Originally Posted by mary quite contrary
O.K. I have this grande damme all figured out. She has plastic on the furniture, she never use the china or the silver, her silk undies are being saved for something that hasn't happened and probably won't. She uses old towels and old sheets because the good ones might show wear, and if she has a quilt she probably won't use it either. Just too sad to go through life saving everything for someday, and hilarious that she would try to foist her weirdo ideas off on you!
AND she probably never has friends over to her house because they might spill something or mess something up. What a lonely existence![/quote]
I'm sorry to say that this could have described my mother. She really did save the "nice" things for special occasions; but when the special occasions came the children were put in a different room to eat their food from the "everyday dishes"--all the sofas and chairs had ugly covers to "keep them from getting dirty"--the beautiful wood dining table had a cushion, plastic cloth, and tablecloth on top to "protect" it--her diamond rings were locked in a safe to be worn only on Sundays--I could go on and on. She died 3 years ago and I miss her everyday but the first thing I did after the funeral was to throw away the ugly covers, bare the dining table, put out the good towels for use, use the good silverware and dinnerware, and I took hers and dad's diamond rings and had a ring and pendant made for myself that I wear every day (even when I'm washing the dishes). I have said to my children many times that their grandparents are probably rolling over in their graves at my rebellious behavior. But I am 70 years old and I want the things I leave to my children to have pleasant memories to make them special to them.
Of course, I'm also hoping that all the quilts and throws I am busy making will become treasured memories that have had much loving use from the day they are received. When my youngest told me the baby quilt for her 2nd child had not been used yet (he's 3 months old now), I told her to use it and if washing ruined it, I would make him another. (She doesn't know there are 2 more in the making for him for Christmas anyway :)