I sent my grandma a birthday present.

Daminka, my polka-loving, 4'11 grandma, turns 88 tomorrow. I found her the most perfect gift at the most perfect hardware store in the city (Convenience Hardware at 26th and 9th Ave).* Perfect because, not only do they have glue and keys and hammers, they have at least 3000 hand-painted Russian nesting dolls that are ALL DIFFERENT. This time, I snagged one that features a lady who keeps getting smaller and smaller, but manages to switch out the kind of cat that she's holding. This summer I bought one that features different girls getting smaller and smaller until a tiny orange tiger blasts you in the face. Amazing.

When I asked the man at the hardware store where they came from, he said, "Oh, a little place you've probably never heard of. ...RUSSIA." He's right. Never heard of it, but just the same, I can really appreciate their people's sense of detail and interest in surprise.

Lady One

Lady Two

Lady Three

Lady Four

LADY FIVE!!!!! She's SOOO SMALL!!

Here is my cat's paw for comparing purposes. 

Team.

I was so excited about these dolls that I almost didn't send them. I almost ate them. Really. I mean, then I'd be a nesting doll too! Right? This seems to beg the question: Can you become a nesting doll just because you have a small doll inside of you? Or are you only a nesting doll if someone cuts you open and finds one? Hmmm.

Honestly, I don't know what my deal is with small things. Sometimes I love them so much I think I may seize. The good news is, small things are more cost effective than big or even normal sized things. Cost of these dolls? 12 dollars. Cost of real-sized people? Holding different cats? A lot.

*Don't worry. This post won't spoil anything. My grandma doesn't know about the internet. She also doesn't know that ambrosia salad isn't really salad.