Amongst the lovely birthday gifts I received recently from the G.O. was also what we refer to as A Present. A Present is something random we occasionally buy but usually find for the other, given for no reason at all. Mostly A Presents are bits & pieces the G.O. finds at work on construction sites, and brings home for me. Over the years he has brought home many & varied A Presents: old coins & marbles; bottles; furniture and odds & ends from demolition sites, and one tiny tabby kitten which we couldn’t keep but gave into the good care of the local Cat Protection Society.
After the G.O. handed me birthday gifts he’d hidden within the organised chaos that is the back of his ute, he proffered a muddy disk, and graciously said “here, that’s for you too, I found it.”
As the dirt washed off it into the kitchen sink my A Present revealed itself as a battered stop and slow sign. Exciting. Almost as good as my birthday gifts and no cash had been exchanged, which always gives me a thrill. Even better I had just the spot for it. My work-in-progress Taylors Arm verandah table of found items. Right where it would remind us for the 3 week duration of our holidays that slow, rather than stop is the objective. Forget about go.
I’m around this week until late Friday but after that I may not be popping into blog world much or at all. As usual it’s dependent on the caprices of the wireless internet waves that may or may not find their way to Taylors Arm. Last year I was a little bereft, not having the ability to regularly check in with my WordPress Tribe. I’ll read blogs and comment if possible, but I’ll be back in the real world a fortnight into the new year.
When we’re out & about if I snap something remarkable with my phone I’ll endeavour to upload it to elladee_images or elladee_places.
*You can also find me and other photos like this on Pinterest.
I wish you a Very Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays and Happy New Year. In the spirit of the festive season I offer up the last verse of an Australian version of the Twelve Days of Christmas.
On the 12th day
of Christmas
My true love sent to me
12 parrots prattling,
11 numbats nagging,
10 lizards leaping,
9 wombats working,
8 dingoes digging,
7 possums playing,
6 brolgas dancing,
5 kangaroos,
4 koalas cuddling,
3 kookaburras laughing,
2 pink galahs,
And an emu up a gum tree.
daleleelife101.blog 
I LOVE your Stop&Slow sign, EllaDee 🙂 Precious.
Hope you have a wonderful Christmas with the G.O. at Taylor’s Arm. x
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Thank you. Wonderful how it just found its place 🙂
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“And an emu up a gum tree” that is fantastic!
Have a great Xmas and enjoy your SLOW break, hopefully you find some more things to add to your table. Those ink bottles are great and the new addition from the G.O. Is a great treasure indeed.
I love old signs, and salvaged a big old metal Schweppes lemonade sign (of dubious provenance 😉 ) off the in-laws hard rubbish pile a few years ago. I put it back behind their shed and told them we’d be back with the ute later to get it, then the FIL suggested folding it in half to fit in in the car. Aaaaaargh! Now it is screwed to one wall of the outside of the shed. 🙂
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Thank you. The old Schweppes sign is a great find, and possibly that’s how your FIL got it home.
The G.O. is on a new site, so there has been a small influx of A Presents, and he tells me he’s found a few other signs so we’ll see on the weekend what the haul is. When he builds his shed/expands the workshop he’ll need a few to go in there as well 🙂
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The Schweppes sign is in perfect condition apart from a few scratches, thank goodness he didn’t do something horrible to it before we got there. I suspect its original arrival was thanks to one of the Man’s cousins during his determinedly misspent youth.
I’m interested to see what your other new signs might be, you’re lucky the G.O. saves all of those treasures for you rather than chucking them on the rubbish pile. 🙂
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The G.O. mentioned High Voltage Keep Out, for one but later said he had a couple…
I have my eye on, in a shop, a brass Goods Entrance at Rear but there is no way I’m parting with $75… rarely do we ever part with significant cash… we prefer the thrill of a find.
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Have a wonderful Christmas with the G.O. and come back refreshed and rarin’ to go.
xxx Massive Hugs xxx
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Thank you. I’m sure we will return fully recharged. So in fact the Danger High Voltage sign the G.O. found this week might come in handy 😉
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Your construction shutdown (or rather GO’s) starts when ours does ie Friday. Or would if Partner wasn’t working on some private jobs as well, so I’m not sure when we get to Spain. Sadly our ie his break is only two weeks though so it will be back to the scaffolding on the sixth. I love the freebie presents I get too – must take a photo of our free menagerie at some point, no – not the dogs! Have a great break, wishing you all the best for Christmas, New Year and that slow life.
