Every year Hess is still putting out a new truck. This year Santa brought my son a Hess Truck - it's a truck with a helicopter, too. Your Hess Truck is from 1970, originally sold for $1.69, and is a replica of the fire engine used at the Hess refinery in Perth Amboy, N.J.. One just sold on eBay (in perfect condition) for $505. Here's what one site says about it: This bright red fire truck was a replica of the fire engine used at the Hess refinery in Perth Amboy, N.J.. This 11 inch long pumper truck has a detachable extending ladder and hoses on either side. A swiveling water cannon sits on top. This was easily broken off. Finely detailed. Marked "Louis Marx and Company, Inc. on the bottom chromed chassis along with the date in Roman Numerals "MCMLXX" (1970). One of the hardest Hess Trucks to find it is a popular cross-collectible with fire truck and other specialty collectors. The box features pictures of the fire truck pumper and Hess refinery scene. The box is marked "Hess Oil and Chemical Division, Amerada Hess Corporation. In 1971 reissued this same fire truck. Sometime during that year the Company must have run out of the silk-screened boxes and substituted a plain white box with a sticker on the top that reads "Seasons Greetings". This box is extremely hard to find.

Hi B. Dolls of a given height are rearely the same body shape. An 18 inch doll can be baby, toddler, child, teen or adult (lady) Each of these body shapes vary dramatically. I suggest that you buy the doll you thing your grandaughter would like and draft directly from the doll. Basic patterns can easily be tizzed with a bit of lace and gathering. Hope this helps - Peter Here is a link that might be useful: some of our dolls

Glenda, your wicker set looks very inviting. I like wicker a lot. Recently, I bought a set of natural wicker, loveseat, two arm chairs, and coffee table really cheap on Craigslist. Since other furniture in my sunroom is white, I painted the wicker white and bought a long blue cushion for the loveseat, and red cushions for the chairs. Then I decorated the sunroom in an Americana motif until after July fourth. I really like it. Do you have a rocking chair? I wish I did.

Very funny. Does she still have a food fetish? ha Just kidding. I came up with some different names for my dolls and they all had to have middle names as well. Never named any of them after a food that I can remember though. Too cute. MY DS called one of his stuffed animals Spike and when we were looking for names for DD he said her name was gonna be Spike too and so she was called by everyone until she was born. ha Then he decided he would call her by her name, Neleh (Helen spelled backwards and pronounced Ne-lee-a) I still go for the different names. ha Does your DD have kids yet?? She could always go with Gwyneth Paltrows name for her DD....Apple I believe it was. ;) ~Anj