The children and I went out to find some super-soakers yesterday. Our stock from last year wintered poorly, and fully 50% of our weapons were clogged and didn't, um, soak.

We started at Target, which only had the $30 variety super-soakers, which were nice, but just not what I wanted to spend. Frankly, my entire budget was in the $40 range. For that, I hoped to get at least 3 super-soakers, not just one. Of course, I had to check the "Star Wars" section, but didn't find anything of interest (read "no clone figures").

On to TRU. I had some other stuff that needed to be returned near there anyway (the nearest TRU is 10 miles away). TRU had a great sale on super-soakers; the remaining stock was at least 20% off, some models discounted further. We finally settled on two "transformers" and a set of 2 "shield battlers" all for $30.

Naturally, I went next to the "Star Wars" section. They didn't have any clone figures packed in single wrappers, but they did have the ARC 5 pack from AOTC and specially painted Gunship. The figures were $24.99 and the gunship was a whopping $49.99.

I stood there like a deer in headlights trying to rationalize.

I want the ARC troopers, I really do. I can set them all up and pretend they are Nulls. Maybe even customise them a bit.

You see, I'm no collector. I buy things and rip them out of their package and play with them. When I'm done, I set them back on the mantle with Mr Vader. If the children ask nicely, I let them play with my troopers. Unlike the rank and file toys, my clones go back into their spot when the kids are done playing with them. Sometimes, even the regular white clones end up there when the kids are done playing with them. Somehow the mantle has become clone central. It's quite a display.

I would have trouble explaining to my husband (who already suspects my insanity) that I really, truly needed 5 more clones. I'm pretty sure he wouldn't even care that they were ARCs. After all, I have two clones in ARC livery already.

I then tried to attack the problem from the "I already saved a bunch of money on the super-soakers" angle. It still didn't work in my head; I would have had to buy a lot more super-soakers for that one to make sense.

I also have to admit that I have the largest collection of clone figures of anyone in my peer group. I admit that there aren't all that many women in my demographic collecting clone figures. Karen Traviss told me a while ago that I actually had more clone figures than she did - I'm pretty sure she's gotten more since then, so I still might be OK on that angle.

There's absolutely no way the gunship would ever fit on the mantle. It would have to go on our sub-woofer. Would my troopers be OK with that? They'd have to go over the plastic kitchen set and then back up to the top of the sub-woofer to get to their gunship...

Our three children were getting impatient by now. Our oldest was questioning out loud if we would be able to make it to the pool in time to meet our friends. The youngest was wandering off. I had to decide.

I put the box back. It hurt, but I did it.

There were 5 boxes of them there, and at least 10 gunships. I could go back.

Or not.