Every family has their own personal mythologies
in ours if you have the feeling you are going to win something it is called
the Alvey Feeling
which is named after an Alvey fishing reel that Sinus won
when he was about 14 or 15 and he just knew he would win it
so every time we are feeling lucky we have "the Alvey Feeling"
I am not one to enter contests or draws or things
I'm not quite sure why, but it just isn't me...
but then on Facebook I came across the Enjoy Every Day competition
on the Twinings page
and I love Twinings tea, especially Lady Grey and so I thought I would enter
The weekly prize was $5000 which was pretty spectacular
so I entered this painting which is one of my favourite Lady Grey paintings...
On hitting that enter button I was immediately and completely overcome by the Alvey feeling
I was soooooo winning five grand
I was mentally spending it
new computer, new printer, completing my set of Wedgewood tea cups
the list became alarmingly long ... alarmingly quickly
but I was convinced the Alvey feeling wouldn't let me down
I told Sinus about it and he was excited too
figuring that if I finally had the Alvey feeling it was quite the sign
and he took to making fishing reel motions all the time and patting me on the back
and welcoming me to the club
which was fun for about an hour
but quickly morphed into ...
pat me one more time and I will show you where you can put your Alvey reel
yet somehow I still thought it was going to happen
which was crazy and delusional because in the twenty something years I have lived with Sinus
I have never seen any evidence that the Alvey feeling actually works
Every second week he has it with the lotto draw, and all sorts of other situations
and never has it come off... not even close
except when it comes to getting parking spaces
he always gets the perfect parking spot... even when the mall is packed
the minute he drives in it seems that about ten people
are overcome by the overwhelming need to head home
it is freaky how he gets those parks.... and every time
but parking spaces aside
I had somehow morphed into this Alvey believer... I no longer scoffed and snorted
I actually thought it was going to come through
but on seeing the winner announced I was instantly plunged into utter despair
how could the Alvey feeling let me down so thoroughly
I was in shock... no new computer, or printer
turns out that the Alvey feeling is indeed the crock I had always thought it was
of course this tin arriving as a consolation prize sorted out my despair
as it is not only great for storing teas,
but of course it is something new to draw and paint
which always sets the world to rights
and I do love seeing it there on the shelf
but now Sinus is declaring that the Alvey feeling works
because I did win something
even if it wasn't what I had hoped
he is taking it as vindication and I figure I can look forward to
another 25 years of the bloody Alvey feeling...
lucky I have my Lady Grey to see me through the Alvey filled next few years...xx
Linking up with Sunday Sketches...
head over to see what people have been drawing this week...xx
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30 comments:
Well that's a crock that you didn't win. :( However - the consolation prize is nice! I know this 'Alvey' feeling. I've had it too. Still trying to feel it with the lotto or a prize home maybe...
Yep, we here call it Ferry Luck. We have ferry boats to take all from the mainland to Vancouver Island. We were on our way to the ferry one day, really, really late and still 20 minutes away at LEAST. The ferry should have left nearly 30 minutes before we got there and we were the very last car to drive on, lol. All the way there, as we were half an hour away and the official sail time passed I kept saying, "it's ok, we have ferry luck, we're gonna make the sailing". We did, and from then on I've been the wizard with ferry luck, lol. Now, if only ferry luck worked with Lottery tickets.
Much Love and very cool winnings,
Jenn
I believe that life ALWAYS gives you what you want, just never what you expect. Thanks for another good read. Hugs xx
well, for a minute I thought you had won 5,000 and was all excited for you, guess I can still be excited about the tin of tea? lol waving hi from the hills of North Carolina :)
Well, he's right. You did win something. Just not the big prize. So that should encourage you to try again for something else! Love the perfect illustration for this tale of bigger prize woe, though. ;)
this post is such a perfect glimpse of life, hopes and rising to the challenge..... so perhaps it is about that rising more than the outcome. your art is awesome as always!
Love your art, I love Lady Grey tea so would have been happy with your prize. Although the main prize would have hit the spot. I was so hoping you would win.
I love your sketches - and you Should have won!
The painting was an intriguing intro to the post, and such a great picture as usual. Congrats on winning the tin. I hope it was filled with tea when they sent it - surely they wouldn't send an empty tin. Really funny post, lit up my day as I drink my chamomile tea.
