Beside me, on my desk is my 2-year calendar planner. And a picture of our teahouse that my daughter painted for me.
She did a great job, didn’t she? That was just a year ago, man, how time flies as the dust of another season settles. Soon the ground will turn green and flowers will sprout, and the COVID 19 virus curve will flatten, so I hope.
Last year was a good year. I smiled as I looked at the calendar – I was so tickled when I picked it up at the store. Now I’ll have a record of a really good year and a really challenging year all in one memory containing contraption.
Ah … last year compared to this year. What a difference a year makes, right?
I just didn’t have the heart to stand at my computer yesterday. I needed a break from the cyber bashing each other world. So Mr. and I took a walk outside before the rain started. As we walked and talked, I told him, “I’m going to clean the china cabinet today.”
I couldn’t remember exactly when the last time was that I cleaned it thoroughly. Should I admit to not remembering when, or actually admit to the likely time in which it had happened? No worries, Mr. came through and said, “It was at least 14 years ago when we replaced the flooring, we had to move this beast at that time.”
Sigh … 14 years of dust in all shapes and sizes accumulating onto the items through the tiny openings in the doors. My motto is, “If it makes it in there, it deserves to stay there.”
Despite what the salesman told us the year we bought this monster, or my belief in the myths of ancestors who told my grandma, and my mom, about how proper it is to store china and crystal in cabinets to protect them, I cross my heart and hope to die, I can’t lie to you, “Dust does find it’s way into china cabinets. Period.”
As I embarked on the overwhelming project, my mind wandered back into the distant past. My mom loved Elvis and collecting Fostoria crystal ware.
My grandma collected crystal too – the above two sets were hers. My mom carried on with the tradition. When my mom was moved to memory care in 2010, I ended up with the triple collection. And her china cabinet, (not pictured – not dusted yet!!) I’ve yet to pawn any of the collectibles off onto my daughters. “You can keep it, for now, I don’t have room for it.”
Last year, at this time, the last thing I wanted to do was to clean my china cabinet. I’d walk right on by it while I said to myself, “There’s always time to do that project on a rainy day when I’m bored.”
Anyhoo, since I did have time on my hands that I wanted to fill with things other than routine stuff, cleaning out the china cabinet seemed like a good idea.
The project wasn’t mentally taxing, it was simply going through a ritual that took my mind off into the distance. I oddly felt less sentimental about the stuff than the last time I cleaned it.
I spent the day pulling out each item, hand-washed each one, and then cleaned every surface in the cabinet. We even pulled the beast out from the wall and cleaned behind and under it. (Yeah, I know, its seriously time to declutter – but the thrift shops are closed now … we don’t need more boxes of stuff in the garage either and I’m guessing that Fostoria isn’t an essential item to sell nowadays either?!)
As I cleaned I thought about memories and how fast time flies in retrospect. Doing a project like that gave me hope that in a year, what is going on right now in our world will be blessed with thankful memories of how “We made it through 2020 too!”
Today, I’ll finish putting the stuff back inside. And then it’ll be good for another decade or so …
Post Inspiration – Linda G. Hill’s Stream of Consciousness Saturday Beside You and Lens-Artists Distance.
PS – Do you think our memories are fragile like pieces of china or crystal? What projects are you working on to keep your social distancing skills sparkly clean?
Our minds might be fragile but memories are not. Memories are also transferable. You can give yours to your children.
Take care, Shelley.
Thank you, Dan, I appreciate reading your thoughts and your support! I hope you and your family are doing well – stay safe and take care!
We are well. Stay safe Shelley.
Glad to hear, same to you!!
Your china and cabinet are beautiful, Shelley! It was ready for a deep cleaning. Lovely home. Memories are unbreakable!
Thank you, John. LOL – Yes, I’m not quite as on top of the cleaning as you are with your clean minimalist style – which is very nice, by the way! Memories are precious 🙂
Bill and I are now working on the basement. That brings back a lot of memories too. We have lived in this house for 34 years. How did we accumulate so much junk? After we finish the basement, maybe I will tackle our china cabinet. I have my grandmother’s Fostoria glassware too, but I have started giving some of it away to my sons.
We’ve been pondering cleaning things out, but then what will we do with all of it? The donation centers are closed. We’re amazed at what 30 years has done for our ability to pack things away! 🙂 Thank you for sharing your thoughts – happy clearing clutter days to you!
God, what a beautiful China closet! I adored seeing all the different things you took photos of, and yes the painting is quite good. Imagine having a hubby who when you say you don’t remember when you last cleaned something, instead of chastising he simply reminds you in the nicest way!
Thank you, Ellen, I’m glad to read you enjoyed the post! Yes, Mr. has learned well over the years how to gently remind me of my cleaning or avoiding cleaning choices! 😉
Its amazing the places dust can get. Beautiful cabinet, yes I need to do the same. It amazing the things we collect. I am not sure when I am gone if my children we care as much for the things I did. We don’t seem to use them as much as my parents and grandparents did. Ever changing times. Stay well and safe.
Thank you for sharing your thoughts. I agree, it is interesting to see how our perceptions of saving trinkets or glassware have changed over the years. We rarely use our stuff – apparently it’s just here to collect dust and give me a project once a decade ;-)! Stay well and stay safe too!
You almost inspire me to start some cleaning projects around our house too. Almost. My studio calls me so much louder 🙂
LOL – go with the voice that warms your heart! 🙂
Wow–big job, well done! I LOVE your china pattern–it is so chic! We have my mom’s and we do use it for holidays. We’ve also inherited some Waterford crystal glasses, which makes o.j. all the more special! I should be cleaning right now. Well, better get to it!
