Pull out a Memory Piece: Good Conversation!
Have I told you how much I love impromptu? Actually, it wasn’t always that way. I used to always need a heads up, or advanced warning if friends were stopping by. But I’ve learned to relax a bit …
My nephew and niece were coming for tacos – Easy.
Our friends stopped by on their way through town – Easy.
Just add more rice and beans to stretch the meal – Easy.
What I loved about this evening in particular was that our friends who were coming through town were friends with my parents, years ago. In fact, they were both in their wedding!
I took a very special dish, passed down from my Mom, that I had tucked away in the garage, just waiting to use at the perfect meal. Being about 50+ years old, it was still in its original box.
This was the night – as I used it for the condiments for our Mexican meal. I also thought about the friendship my Mom and Vinnie had as young girls.
After dinner, Vinnie and I were looking at the backside of the dishes and each piece was marked, Made in California, with a number … 183, 188, etc.
Vinnie reminisced about how these line of dishes were the rave in California. Everybody had them!
Not knowing the value, I knew it was worth a lot to me just because it was my Mom’s!
Don’t you just love impromptu, adding rice and beans to stretch a meal, and pulling out a memory piece for good conversation?
Or, can you think of something sentimental that would create good mealtime conversation?
(Don’t forget there is still time to enter to win a ticket to A Woman Inspired online conference coming up later this month! 5 winners will be announced tomorrow!)
ADDED: A sweet reply from my friend Vinnie after she read the above post.
Sandy My Sweet Friend: I loved what you wrote about the dishes from Millie on your blog in fact I shed a few tears remembering our climb on the mountian and her wedding. What fun times we had together. I bet somewhere is a list of Millie’s gift registry and who gave that gift to her at her wedding. It would be so interesting to know.
I love sharing that part of my long ago life with you, I know Millie would be happy knowing we are friends, I have so many sweet letters from her also that I have saved.
We have a ‘You are Special Today’ and anytime we set someone’s place at the table with it, conversation turns to events we used it for in the past. We’ve used it for a rotten day, boyfriend breaking up, flunked a test, etc. The other thing is not really a thing but a prayer. Our son used to sing ‘The Johnny Appleseed Prayer’ and now our 3 year old grandson does and having both of them at the table, while the young one sang, then the 26 year old chimed in – priceless!
Love your memories and that lazy susan of your Mom’s. Show some of her items frequently, because I enjoy seeing them.
Betty in Oklahoma
Sandy,
You are so blessed to have something like this of your mom’s and to share it with one of her friends. So special!
What a wonderful picture of hospitality and a sweet memory, too.
Thank you for sharing.
I sure enjoyed reading about your serving dishes as I recently found a similar set at my favorite thrift store…when I bought it I had no knowledge of its history except that I loved the opalescent pearl finish so when I got home I quickly Googled the signature, Maddux of Calif 3009, on the bottom and found out its great popularity in the 50’s! So fun to find treasures right under our noses!!
Sandy, such a wonderful keepsake from your mother! I bet she would be so happy that 1) you shared the evening with her friend Vinnie and 2) that you were able to use her beautiful lazy susan!
I’m not so good at impromptu but I’m getting better! It’s just harder for someone (me!) who doesn’t like cooking all that much. I’m working on it though!
I loved seeing and hearing about your mother. I have a setting for 12 of Dessert Rose Fransican Ware, that were wedding presents to my parents over 50 years ago. There used to be a teapot, but it’s long gone. I have only 9 cups/saucers left, and have no idea what happened to the sugar/creamer. I do not use these dishes. Perhaps I should. The bowls are as beautiful as the plates.
Thank you for sharing your mother’s beautiful dish, and memories.
Doesn’t get much better than a Lazy-Susan made in California. Lots of “remember when” stuff in my cupboard and some of it I’m still using quite frequently.
Darla
I too love the piece. Bet you’ve heard this story a dozen times, but I was told when my sister Paulette was your parents flower girl (along with cousin Pam I think) Paulette ‘had an accident’ during the wedding. Good thing her dress was long!! If I had to guess, she must’ve been 3 years old. Anyway, I remember laughing over that story. You never know what crazy things will make funny memories. LOL
Sandy- I always love hearing about your mom! The dishes are beautiful. It’s fun to pull old pieces out.
I think the photo is just lovely. I have so few pictures of my parents when they were younger although it’s been on their list for months to start scanning and sharing. I love that you can throw an impromptu meal with extra guests without any stress. And the dishes are lovely.
Love that serving piece! i love having things that belonged to my mom and being able to use them. Each time I take them out I remember how amazing she was.
wow! love this serving piece of your Mom’s! the color is gorgeous and the sentiment of it even greater in beauty.
What a gift to you for getting to share it with your Mom’s friend.
xo
j
Love it. That’s a perfect piece for tacos. I love finding pieces made in California these days :0)
Tacos are great for a crowd…
Wow, what a beautiful piece (or pieces). I’ve never seen anything like that in a store. Perfect for entertaining!