On the Yard Sale circuit you frequently see items that are pretty much useless to anyone! They are beyond salvaging and un-restorable. (Is that a word?) I've made it my mission though, to salvage the broken and seriously deformed religious icons.
I have an Infant Jesus of Prague that is without a hand. He has a little wooden stub protruding from his right sleeve. He is in need of the services of the local hand surgeons. It would have to be a transplant for the hand is long gone. Tragically, while residing in my downstairs room on the top of the book case, he fell (or was pushed) onto the floor and lost his head. The head rolled behind the bookcase and I could not retrieve it so he stood there, headless and hand less for a number of months. Finally the head was found and my attempts to re-attach it have not met with success. I'll keep trying. I paid twenty-five cents for him.
On top of the cluttered shelf on the wall of that same room stands the Headless Monk. He arrived at our house about thirty-five years ago. I like to think he was seeking refuge. He came in a box of Keith's art supplies and I have never been able to discern if he was created by Keith or by an unknown artist. Why doesn't he have a head? What secrets lurk behind this mystery? I do not know.
I have another Infant Jesus of Prague that has a small planter attached to the rear of his body. The planter is cracked, chipped and barely hanging on and would not bear up under the burden of dirt or water. This, too is a yard sale purchase. Cost? Twenty- five cents.
When I was lying in my hospital bed after one of my cancer surgeries, heavily drugged, one of my good friends brought me a statue of St Peregrine, the patron saint of cancer. She placed him on the bedside table. After she left, I threw my arm out to the side and inadvertently knocked him off onto the floor. His head went in one direction and his body in another. Linda was present in the room and she got on her hands and knees and crawled around the floor looking for his head. she found it under the bed. I was devastated because I thought it might be an omen! I beheaded the patron saint of cancer! Realizing how upset I was, Linda assured me that she would take it across the street to Tonini's and see if they could repair it. They were very understanding and graciously said they would take it back and give us a new one. Whew! He resides on my dresser with a couple of angels, a teensie Mary and an Infant Jesus of Prague that is in mint condition!
I now have a new mission. Kris and Tim bought a lovely old home in the Highlands that was formerly owned by a prolific Catholic family. As part of the tour on my first visit to their new home, I spied a statue of the Virgin Mary hiding in the weeds beside the garage and fence. She was in pretty rough condition. It was love at first sight for me. I asked what they intended to do with her , hoping that I could be a part of her salvation. They had no plans for her! I suggested that maybe I could adopt her. They agreed to let me have her but she still hung out there by the garage for the next two years. A week or so ago Stephanie and I visited Kris, Maureen and new citizen, Rowan Patrick. I checked to see if Our Lady of the Lally was still there. She was! Stephanie went out to check her out and said, " We can take her if you want." I wanted! So we wrapped her in a plastic bag and carefully placed her in the car and brought her home.Jubilation!
To be continued.
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