patsy head sculpt, 10″ bended knee child body in the cameo skin tone. Her lovely blue eyes are inset with applied eyelashes.

This Patsy is an open edition, dressed in pink and white polka dot top over bloomers with white lace trim and attached ribbon belt, white socks, hair bow and faux leather shoes.

The second one, is a new 2015 Lacy Summer Day Patsy also by Tonner/Effanbee. She has the Patsy head sculpt on an Ann Estelle body in the cameo skin tone. Her body is articulated at neck, shoulders, elbows, wrists, hips and knees, which means she's almost as good as a BJD at posing. A classic blonde saran wig adorns her head along with two pretty pink bows, she has blue inset eyes with applied eyelashes and is limited to 500 world.wide.

Lacy wears a white stripe cotton dress with cotton lace trim and embroidered heart on the bodice completed with a pink ribbon belt. She has pretty white lace socks, cotton undies and faux leather shoes. Her companion, a tan bunny (not shown) comes with her.

100's of Dollies

They arrived yesterday, but these are dollies of a different kind . . .

My thanks to two wonderful bloggers who have inspired me ~

Firstly there was Rachael from Poppy and the Giant, when she began chatting back in November about the paper dolls she had drawn, printed and posted to the Royal Children's Hospital.

Then just recently, when I saw these little Minouche dolls playing with paper dolls on Minouche Doll. I have no idea who the blogger is, but if you recognize the watermark on her photos, please let me know. Her photos and her little dolls are exquisite and I adore how she has styled them.

However, I knew then and there, I had to order some of these wonderful little dolls for myself . . . and so I did!

The paper dolls are all of Dolly Dingle and her friends. I'll be using them for a project, well for the first of a two part project, the other part is over on my other blog along with information about the artist who created them . . . Grace Drayton.

Does anyone else have an interest in paper dolls? If you do, I'd love to hear how you use them. :)