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Yes, the G.O. finishes at lunchtime Friday, and has his Christmas party that night. The company would like to only have a 2 week shutdown but as very few have had breaks of any significance during the year, no deal.
I enjoy the way the freebies find us when they need a new home 🙂
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Slow is the right word for the holiday season, completely in tune with your sustainable choices … a perfect A Present! Have a great break, resting and renewing in your hideaway, there is no rush to get to back to the hurley burley of the ‘real world’ 🙂
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Thank you. Knowing the real world will be waiting makes the respite a little sweeter 🙂
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A very Merry Christmas and Happy etc. to y’all! I love how y’all do presents. 🙂
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I love A Presents best of all. I find gifts hard to choose. So much better when they find us 🙂
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Very nice verandah table indeed…I like that. Not a bad A present at all:)
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Thank you 🙂 I enjoy the serendipity of A Presents, and footpath finds, which is the provenance of much of our stuff.
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cheers
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Thank you 🙂 There will be a little celebrating happening… just because it’s the holidays.
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Have a wonderful holiday Ella – love your ‘slow’ gift.
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Thank you. I’ll have plenty of time to consider ‘slow’ from my customary vantage points.
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I love your found items table. And slow is the perfect motto for the holidays. Carrie Rubin encouraged me to take a break as well. Next week for sure. 😉 Happy Holidays! And a very prosperous New Year!
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Thank you. You of all, people need a break. Celebrate your great year 🙂
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How perfect! And it found you!
I love found objects – and time to float free.
(12 days of Christmas never sounded better!)
May all your jingle time be wonderful, your Christmas be full of wonder, and may you and yours enter the new year healthy, happy, and wise !
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Thank you 🙂 All going well, we’ll spend some of our holiday browsing our favourite old-wares-junk-op-shops and find a bargain or 2. And some time floating in the ocean.
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A lovely, lovely post and photo, Ella. Enjoy your well-earned break and belated Happy Birthday!
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Thank you. I’m getting into the Christmas spirit each time I respond to a comment, and see my verandah table and all that is connected with it, knowing soon, I’ll be there 🙂
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Merry Christmas, Miss EllaDeeDale. May I inquire about what is a ute? Is that an Aussie expression? Probably I’m just daft. Enjoy your A Presents and have a great time away.
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Thank you. Ute is a true Aussie expression. Short for utility vehicle… like an American pick-up truck. It has a tray on the back, and the G.O.’s has a canopy over the tray 🙂
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Whew! Thanks for explaining. 🙂
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What a great tradition, and what a great verandah table. The objects work really well together. Have a great break, EllaDee! See you in the NY!
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Thank you. I’m sure the contents of the table will evolve, and it’s a great place for a couple of pots of kitchen herbs while we are there for the holidays 🙂
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I love the idea of giving Presents throughout the year, rather than a present on a birthday or at Christmas. And how appropriate to receive a Go Slow sign this time of the year. We all need that reminder, no doubt. I hope you and the G.O. have a wonderful Christmas and may 2014 be memorable in the best possible way. Take care, EllaDee.
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Thank you 🙂 I’m not an enthusiastic on-demand gift giver or receiver. I requested an IOU for this birthday however the G.O. had noted a couple of things that caught my eye, but I would have been equally as thrilled with only the stop & slow sign he found.
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The concept of slow is a good mantra for the holidays. Slow down and savor it all to the last eggnog and hug. Enjoyed seeing your found things. Merry Christmas. Sue
Womenlivinglifeafter50.com
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Thank you 🙂 Go slow and found items are the opposite of what Retail would have us aspire to. Our gift to ourselves each year at Christmas is 3 weeks of time out. The finding of slow sign was fortuitous.
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Merry Christmas EllaDee! Here’s to a great 2014. SD
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Thank you. Hopefully, the internet will function well enough form me to catch up with Rose from time to time.
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I just love that photo, the colours are wonderful and everything in the photo too.
The table and stools are just the sort of things I like, and your A Present? Brilliant!!
Hope you have a wonderful Christmas and New Year break, Hopefully I’ve got my message in in time before to set off.
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Thank you 🙂
I’m amazed and grateful that things we like find us but then we don’t take everything we find home… not ready to be on Hoarders quite yet 😉
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Oh I love found stuff, your sign is GREAT! and the table you have it on is rather gorgeous too! Have a lovely day darling.. c
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Thank you. I thought of you and the bits & pieces John brings home. Snap 🙂
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