An Old Toy About to Get Fixed

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Pinball anyone? This past Saturday morning, the Tiu family pinball machine was picked up for long time needed service. Eastman did all the legwork and found someone local who repairs and services these machines. Rich Huff, Midwest Pinball, was really nice and incredibly knowledgeable!

Apparently, it isn’t too difficult to find replacement parts for this generation of Bally pinball machines, a number of games use the same board set. Hopefully there wasn’t too much leaking of any old batteries inside the game, either. I believe Rich told me that there were less than 1000 of these machines made (I want to say 800-900, but I can’t remember). Because of its trucking theme, you’d find these primarily at rest stops, truck stops, bars… and a few of them made their way off route. Like to my husband’s Algonquin home in the 1980’s.

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Look, actual rolling numbers… not digital display! I’m diggin’ the short shorts on the waitress, too. A little reminiscent of Daisy Duke? This is the pinball machine head, and I didn’t take a picture of the back, but it’s all taped together. I love how Rich reacted. He said something to the affect of, “Oh, that’ll need some work…” It probably would fall apart if we took the tape off. No locks. That will all get repaired, too.

The whole repair will probably take at least 2-3 weeks. Come on over when it’s back!

Gifts from the East

My sister-in-law and her fiance went on a wonderful Philippines and Southeast Asia trip and came back with goodies for us. We love her to bits!

Fabric from Singapore picked out by my husband’s cousin… the possibilities are endless.

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This is a tiled mirror from Bali. I think they haggled with a street vendor for it. Love the turtle-shell tiles!

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I’ll have to look up some Balinese recipes to use the curry powders… hot, hotter and on fire!

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Thanks for the gifts!

Home questions…

So, if you frequently read the Chicago Tribune homes section on Sunday, you’ll find these interviews of designers, celebrities, or whomever the editors are interested in at the time. I get a kick out of them, personally.

What item in your home shouts “Julie Tiu lives here!” That might have to be some of the architectural elements in the home, like the newel posts at the staircase which I love, or the front door. But then, maybe it’s the crazy artsy mess in the basement.

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One thing on your nightstand: A Midwest Living magazine

One thing you have in your house from your childhood: I have lots of things, let’s face it, I’m sort of a pack rat. But, I’m glad to have my Little Golden Books from when I was 6, and now Abby and Ollie can read and enjoy them.

Three things we’d find under your bed: Dust, plastic storage with some of Abby’s drawings, plastic storage with seasonal clothing.

Most high-tech gadget or appliance in your home: Maybe the iMac?

If you had to save one “thing” from your home, what would it be? That’s a terrible thought! Might be the external hard drive with our recent family pictures.

What’s the biggest collection in your home? We have some nice art pieces: pottery, glass, framed art.

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What reading material would we find in your bathroom? Who reads in the bathroom?

Most embarrassing thing in your home that you hide when guests come over: I usually move the clothes pile (that sits on a chair in our bedroom) into the closet.

If we came unexpectedly, would we find your bed made-or not made? That would depend, but today, it’s made.

Best furniture bargain you ever got: That would have to be the buffet in our dining room. It was part of a larger dining set I bought at an estate sale. (See: http://tinybungalow.blogspot.com/2008/07/another-friends-home.html)

Biggest surprise we’d find in your closet: I still have my denim (handmade) jacket from when I was 12.

Do you hang the toilet paper over the front or down the back? Over the front.

What CD would we find in your player (or artist on your iPod) right now? I don’t actually own an iPod, it’s Eastman’s. In the car I have ABBA – Disc 3 from the box set. (Yeah, I’m not ashamed to say it!)

Where do you feel most creative in your home? Calmest? Creative – anywhere. Calmest – lounging on the couch, which usually doesn’t happen for very long.

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Another candle on her cake (Webkinz birthday theme)

If I think about too much, it’s almost a heartache how fast Abby has grown. I’m so proud of her.

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She’s putting last touches on her Webkinz themed cake for her Webkinz themed birthday party. It was a blast crafting ponchos for all the pets, decorating bags for game prizes, our own homemade Wheel of Wow, Gem Mining and W Shop.

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The pets… I mean, kids, had an awesome time.

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Friends gave her a special tea blend named for her: Tea for Tiu. Strawberry tea goodness.

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Happy seven candles, my first little one. How big you are now.

Looky what we found here

Oh my goodness, someone (other than my husband) please tell me about this game. Does this look crazy, circa 1970-forgotten? Maybe 1980-something. I thought this might make a funny White Elephant gift. Don’t you love how her cups are running over, and she’s holding a gun? And the look-at-my-pecs-hero-guy, and crazy pirate-muscle-man at the bottom?

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Commodore64! I had to chuckle out loud. There’s a whole generation out there who don’t know what this is anymore, right? I opened the box, and Abby sees the 5-1/4″ floppy disk. Again, “Mom, what’s this?” “It’s a video game.” “Can we play it?” “No, it’s too old for our computers.” Sigh. We’re getting old.

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Eastman tells me that this belonged to his buddy. Did his buddy forget all about this game, and would he take it back? Why was it hidden in storage for so long?

I have no shame…

Music from the 80's and 90's

Music from the 80's and 90's

Cassette tapes. What are they, some ask. My kids got a total kick out of sifting through two grocery bags full of tapes. We had a school cancellation today, so I thought this might be fun to go through. Preparing for eBay, freecycle, etc.  All you could hear in my house was the clackety-clack of plastic covers hitting each other, and my kids saying, “Wow. Who’s this?”

We’ve got a little Whitney, some Madonna, James Taylor, a whole lot of Chicago, then a few less known groups like The Church. It was a lot of fun listening to a few of the tapes, and then I hit jackpot. A recording I made with a friend at the tender age of 14, and basically throughout a 24-hour period. My brother was in the background making goofy comments, and at one point I just said, “Hey, go.”  That made Abby laugh.  Strangely enough, my friend, Christine, and I said on tape, “Ooh, we should play this for our kids one day.”  This is what I said at the end:

“Oh, and if one day, I have kids, if I have a girl, I don’t want to be a snot. I’ll let her go out with her friends…” 

Abby was laughing, laughing, laughing.  Ollie kept saying, “Mom? Mom? You?” and giggling.

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Look at his hair?! I can’t believe we thought this was so hot then…

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Ahh…Sting. We still love you.

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