New Jim Shore

Jim Shore came out with some great new pieces that are card boxes, Chinese Checkers, a gorgeous cuckoo clock, and a beautiful chess set.
I love the clock, the card box is practical because we play Rummy with the kids all the time, and the Chinese Checkers are a piece of art that looks beautiful too. You don't always get to buy something related to your obsession that is also practical which is why I love these new items.
I used to play Chinese Checkers with my Grandma. We called her Mom Schmitz. When I would go to her house to spend the night I would sit on the front porch swing with her and we would eat grapes and watch the cars go by. Sometimes in the afternoon, we would get cleaned up, put on fresh clothes and walk downtown, and if I was good, we might go to the dimestore. In the evening we would sometimes play Chinese Checkers. When I think of Mom Schmitz, I think of Chinese Checkers and grapes. She passed away when she was 64. I was only 10. When you are 10 and think about being 64, it seems really old. Now that I am 55...I realize how young she really was.
After writing this I decided that I will buy the Chinese Checker board. It will be a wonderful memory of a part of my childhood. It won't arrive until the end of March but I will post a picture when it arrives.