- grandmother's linen tablecloth and napkins (yes, I ironed them)
- little sterling silver spoons from the San Telmo flea market in Argentina
- antique English bone china tea cups and saucers collected throughout the years
- a sterling silver and crystal three-tiered stand with somebody else's engraved initials, given to me on my wedding day
- pastelitos de piña (hechos por mi)
- overpriced macarons (from a French bakery)
- miniature chocolate chip cookies (courtesy of Nestle Toll House ready-made dough)
- pink spray roses in a small crystal vase
- a vintage cut crystal triangular tray topped with homemade tea sandwiches (egg salad, pâté and cucumber)
I began collecting beautiful tea cups, linen handkerchiefs and sterling silver accessories when I was just a teenager...
I rarely use any of these lovely things.
The tea cups need to washed by hand and chip quite easily. The sterling requires polishing, and I would rather do something else with my precious time.
The crystal I use as often as I can - for flowers, beads, fruit, and even to eat olives and hummus off of. I do enjoy my crystal.
The linen tablecloths and napkins I could try to use more often, but I would need a dining room table (I got rid of mine two years ago and stayed with a small round café-sized table)...and the mere thought of washing and ironing bores me...
I had not purchased white bread in years and was simply shocked at the price of the bite-size macarons (almost two dollars each and probably around a hundred calories - my Nicaraguan pineapple pies are tastier).
My gorgeous mother arrived promptly at half past four this afternoon. Billie Holiday serenaded us. We sipped a special blend of delicate (caffeine-free) herbal tea.
Should I get rid of the lovely things I rarely use? I am sure we would also enjoy a Japanese tea ceremony...
