http://www.one.org Dixie Peach: Cheesy - Oz style

Cooler than the other side of the pillow.

Tuesday, March 28, 2006

Cheesy - Oz style

Many thanks to y'all for the "feel better!" wishes. I'm only about half as distressed as yesterday so I'm thinking that whatever it was is on its last legs. Good thing too as I had to go down to the post office to chase down a letter that the postman had attempted to deliver yesterday when I was in no state to get to the door on time.

It didn't turn out to be a letter at all but instead was a padded envelope from one of B's cousins in Australia. One of B's dad's brothers moved to Australia back in the mid-50s and they never looked back. B's cousins were still kids/teenagers when they arrived and they now speak English with an Australian accent and a tinge of German. They still speak German but it's quite rusty and I've finally reached the point where my German is better than theirs. We're quite close to one of his cousins, Peter, and one of Peter's sons, Wayne, is the one who sent the envelope. It's neither of our birthdays and there's not been any big event in either family lately so we were very curious what would be in the envelope.

Anyone who knows me well knows I'm a trinket fiend. Little plastic toys and fridge magnets and geegaws of any sort catch my attention. I'm in heaven in a tacky souvenir shop. And that's what was in the envelope - a sampling of tacky souvenirs from Australia. I was practically swooning as I unwrapped each item.

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This was first - a stuffed kangaroo (complete with joey!) wearing one of those goofy Outback hats with the little cork bobbles used to keep the flies away. I have no idea whether Australians actually wear these hats or if they're just a charming cliche but we have some ourselves. When Peter and his wife came to visit Germany it was a particularly hot summer and the wasps and bees were frightful. Peter called home and had the kids send some of those hats so they could bear the onslaught of winged insects and we still have them. Parties at our home sometimes degenerate to the guests being in such a state of drunkeness that they demade we break out the hats just so they can try them on.

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You can't have a true collection of souvenirs without keyrings. And they've been pressed into use already. I'm not passing up the chance to use a keyring that says "Good luck, mate!" on it.

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Stickers! And magnets! I'm all over those magnets. One even has a thermometer. Useful and cheesy at the same time! B says he wants one of the Australian flag stickers on his wheelchair. Who am I to deny him?

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The ultimate in cheesy. The ultimate in tacky. My favorite thing in the package. A kangaroo pen. And not just any kangaroo pen, my friends.

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Push the levers on the back and it boxes! I've had my play time with it severly curtailed. B said if I don't leave it alone I'm going to break it. Spoil sport.

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Me thinks these two were bound up together too long or someone's trying to jack that hat.

Good manners and my love of what's cheesy demands that I reciprocate and send Wayne and his family their own package of German souvenirs. Any excuse for me to invade a souvenir shop.

15Comments:

Blogger Kirsti said...

Oh my goodness, those are something else. I wouldn't be able to put down the boxing kangaroo pen either! You'll have to show us the German equivalents before you mail them off...

10:14 PM  
Blogger sari said...

Oh my gosh, you make me laugh!! I love the pictures, especially the last one!! I'd be over in the corner for hours, all you'd hear of me would be "pow! POW! pow pow!!" and the clanking of plastic against the little swingy corky-looking things off of Mr. Kangaroo's (or Mrs, I guess) hat.

10:28 PM  
Blogger BarefootCajun said...

Tell B to let you have some fun with the kangaroo pen. I'd be punching everything with it - E, the dogs, the cat, etc.

I love tacky souvenier shops as well. Graceland has some of the best.

10:31 PM  
Blogger Mimey said...

Glad you're feeling better. Is it Kanga-Power that's healing you?

Liking the sound of your cork hat parties, too. I sometimes crack out a pink wig, or tiara if I'm feeling frisky and outgoing, but I'm sure the enjoyment would be magnified if I had an Aussie-style hat.

And do post pictures of any German souvenir tat you acquire, I love the kitsch and tacky!

10:45 PM  
Blogger Spinningsue said...

OMG!! That gave me the biggest giggle I've had in a long while - I know precisely the sort of souvenir shops that would have sold that stuff. Makes me want to go home but in a good way not a sad homesick one! I love the boxing kangaroo. And the hats are a cliche - I never saw one been worn ever in the 26 years I lived in Oz. We only sell them to tourists. :-P

11:00 PM  
Blogger Dixie said...

Sue, I knew you'd love this. Souvenirs straight from Adelaide!

I'll definitely take pictures of the package I make for the cousins.

11:19 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

LOL! I love your Australian trinkets!

My parents and I always do a "tacky tourist" package to each other when we travel. I have so much fun picking out things for them!

Ah, yes Barefoot..the Graceland souvenier shops. hee hee hee. And I'm not talking about the lawn either.

11:24 PM  
Blogger Lynanne said...

LOL- love the kangeroo! Wouldn't just love to have two of those so you could go at it with a friend?

Glad to hear you are feeling better!

12:19 AM  
Blogger Kathy said...

I'm glad you're getting better. I love the stuffed kangaroo but that pen is something else -- I think I need one. :)

1:07 AM  
Blogger Dixie said...

Ohdearlord! That's what I need! Two boxing kangaroo pens so I can have matches between the two!

1:39 AM  
Blogger Miz said...

How about about a Santa whos HooHa pops up when you click the pen? My tacky pen against your tacky pen for 10 rounds?

4:05 AM  
Blogger Marshamlow said...

What a wonderful surprise to get such a package. I can't wait to see what you come up with to reciprocate. And I am so glad you are on the mend.

I can't help but wonder if the boxing kangaroo pen can knock down the stuffed kangaroo and her joey? Sorry I don't want you to get into any trouble or break it, he, he, he.

6:34 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Glad you’re loving your Australiana tacky giftware, Dixie! (Although it gave me a cultural cringe lol) And as Sue said - NO we definitely do NOT where those hats in Oz. Thank goodness. Keep on boxing! :)

8:19 AM  
Blogger Unknown said...

I know now exactly what will take the blues away - that kangaroo pen! Now where could I get one of those!

10:28 AM  
Blogger Ginnie Hart said...

This is so hysterical because it's so ME as well. I love the goofy souvenirs. We try to stick to one fridge magnet, as many hat pins as Donica can find, a patch, if available, and a beanie bear if made every new place we go. Those collections alone could fill our house (and do :). How fun. Thanks for sharing your simple pleasure!

6:42 PM  

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