Thank you, Rebecca. We liked the pattern for the simplicity of it. I use my mom’s china everyday – it replaced our Corelle pattern that we gave to our oldest. Maybe dishes are a practical item to handdown? Cheers to OJ in crystal!! I hope you and the boys are doing well!
We’re all doing OK–walking the thin line between not wanting to scare the boys by giving them information that is too much (or out of their control) and answering truthfully their question. Talked about the Spanish Flu epidemic this morning and about how much more doctors know now than then (I hope!). Be well!
Glad you’re OK. I remember when 911 happened, our daughters were about the age of your boys. We struggled what to share and what not to share. Have you watched the documentary on YouTube about the Spanish Flu? It brought to light much more than what I learned about it from history class. That certainly convinces me on social distancing. Search for this title – 1918 Spanish Flu historical documentary | Swine Flu Pandemic | Deadly plague of 1918. Be well, stay safe, thank you for staying in touch!
That’s a big job! I can understand why you may have put it off. In your pictures, you show a few lusterware pieces. I used to collect animal-shaped lusterware because I thought they were so cute. I still have them and, since we don’t have children to give them to (and who knows if they’d want them anyway), I imagine they’ll go on eBay at some point. I hope you use your beautiful glassware now and then… they would even make a drink of juice taste more delicious.
Yes, it was a big job. So far, it’s still sparkling in the sunlight. That brings a smile to my face. Yes, I collected them for awhile and then realized I don’t have enough room. I agree – they’re so cute! I do need to use the glassware more often. Thank you for the reminder to do so!
Like you, I have china, crystal and silver. We try to use it for special holidays, but mostly it sits idle. I like to clean silver — and probably no one else does. But it gives me pleasure to see the sparkle return. Thanks for a beautiful post.
You’re welcome, thank you for sharing your thoughts! I’m like you, I love to polish silver too. I have a spoon collection that desperately needs polishing. I’ll probably get that project done one of these weekends too. Cheers to treasured collections and to staying well!
Nicely done, Shelley! Bringing back all the shine as well as the sweet memories. I find that cleaning projects like this can actually be calming (for me anyway). Which is something that would be helpful these days, right? I am eyeing my overflowing bookshelf as a project long overdue. Books will bring back memories too. Have a good week 🙂
Thank you!! I agree with you – there’s something calming and therapeutic about cleaning. We all can use calming moments now for sure! Books do bring back memories, too. It took me a year to get through mine, and I could use a revisiting to them as well. Thanks for the next project to add to my list! I hope you’re well and safe!
You’re welcome. I am doing okay here. It is a challenge but: one day at a time!
Yes, I’m glad you’re okay. One day at a time is best for now.
Done well Shelley. Yes the next clean can be done by your daughters 😂😂
Well said, thank you for that reminder! 🙂 🙂
Some memories are like fine bone china or Baccarat crystal: look at them wrong and they break. Others are like that Flintstones jelly glass that seems to survive practically everything.
I’m writing my entries for the A to Z Challenge while we’re trapped in the house, but we have planned on getting out in the car and picking up lunch somewhere a couple of times a week. I figure as long as we’re in the car we’re safe from the cooties…
LOL – you’re right, we have some of those jelly jars (not the Flinstones, but Welch’s Winnie the Pooh ones). They’ve survived a long time!
I forgot about the A-Z Challenge this year. I’m sure you’ll do well with it again. I think it’d be too much for me this year. It was fun last year though.
Yes, supposedly the cooties don’t like cars 😉 Stay safe and well – say Hi to Mary!
Precious collections, and very special. That’s a big job. I should be thinking about it…
Thank you, Amy, glad I could spark(le) your thoughts to think about doing the same 😉
Ha. Excellent series. I used to collect crystal, mostly sharp-cut, Russian diamond-cut style, bowls and vases. All gone now, downsized. It was like selling old friends. I’ve done that china cabinet clean thing. Remember, dust is a protective covering!
Thanks, John! I agree with you, parting with collections is like selling old friends. I hope your paid well!? And yes, dust has proven quite protective over the years! PS – I love all your hot air photos! 🙂
Hot air photos. Appropriate somehow. 😳😱😎😂🤔
:-)!!
I always marvel at that film on glassware too, and the dust – it sneaks in the tiny crevices. How dare that happen! I don’t have any crystal I bought on my own and no cabinet either, but the nice crystal and fancy plates are residing on the top two shelves of the kitchen cabinets. I remember my mom saying you could take your fingernail and hit the glass and the faint “ping” told you it was crystal and not glass. I have not cleaned those kitchen shelves which have unused items since at least 2008 – my mom and I sparred every year when we did our big Fall cleaning over why things that never were looked at or used, needed to be washed. I always lost.
The ‘ping’ – I remember hearing that advice over the years. I’ve always been afraid of hitting it in the wrong spot and it breaking.
You’re in the right ball park of timing to do a cleaning, from my perspective that is 🙂
I like crystal and appreciate the ping when you tap on it, the sparkle when you drink from it. Also it photographs beautifully. I didn’t know that china cabinets were supposed to keep objects dust-free but ours does, now that you mention it. We drink out of Fostoria glasses #2 every day, btw. Fun to see that catalogue.
Ally, thank you for sharing your words of wisdom. I’m jealous that your china cabinet does the dust repelling tricks! I think that I have the #2’s in a different cabinet. If you want any more to add to your collection, I might know someone who may part with theirs ;-)!
PS – You’re into old catalogues or cookbooks I see – hmm … I might have a post brewing that you’ll enjoy! Happy cooking to you!
Sounds great. Can’t wait.
Thanks for the memories Shelley. Your china cabinet looks just like my mothers, right down to the glass shelves and the dust!
You’re welcome, Joni! Thanks for stopping by to take a peek at it. One week down and it’s still sparkling. It seems to take decades to decay to extra layers of dust.