After Christmas Sale Find of the Century

Do you love the Nutcracker ballet?   Me too.

Have you seen it a dozen (or two) times?   Me too.

We know the score, the story and sweet Clara...

But, have you ever seen a Clara doll?  Neither had I, until just the other day.  I was hustling my way thru the check out line at Home Goods with a few marked down napkins, sea salts, etc. and what caught my eye from behind the clerk?  Why a beautiful little Clara doll, holding a Nutcracker! 

"How beautiful!, I said to the clerk.  Even from here, I can see how carefully detailed she is." 

Yes, said the clerk. 

She is very special. 

Hand carved and hand painted in Russia. 

Signed and numbered. 

Marked down...half-off.

It was then that the pinball machine in my head (or something much like it) hit the jackpot. 

"May I see her, please?"

Yes, Clara, you'll spend no more time on the metal rack at a discount store, wedged between broken bulbs and smelly soaps.  No siree Bob.  You and I are going to get along just fine. 


P.S. Click here for better pics.  Retails for everywhere between $750 (gulp) and $300.  I joyfully paid a scant fraction of that for mine.


:-)