Hi everyone, I haven't posted in a long time because, well, it was always about by grandma and they are both long gone now.
But this Fall, my Dad and uncle finally bit the bullet and went to visit the storage locker they filled up after they sold her house a few years ago. They haven't been able to face it until recently I guess. Too painful maybe, and I do understand. But I guess it was time!
I'm delighted to say that I've been gifted with so many of my grandma's "treasures" and now they are no longer stuffed into old cardboard boxes or hidden in a musty old locker: they are out in the light of day and in near daily use and I feel like some part of our old family life is back alive again. Shall I tell you what I was given? Yes? Oh good, pull up a chair :)
First and foremost: her good china service! It's white and aqua and with a little gold border. And her Birks silverware set, in their little individual Birks blue felt pocket things that keep them from tarnishing. It was on the table for every christmas/easter/birthday/anniversary dinner we ever had as a family for 40 years. This Christmas, and this Fall for our wedding supper, my husband and I set the table with this, and some of her crystal, and my Dad said it felt like she was there at the table with us in a way. I'm using her good dishes as our daily set. Every day, damn the torpedoes!
Next, the dining table and chairs itself. Goodbye tacky old set, hello Grandma's lovely big dining table. Every meal, every day :) I'm so happy it's back in the action.
Next, her neat little buffet thing on casters that has a fold out top, and inside we keep all the silver and crystal.
Next, and very special to us, her little olive dishes. These weren't anything very special but whenever she had us over for a special dinner these would be out and always with the same things in them: olives stuffed with almonds, carrots, celery sticks.
Next: a silver chain with a silver walnut pendant. I thought it was old pewter because of how black it was but I gave it a good scrub just in case and it gleams like anything now. Walnuts had a special meaning for her since 1950 so I wear it and think of her.
A few other odds and ends. I wish I had her special dish that she used to serve Scotch Eggs in, but we haven't found that yet...
Sorry if this was super boring to read!!! But I am delighted and the only thing that would be better would be to be able to "go home again" but we all know we can never do that, haha :)
(Oh and on that note, I have not driven down her street since her house was sold. I have heard it was sold to a house flipper who did a tear-down job and rebuilt some kind of McMansion and I can't bear to look. I'd rather her house stay the same, in my memory.)
Enjoy them!