Sunridge Mall Ducky from Calgary

Name: Sunridge Mall Ducky
Interests: Shopping and floating in duck races
Where to Find: Sunridge Mall in Calgary
Brand: Assurance
Price: $2.00

Too cool for you.

Since I am camping with my best friend this long weekend, I decided it’s only fitting that I post a rubber duck that we got together back in Junior High School (we have both been collecting ducks since grade 8). While I I was in Calgary visiting her, we went shopping at Sunridge Mall. There was a duck race taking place and the ducks in the race were ducks we didn’t have. Therefore, we asked if we could purchase the duckies and keep them. The organizers said yes.

Sunridge Mall Ducky has wings that stick up and have slight blushing orange hue to them. His beak is bright red. His eyes state that he is a teenager who will give you attitude. The backward and to the side ball cap shows how cool he is. He has the Sunridge Mall stamp on his belly. He was going to be number 0941 in the race until I removed him. “Void” is written on his bottom, so everyone knows that he was not entered in the ducky race and he did not win. I really need to go watch a duck race sometime. Does anyone know of any races in Edmonton?

High Roller Ducky from Edmonton

Name: High Roller Ducky
Interests: Bringing in the dough any way I can.
Where to Find: Vending Machine at Cineplex Odeon North Edmonton
Brand: Eye Poppers by Krazy Town
Price: $2.00 Cdn

Show me the money.

Since the Eye Popper ducks are so hard to open, I decided I must share my strategy for opening the little egg shaped containers:

1. Get a hammer.
2. Place the egg on the floor or better yet-outside.
3. Smash the hammer onto the seam of the egg (exact middle) a few times.

Note: If the shell is breaking, continue to hammer at the shell until it is completely broken and you can safely remove the duck

4. Pick up the egg and pull it apart or unscrew it apart.

High Roller Ducky is all grey except for his 24kt gold beak (no it’s not real gold of course) and the 18kt gold “$”sign necklace hanging around his neck. The High Roller Ducky that I got has a worn off “$”sign necklace. It wasn’t painted thick enough.

8 Ball Ducky from Edmonton

Name: 8 Ball Ducky
Interests: Playing pool
Where to Find: Vending Machine at Cineplex Odeon North Edmonton
Brand: Eye Poppers by Krazy Town
Price: $2.00 Cdn

Don’t sink me.

Yesterday we took my daughter to see Brave. It was a very cute movie and we saw it at the North side Cineplex Odeon so that I could buy a few Eye Popper duckies after the movie. My daughter loves carrying around the little capsules of duckies. Since the containers are almost impossible to turn, twist and pull apart, I knew they weren’t choking hazards.

I spent $30.00 trying to get the complete set of ducks (toy machines bring randomness and rarity to trying to complete a collection). I received many duplicates and have a new set of 5 for my friend who also collects rubber ducks.

8 Ball Ducky is unique out of the 11 eye popper ducks because he is the only duck that has googly eyes like cookie monster. One eye is looking up to the right and the other is looking down to the left. He is all black including his beak and he has an 8 ball on his belly. Shake him to find out if he is a magic 8 ball.

Does anyone want to trade me? I still need the dracula ducky and the ducky in the suit (these are probably the rarest and only 7 were made or something).

Millcreek Pool Lifeguard Ducky from Edmonton

Name: Millcreek Pool Lifeguard Ducky
Interests: Keeping little kids safe all summer long.
Where to Find: Elephants Never Forget (no longer in business)
Brand: Schylling
Price: $4.50

Swim a lap to get a stamp so you can go in the deep end.

I remember the summer that my best friend and I spent the day at Millcreek Pool in Edmonton. We dove off the high diving boards many times, inhaled the sweet summer scent of sunscreen, purchased slurpees that the wasps invaded and dried off in the sun. My friend dried off a bit too much and sunburned her back really bad. Millcreek pool is down in the river valley and there isn't much shade. I can't wait to take my daughter to the pool this summer, but we are going to go in the evening so the UV isn't as high.

Millcreek Pool Lifeguard Ducky is wearing a blue ball cap so he doesn't get heat stroke. He also has on a red tank top and is holding a life preserver. There is also a whistle on a pink string around his neck.

Angel Keychain Ducky from Switzerland

Name: Angel Keychain Ducky
Interests: Being a perfect angle in ducky heaven.
Where to Find: Luzern, Switzerland
Brand: Out of the Blue
Price: $4.90 Swiss Franks

Hanging around

While we were in Luzern, Switzerland in September 2009, we visited Mt. Pilatus. I highly recommend taking the cograliway up this mountain. It goes straight up the top of the mountain and it is very scary to look down out of the back window (especially if you are in the caboose like we were).

Angel Keychain ducky is the same brand as Roman Glow in the Dark Ducky from Italy. They are both a German brand. Angel Keychain ducky has a silver halo on her head and she is looking up at it. She has two pretty silver wings and her beak is wide open with a red tongue hanging out of it.

Typically, I don’t write in books or on things I own even though I am a writer and write in a journal everyday. However, a friend at my work suggested that I write the date and place on the bottom of the rubber ducks that I buy. I decided to make an exception and write on the bottom of all of my RTW ducks. Angel Keychain Ducky is the only duck that still has legible writing on her bottom. The material and the pen did not bond well on any of the other ducks and the words smeared.

Moroccan Bud Ducky from Boston

Name: Moroccan Ducky
Interests: Eating dishes containing the many delicious spices available in Morocco.
Where to Find: FunUsual
Brand: Bud
Price: $12.95 US

“Colour your world” (as it says on the box)

In June 2010, I was in Boston for my second time for a business trip. My favorite place to shop in Boston is Faneuil Hall Marketplace. FunUsual is the best store in the marketplace. They sell all sorts of cool toys and Bud rubber ducks. I purchased 5 Bud ducks on my trip (don’t do the math to figure out the total that I spent). Most hobbies are quite expensive. If you are in Boston sometime, you also have to check out Peet’s coffee and tea. They have an excellent Masala Chai tea.

Moroccan Ducky is baby blue and has baby blue eyes. She has a yellow flower on her front and a beautiful sari type of skirt on her back with leaves, flowers and ruffles. She also has a flower over top of each of her ears or where her ears would be if she had them or you could see them. Do ducks have ears?

Roman Glow in the Dark Ducky from Italy

Name: Roman Glow in the Dark Ducky

Interests: Protesting (especially in the dark).
Where to Find: Rome, Italy
Brand: Out of the Blue
Price: $2.20 Cdn

 

Eerie

I found Roman Glow in the Dark Ducky in Rome of course. My husband and I were there in October 2009 while we were travelling around the world. The city was rather dirty and we stayed in a hostel with a shared fridge and someone ate our ice cream on us! I was not impressed. We tried to tour one day and ended up having to retreat to our hostel because there was a huge protest complete with police officers with the helmets and shields like you see on TV. I was really freaked out because we didn’t know the language and you never know when innocent bystanders can “get involved” without us even knowing we are involved. The phrase “wrong place at the wrong time” doesn’t exist for nothing.

Roman Glow in the Dark Ducky is about the same size as my other tiny glow in the dark duckies. She is rather sullen and has a chubby orange beak and round head.