The Power of Gypsies

The Lovely Mrs. G. and I have a saying: “The gypsies got me.” As in “The gypsies grabbed me by the arm and convinced me to buy something outlandish and/or expensive that I really didn’t need. That’s my excuse, and I’m sticking to it.”

The gypsies get us a lot. Okay, they get ME a lot. They always seem to find a way to talk me into buying this or that, and then I have to come home with a sheepish smile on my face.

Recently the gypsies got me twice. While I was in Disneyland in March, they talked me into buying two Haunted Mansion posters. Damn gypsies with their hypnotic suggestive selling ways... The posters weren’t the worst part, though – they were relatively cheap compared to the framing cost. Yikes – have you ever priced what it costs to professionally matte and frame a 3-foot poster? It ain’t cheap, brother.

Still, the final result does look pretty sharp.

The only catch is the I bought TWO posters – the second one is even bigger than the first one. And with poster #1 costing me over $250 to frame (ouch!), I can only imagine what #2 will set me back. So for now my second poster sits in its tube, waiting its turn until the gypsies’ tambourine lures them back in.

My other big gypsy purchase wasn’t as expensive, but does come with a long term commitment.

Meet Dixie.

I named her after my love of all things Southern, especially Florida. I originally thought of calling her “Esmeralda”, after the gypsy in “Hunchback of Notre Name” (somehow it seemed appropriate), but that’s quite the name to holler when she’s climbing on the counters. So I went with Dixie instead, which seems to fit her personality.

I lost my older cat Tasha in December to old age, and it took me until now to decide it was time to add another cat to the Gressel mix. So last Friday I went to the local Humane Society, where she and I bonded right away. She needed a home; I needed a new friend, and it all worked out.

Dixie is a sweet little cat (she’s a year old), and I’m glad that she and I have met up. Now if I can just get her to stay off the top of the cupboards, we’ll get along fine.

So let this serve as a warning to all of you out there – beware of the power of the gypsies. Otherwise you’ll never know what you’ll come home with.