Thursday, August 11, 2016

While we do have and use a complete, red, Chinese dinner service, I've always wanted to buy a new and more contemporary set--Angelique and Aubrey want an all-white, chef's presentation set and I want a Hercule-Poirot, British set bordered with flowers.

Every time I plan to buy one, though, I look at the mix-matched pieces left over from previous services, think of giving them away, then find that I cannot bear to because of the memories and associations they bear. Here is the little plate bordered with blue that we fed my grandchildren on when they were sick. Here is a remnant of a wedding gift given to my younger son Chito and his wife Ivy more than 15 years ago. Here are the last remaining saucers from my mother's house. And here is the crystal punch bowl set that I purchased when I was new at my job as Cultural Affairs Specialist--and that, to this very day, we have never used!

There is something about old crockery and flatware that defines who we are, that remain loyal to us no matter what, and that will most probably outlive us all.

And so I have never gotten down to buying us a new dinner service. Maybe I never will.

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