Magpie Monday - I've been told!

We have finally put our house on the market.

This meant two solid days of tidying, clearing, cleaning, de-cluttering, tip-runs and jamming things in cupboards.

That inevitable conversation happened.  To be fair, he puts up with a lot and I'm surprised it didn't come sooner.  I shall re-create it here for you:

What I heard: "Wah, wah, wah, wah, wah, wah, wah, wah, wah, wah, wah, wah, wah..."

What he probably said: "The house is finally looking like a normal home. Can we please try not to let it get to Steptoe's yard again.  Please don't buy any more stuff".

How I interpreted it: Don't buy anything that requires a taxi to get it home.  Only buy things that you can sneak in the house without him noticing.  As a rule of thumb, try to only purchase things that will fit in  (cavernous) handbag.

So, I have been trying very hard.  I've had a measly week.  All I've bought is one thing. If you don't count the bag full of books I bought Ruby.  But they're educational right?  Surely he doesn't mean for our daughter's development to suffer?

One of the biggest upheavals I've had to endure to get this house on the market, is agreeing to his persistent mutterings that we should switch our living rooms around.  We used to have our sitting room in the back and dining room at the front.  I was very happy with this arrangement thank you very much.  It meant nobody could see me if they came a-calling.  If I chose not to answer the door, then I could get away with it.  If I chose to remain in my pyjamas until lunchtime then nobody was any the wiser.

However, according to the other half - who I suspect thinks of himself as some kind of Phil Spencer - the rooms are much better suited the other way round.

My conditions for this life-changing upheaval?  That he get my beloved dinner service down from the loft, buy me a display cabinet, and I get to finally admire my Meakin tureens.

So far he's found one box.  There is another up there somewhere in the black-hole that is our attic.  I have a whole tea service too - cups, saucers, plates, milk jug, sugar bowl...

The entire service was bought as a job-lot at our local auction years ago.  It's been languishing in newspaper in the attic ever since.  I'm so excited to finally have it in it's rightful place.

Sadly, a couple of pieces didn't make it.  I've been on the lookout for bits to add to it for years.  The occasional saucer comes up on eBay, but nothing worth writing home about.  Besides, I hate buying china on eBay.  The postage and packing costs are always massive and there's no guarantee it will arrive in one piece - Royal Mail doesn't insure china.

Last week I put a plea out on Twitter, that if anyone ever spots any Meakin Stag on their travels to please buy it for me, and I will reimburse costs and postage.  This seemed the only way.  I have NEVER seen any for sale in a charity shop.

That is until two days ago.  How bizarre to send that tweet out, and then to spot this:

It has a couple of chips, but they don't show in the cabinet.  A large serving bowl, and a piece I don't have.  I was rapturous at finding it for £3.99.  Even better - it fit in my handbag so I didn't break the rules! If anyone does ever spot this design called Stag by Alfred Meakin, please please tweet me, or if I'm not around and you can afford it, please buy it for me.  I'll love you forever and send you cash money to cover the costs.  Plus, you'd be buying it so he can't moan at that, right??!

So my little magpies.  What have you been up to?  Please grab the badge and link-up.  I may as well get delight from your lovely purchases and live my life vicariously through your 2nd-hand joys.



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