I Have Lots of Sects

 (In case you didn't get the joke, say the title of this post aloud.)

I have boxed up most of my owl figurines, so I can take them to NM on my vacation this week and leave them in my mom's basement.*  I also packed most of my books, but I don't know if I'll have room in my car for everything.  (The bookcase looks so empty now!)

As I packed my owls, I noted that I had displayed them in groups of similar types.  I had grouped "eared" owls separately from those without feather tufts.  I have a group of yellow-painted, souvenir owls -- bells, toothpick holders, and salt/pepper shakers.  (I also have other salt/pepper shaker sets.)  I have about a half dozen seashell owls.  I have music boxes (including the one pictured).  I have ceramic owls, both painted and unpainted.  I have glass, clay, alabaster, wood, metal, and stone owls.  I have candle holders and candles (see below for my fifty-cent bargain).  I have stuffed owls (one was featured before).  I have plates.  I have bookmarks.  I have bookends (boy, do I have bookends!)  I have cooky jars and vases.  I have beer and liquor bottles with owls on the labels.  I have all-weather owls for outdoor display (another mentioned in an earlier post).  I have an owl whirligig (similar to this one).  I even have a wooden, cigar box (no match for it yet).

The moral of this story is that you need to keep me out of thrift stores, flea markets, and yard sales, or else I might end up filling the shelves all over again.  (The same goes for book sales and used bookstores.)

* Since it's likely I'll have to relocate (either for a new job or if I get fired), I figured that it would be a good idea to store my owls (and books) in my mom's basement until I know where I'm going to end up.  If I get a job somewhere else, I won't have to shlep all the boxes later.  If I'm fired and have to sponge off my mom for a while, then the boxes would end up in her basement anyway.  (The sad part is that this frees up absolutely no extra living space -- or even closet space -- in my apartment.)