Sunday, October 18, 2015

Welcome to the Fortress of Dollitude

In which the author introduces herself...

Hello. My name is Catholic Bibliophagist. That's also the name of my book blog because a bibliophagist is someone who devours books, and that's what I do.  But when I'm not reading, I quilt; it's my other mad passion. So of course I started a second blog about sewing and quilting.

Lately, both of these blogs have been languishing. I still read and quilt, but I find myself spending more and more time playing with (and reading about) dolls, specifically 18" dolls such as American Girl. So of course, I need a third blog devoted to the 18" denizens of The Fortress of Dollitude.

I've wanted an American Girl doll ever since the late 1980s. I loved pouring over the Pleasant Company catalogs just as much as my little daughter did, but I never expected to own one because 1) I was a full grown woman; and 2) they were way too expensive for a one-income family. My husband always had one or more part-time jobs in addition to his full-time gig so that I could stay home with the children. So in good conscience I could never say, "Honey, I'd like to buy an outrageously expensive historical doll and her amazingly cute little accessories even though you work so hard that you fall asleep every time you stop moving for more than 30 seconds."

In fact, I had to tell my daughter that we could not possibly buy her an American Girl doll, and that if she really wanted one, she would have to save up for it -- which, surprisingly, she did.

I asked her recently if she remembered how long she had to save up. Her answer was, "FOREVER!"

I'm sure it must have seemed like forever since at that time an American Girl doll cost more than $80.00 and her allowance couldn't have been more than 25 or 50 cents a week. She does remember saving the dizzying sum of $20.00 and then falling off the wagon to buy ice cream. But she climbed back on again. And by doing extra chores for money (and requesting donations for her doll fund when relatives asked what she wanted for birthdays and Christmas), she eventually bought Felicity, the colonial doll.

But my own desire for an American Girl doll would not be slaked for many, many years.

At one point I bought a Gotz doll (for a much reduced price) from a toy store that was going out of business. But it wasn't the same, and poor Elizabeth, as I named her,  did not fill that AG-shaped hole in my heart. Alas! She spent most of her time in a box in my closet, though every now and then I did take her down to admire her exquisite ringlets. 

It would take a while for me to realize that sometimes it really is okay to buy exactly what you want. (Not to mention cheaper.)

5 comments:

  1. :) I had many dolls before Molly, but none where.... Molly! :)

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  2. My only AG as a girl was an Our New Baby doll in a lulliby basket that I named Nia Imani. Now that I'm the 34 year old mom of a 12 year old daughter, we've added Addy, Josephina, (GiGi), and Kaya. We also are fond of our Journey Girl named Deena (Dana).

    I'll have to check your book blog. I'm currently going through RCIA right now.

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  3. RCIA ? Yay! Congrats on your journey home. (I'll keep you in my prayers.)

    Journey Girl dolls are cute. I saw some for the first time just before Christmas. They have a bookcase set that I would love to have.

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  4. Thanks! I love the Journey Home Network on EWTN.

    Journey Girls have the most gorgeous eyes, though I wish that they were sleepers. That revolving storage tower is on my list as well. It shall be mine!

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