Thursday, April 12, 2007

Bidding Battles

All lovely things will have an ending.
-Conrad Aiken


You sweet people remember Victoria magazine, don't you? Surely you do. The beautiful magazine that hundreds of us mourned when it came to an end? I have small stacks of them that are strictly off limits to any scrapbooking, tear-sheet, or daydream board-mania I fall into. At Freeman House, Victoria is sacrosanct. They, along with the Bible I've used since I was 15, are the two things (besides the kitty) that I would grab if this old place ever caught fire.

I got a little birthday money from my grandmothers, bless them. Yesterday, while awaiting my lunch partner, I called up eBay on the old cell phone. Well, what do you know. There was a bidding set to end in 7 hours for 29 pristine Victoria magazines. Most of which I didn't have. I nearly choked as I punched out my bid - $21.00! - and hit "place bid". I don't recall a word of what was said at lunch. The only thing I kept wondering was, Have I been outbid? Have I?

Miraculously, I wasn't! I've seen Victorias go for hundreds of dollars before on eBay. But not yesterday. Yesterday my grandmothers bought me 29 issues of Victoria magazine. Thank you, ladies! I will wait at the mail box everyday until Junior (the female mail carrier) brings them to my door.

But I'm glad the tiny bit of bidding excitement is over. I'm convinced that adding even one more thing or activity to my life will cause my head to roll off. A revised bid came in yesterday for more work at Freeman House. More bidding. Yikes! There are many Excel spreadsheets to review and haggle over. And of course, I make all the worker men sign my Rule #1: No smoking in Freeman House. It's necessary. Cigarette smoke makes my eyes burn and pour and it seems "smoking like a chimney" is a prerequisite to being trained as a worker man. Oh! Also the pH balance of the soil must be attended to today... Echinacea needs planting... Jeep is being recalled... taxes are due... work report is due... custom aprons need to be finished... sheets washed... 1 p.m. meeting... uggh! [Smile]

Now I remember why I loved Victoria so much. They are a respite from our lives, aren't they?

By the way, I'm already looking forward to the Second Annual Cupcake Day. The first ended up being more like a Cupcake Passover, in that the production of masses of delightful cupcakes was passed over for a trip to Best Buy to procure printer ink and a camera repair. Next year we'll make more than one dozen. We'll do it up right, I tell you. We will finally have that cupcake tower!

Until then, I think there's a great cupcake picture in the March 1998 issue of Victoria. Maybe that will hold us over for another 364 days...

Hope your busy day is wonderful! -Brin

11 comments:

deb said...

Oh how I miss Victoria magazine!! Love your blog and Etsy shop. I just opened mine and just *hearted* you. hee hee. I'll be sure to check in again! smiles!

~Becca~Bluebird Rose said...

I love Victoria! I have a huge collection of them! There is no other magazine quite like it.
:)

Unknown said...

I loved Victoria magazine and sometimes I'm lucky enough to find a few at a flea market, why do all the good magazines die so young? I sure do miss it, so happy you got some more to add to your bundle. Funny how we cherish magazines!

Beba said...

Thanks :)

Anonymous said...

I'm not familiar with Victoria, maybe we didn't have it here in England. I love a bargain on Ebay though! Some magazines are just too good to tear up and have to be kept whole, I feel like that about my Country Living mags. I have a huge number of them going back many years but could never snip them up!

Anonymous said...

You and me baby are SO together on this subject!!

Check it out......

http://talesfrompixiewood.typepad.com/weblog/2006/08/why.html#comments

Cherry xx

Anonymous said...

Brin - I just love it when you visit my blog! I feel like we have been friends forever. I may have to take a road trip to make a visit! ha!
In regards to the Scripture tags on my site....here is the link where you can put them on your site, too!
http://www.christianwomenonline.net/scripturetags.html

Blessings to you, my friend!

Deb said...

Victoria was such a great magazine. Whenever I garage sale, I look through the old magazines hoping to find a copy. Just recently, my daughter and I went to a book & magazine sale and picked up a bundle for $1.00! Happy reading!

Brin said...

But I had NO idea! After following Cherry's link in her comment above, I found that someone left a comment on HER blog about a site for Victoria lovers. It's called "MissingBliss" or something similar. Here's the address given: www.victorianne.net.

I've often wondered if it would be possible and if we could escape jail time if we swiped all the lovely people who produced Victoria and MADE them go back to work. Think we could get away with it? :D

I'm so pathetic! When they announced their last issue, I called and said I'd be willing to send them $10 a month - every month - if it would help keep it going. It wouldn't. If only! -Brin

Betty said...

I subscribed to Victoria magazine for several years and have every one of them. Several years ago my husband suggested that I needed to par down magazines and I did but not the Victoria magazines.....How glad I am that I kept them. Had no idea they would quit publishing the magazine.

Michelle said...

Just a spot of brighter news (BTW, congratulations on your EBAY find!)...Victoria is being relaunched in October!!!!!!!!! I am so excited as I have my stack of old ones to peek at from time to time but can't wait to see a new one.