By Mike Steely
In a recent story in The Focus I mentioned that my wife and I collect political and promotional buttons and cups from places we’ve visited, and other things like postcards and business cards. The article drew some response when it appeared.
Kathy Turpin wrote, “I read your column in The Focus. Related to collections our house is full of them. My husband collects stamps and coins but mine is different. I collect nun statues!
“They are hard to find, especially in the south. I have two aunts who are sisters and I am Catholic and attended 13 years of Catholic schools, so it’s a natural for me. Here’s a picture. I have them high up so the kitty cats don’t bother them.”
Two old family friends responded they also collect items. Kerri Jones Clark said she favors kaleidoscopes and Dar Johnson collects magnets. One of the ladies lives in Florida and the other in Virginia.
Knoxville’s Judy Padoll collects shot glasses and Janis Young Buckner collects cups and magnets. Neighborhood leader Ronnie Collins wrote and said he collects Jack Daniels items, UT memorabilia, and books about Knox County and Tennessee.
Melanie Jennings Monday and Keith Richardson got a laugh with their responses. Monday said she collects dust and Richardson said, “I’ve been told I collect flies, Is that what you’re asking?”
Betty Perkins Gottmann said she doesn’t collect anything anymore but used to collect cut glass and teapots.
Kim Webber collects snow globes and Sylvia W. Woods seeks out patches. “I sew them on a piece of burlap with a dowel at the top and bottom, I got the idea from sewing Boy Scout patches,” she said, adding, “I forgot to say they take up just a little space and make a nice wall hanging. The grandchildren loved looking at the colorful patches. We trimmed the burlap up both sides with the different states we had visited.”
Lynn Fuson likes collecting ceramic salt and pepper shakers that look like each other and Victrolas listening dogs.
Georgia Vines said, “Tiles, the first one was from the Milwaukee County Horticultural Conservancy.”
Terry Creech Hill also collects shot glasses and said they are easy to tuck away in a suitcase. She sent a photo of her display cabinet packed with dozens and dozens of shot glasses.