Hey congratulations! I'm with Sinus Man - the Alvey feeling does work. You did win! You just didn't visualise the right prize!! My man always gets parking spots too... And my Dad... Must be a male thing....
He's right, you DID win...just not what you expected! And that's a pretty great prize too :)
And I know the Alvey feeling well... with me it was a massive Easter egg in a national magazine when I was little!
Your art is just lovely!
You talked yourself into it :D I've done it, had a good feeling and then built on it until it was assured, that definitely it was all going to happen...then the crash and failure ::boo hoo :( :: The fall is as high as the elation on build up.
Call me morbid or unfeeling, but nowadays I try not to care or think about it and just do it. It avoids the crash, which can be painful, learnt at the alter of IVF, ugh.
But I admit, it is fun to dream on the what if. This is why so many scratchies and lottery tickets get sold. For that one moment, there are so many possibilities...
As always, I love your art this week. The charcoal going up against the yellow is so contrasting and sharp, a great eye catcher. I don't usually like that colour combination, but you've worked it well. It is strong, but not harsh. Lovely work :D
Happy Sunday Sketches!
Liz
(abviously suffering from verbal diahorrea again, sorry ::puppy dog eyes:: )
I think you should have Won the big prize, but at least you got recognition with a consolation prize. Oh, and btw my husb. always gets the good parking spots too (so annoying..lol).
I got so involved in your story, I had to go back to look at the art! I WANTED the "alvey feeling" to work for you. And it did, I guess.
Great post!
Well, congrats on your consolation prize, well deserved. Nice sketch today!
Congrats on your prize and thank you for always writing such wonderful posts - uplifting, funny, encouraging...whatever they're filled with, you always bless us. :)
And of course....your art sucks! JUST KIDDING!!! hahahaha Love you, sis. Hugs :)
Great illustrations as always ~ glad you won the tin ~ sense that you have many blessings and plus side was you took a 'risk' and entered the contest ~ (A Creative Harbor)
you so should ov' won. beautiful piece and who does tea better than you?
peace n abundance,
CheyAnne
Your paint is so beautiful, the colors made me think of halloween.
Have a great day!I
Nora
I love how you put the two together in your sketch! The Alvey and your new prize - makes for a great composition and story, and I love that you have a family word for it! xoxo
Oh my dear you are so funny...but that feeling is damn good while it lasts!!! I call it buying a dream!!
I like Sinus have pretty good karma when it comes to parking. I am a parking believer that's all there is to it!! Tracey you just gotsta beleeb!!!
Hugs Giggles
P.s you shoulda won!!! Just saying...
CONGRATS ON THE TEA TIN!!
Hugs Giggles
You made it on to the Twining's Australia Facebook page! So that is something!!! Congratulations on another wonderfully written story. Christie
I missed SS but I'm still zipping around and checking in :)
What a great story...well, not for you but that's funny. SOrry not so funny for you but I LOVE that expression. "Alvey Feeling" Charming! AS always, your sketches are beyond inspiring. Lovin your blog!!
wonderful new work Tracey!!!! I have some catching up to do around here and will love every minute of it!!!
That black tin is just gorgeous! Love the colours here! I've never ever won anything in my life, at least not anything useful - the only time I did win something was a shower curtain when I was about 13 - so I think winning a tin full of tea is great (even if not quite as great as the $5000 would have been...)!
Well I was about to say the same thing - that you did win something so there must be something in the 'Alvey feeling', lol! And at least you won something nice. And you can't store tea in a computer, so this is much better, right? ;0)
I would have been dreaming about how to spend that load of wad too.
Your illustrations always pop with color and I love the fluid lines.
I hate to mention what we call it in my family...but I'm late visiting so maybe there won't be many more visitors after me to hear this...
we always say 'I can feel it in my water'!!! Don't ask me where that came from or why we say it but there it is!
It doesn't always work no matter how convincing it is...so maybe its a just the start of a water infection or something (lol)...but when I enter competitions I have been quite lucky but only after moaning for years I never win anything.
Maybe you should try that tactic Trace...I think fate got sick of hearing me moan. ;D
I've actually won the lotto twice too and no it didn't change my life...last one was $18.36 and the first only 10 pounds!
Maybe it is waiting for 3rd time lucky! Who knows...I'll just wait until I can feel it in my water! :$
By the way...you were robbed because that piece is stunning.
I love the twinnings sketch too...but then I love everything you draw and paint :D
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