On this Christmas Eve; Bob’s Wonderland and a Da Vinci Detour

Bob has built an empire of joy and happiness. Shops that kids’ dreams are made of. And adults’ too! If they’re willing to admit it. Of course that depends on what sort of relationship they have with their kid-self. Me? My kid self wears her milk moustache on her sleeve. 

Back to the story…

In the small town of Maple Creek, SK Bob has designed 4 shops that I make an effort to visit every time I drive through. He has a plush stuffie store called Old Town Plush with practically every kind of stuffed animal you can perceive and imagine. An instant cozy-making, heart biggening experience the second you walk through the door. 

There’s the Big Blue Whale ice cream and candy shop with all kinds of sweets and treats and ice cream flavors that you’ve never even heard of let alone tried! My favorite ice cream flavors…Blast Off, Shark Attack, Salted Caramel Chocolate Fudge and Caramel Apple. 😱😱😱 He has old fashioned candies and specialty pops and 5lb gummie bears!!

There’s the Book Store - timeless classics and new unique books, inspiring art and stationary supplies and so much more. I saw a gorgeous Christmas sticker book with such beautiful art that I almost bought it just to have it even though I had no idea what on earth I would do with it. But I loved it. Woopie cushion bookmarks anyone?? No? What about a classic wood stove-shaped pencil sharpener?? 😍😍😍

But the toy store. The toooooyyyyy stooooorrrre. Cowtown Kids Toy and Candy. That’s my favorite….floor to ceiling, wall to wall, toys for all ages, interests and skill sets. From nostalgic toys like the Fisher Price Classic Retro toy phone that I played with 40 years ago to 100,000 piece puzzles (which the whooooole top floor of the building is STACKED with boxes and boxes of puzzles!!!🥰) to magic trick kits, to the World Tiniest series (teeny tiny, but playable, monopoly, chess, etch a sketch eeeeeeeeeh so cuuuuute 🥺😍🥰) to buildable wooden models of Leonardo Davinci’s inventions he engineered and documented in his 72 page book of inventions called the Codex Leicester (which was mysteriously written in mirror script and which I JUST discovered Bill Gates bought for 30.8 million dollars in 1994). 

Bob’s empire is an absolute wonderland. And the kid in Bob knows. He knooooooowws. And he’s gooooooood. 

And these aren’t small stores. Maple Creek has big historic buildings downtown (with gorgeous tall ceilings) and Bob’s got a few of those buildings. So they are historic, beautiful AND filled with curiosities, joy, wonder and awe. People travel from miles around to visit Bob’s empire wonderland. And so they should. 

My point in telling this story is this; within every adult is a little kid. And sometimes they are tickled and persuaded to come out and play. I like that a lot. I encourage it. When I see it happen around me, outside of myself, it makes me smile right from my soul. 

Like when Bob gave me a gold star for buying something on 3 different occasions in the same trip to Maple Creek. It wasn’t a widespread marketing strategy. It was a spur of the moment thing that he made up and offered to ME. And It made me happy. I felt accomplished. I even showed it off to people. 

Us big people with our kid version inside reminds me of Russian nesting dolls. I like that thought because it makes me feel like my happy, easily inspired, full of awe and wonder-kid self is only a crack open away. Easily accessible. Ever present just not always visible (well, maybe for some more than others☝️🙋🏻‍♀️🤭). 

Just a thought on this eve of Christmas when my inner child is happily squealing with delight at every turn. Still.