Long Lines, Closed Roads, Dead Mowers, Head Lice and Champagne...

Recently I went shopping on eBay for a silver plated, champagne bucket. I had visions of tablescapes featuring chilling champagne. I saw floral centerpieces, starring a lovely champagne bucket filled to overflowing with big, beautiful flowers.

So eBay a-shopping I went! I found this gem (seller's pic) and before long that wonderful e-mail arrived in my mailbox proclaiming, "Congratulations, You won this item on eBay!" Yipee!



I waited impatiently for it's arrival, and one day, the waiting was over. It came late one afternoon on what had been a difficult day...a day of unfulfilled errands due to closed roads, long lines, and head lice! Yep, head lice! No, not mine, thankfully, but that of an unhappy looking teenage girl whose Mom had brought her to the hair salon where I'd planned to get my hair cut...before I changed my mind.

It came on a day when my recently serviced lawn mower would not even think of starting, despite a yard overgrown with tall grass. Finally, something good on a day when nothing had gone right. A newly delivered box full of promise sat waiting on that other porch here at Between Naps on the Porch.

Lawn mowing duties now completely forgotten, I eagerly lifted the much anticipated package to the kitchen counter...and as I did, I heard a little clank. Ummm...that's odd. As I cut the tape and began to lift the wrapped bucket from the box, I heard the noise again, louder this time...CLANK. Something was definitely moving around in there and whatever it was...it was clanking into the champagne bucket. I don't like this. The day from "you know where" wasn't done with me yet.




Here's how it looks after just a little polishing with Hagerty's, my favorite silver polish.




It is positively GORGEOUS!



More beautiful in person than it was on eBay...




It has beautiful detailing around the rim...




Yep, I love it...




Well...except for this minor problem.




The seller was able to give me a full refund, since it was insured. Thank-you, Cindy.




It's just too beautiful to throw away, so I took it to a silver shop close to home. The silversmith said it would cost a lot to fix it and would involve removing the handles and attaching new ones. :-( He recommended against it. I tried "Gorilla Glue"...the Gorilla laughed! A friend suggested welding it...what do you think? Any suggestions?



Have you ever bought something on eBay and had it arrive broken? Unfortunately, this isn't the first time it's happened to me...normally it has been china. I welcome your suggestions!