My Good China

I will be spending much of this week sorting lots of things I have been tucking away in the garage for a future Flea Market day.  Well, the future is here.  The big flea market in San Jose has a free day on the first Saturday of the month. My main goal is to remind myself what is in all those bags and boxes, price things, and get on with it.  I want to sell the fake fur.  I can't see dumping it, and I'm not sure Goodwill will take it.

I've been doing a lot of thinking about "things" as I work.  Although my china set is not yet in the "go" pile, I am letting go of it mentally.  Years ago, on our 20th anniversary Craig wanted to buy china.  We had married very young and didn't have a wedding.  We struggled to make end meet more years than I care to remember, and never had money for the "finer" things like china and crystal.

I remember going to Macy's with him and looking as really nice china.  We picked out some, but when we were paying for it I was told that it all had to be "hand washed."  What?  I figured I would be using it for special occasions and big dinners.  Who wants to wash more dishes by hand than necessary at times like that?

We stopped the transaction, and I found a pleasant, inexpensive set that was on sale.  I could put it in the dishwasher without fear.

Some years went by and I used it often.  Then in 1989 we had a big earthquake and most of the china was broken.  The insurance adjuster appraised it at about three times what I had paid for it.  I didn't correct him because he lowballed us on other things.

In this house I have a big, beautiful dining room.  A beautiful place for beautiful dinners.  I also have a dishwasher that has a "China" temperature setting. So,  I used the insurance money toward a 12 place setting set of Noritake china and a beautiful set of flatware to go with. I have enjoyed using it, but I just don't see keeping it.

As I type this post, I have decided that I will keep the flatware.  Who says knives and forks can't be elegant in an RV?  My good flatware doesn't weigh any more than my everyday stuff, and hand washing is the way I'll be doing it in the Alfa.

We don't want to put anything in storage. Our daughter will keep a few things for us in her attic, but we'd like to be free of sizable items. Maybe she can keep half the flatware for me, it won't take up much room.  I'm sure we will probably settle down to a small house or condo someday, but when that time comes we can get new dishes.  I don't see our having a large dining room again, or my hosting family holidays.  I hope I can help my daughter at her house!

I feel that the important things are the people, not the dishes, and I can serve quite nice meals on my Corelle, or paper plates for that matter.  If I want china, I will find a bargain on eBay or at Goodwill.

I've checked eBay and Craigslist and find some of the same pattern going for about 1/3 of what I paid for it.  I just hate the process of selling things. I might do some research into an estate sale after the house sells.  The only question I have about them is that our house is not in a very good location for the casual garage sale buyer.

So, think of me on Saturday.  I have to get up at about 4:00 AM.  Yuck.  Craig is not coming along.  Hopefully he will get a lot done around the house that day.