Button Button, Who's Got the Button?

Whenever I pick out buttons, I always think of my grandparents. When we were little, every Saturday, my mom would pack up my brother and I, and we would make the trek from the 'burbs to Northeast Philly to visit my grandparents. Back in those old days, my mother did not bring a trunkload of toys to entertain us with, nor was there a toy box waiting for us at the apartment. While my grandparents did have a t.v., they didn't really have any reception, and more often than not, my grandfather would be found in his rocking chair, listening to the ballgame on the radio. One source of amusement was playing barbershop, and "cutting" my bald grandfather's hair while we listened to Ritchie Ashburn call balls and strikes. Other times, I would play with the one doll I kept in the bottom drawer of my grandmother's dresser - whom I called Uncle Bessy. But, my favorite thing to do was play in the button drawer. Heaping with buttons - big buttons, little buttons, jewels, bakelite, pearls -- I don't know exactly what I did with the buttons - I certainly didn't sew, but I put them in groups, and I moved them around, and I traded them with my brother, and I played made-up games with them. I don't know what was a better treat - playing in the button drawer or the Stella Dora "S" cookie that was always on hand for a snack.

But, ya grow up, you move away, you forget about the buttons. My grandfather passed away, my grandmother eventually moved to a nursing home. In the craziness that accompanied the move to the "assisted living community," my mother gave away all of my grandmother's furniture to some Russian immigrants who came with their truck, and took it away. When she called to tell me that everything was cleaned out, I said, "Well, you saved the button drawer, right?" My memories of the buttons that were given away are probably more extravagant than the actual buttons, but to me, it was quite a loss.

Anyway, so it makes me happy to pick out buttons, and ladies and gents, it is time to pick buttons for the Sunrise - behind door No. 1 - we have long skinny pinkish buttons.
























Or, the ellipse-like wooden toggles,










Or, the rather interesting shaped, I think plastic, toggles,




















Your basic toothy black -
















SO WHAT DO YOU THINK????
Cast your vote now! I already bought a set, but I think I've changed my mind.