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Tuesday, August 1, 2017

ReUnited...

I have a meager collection of mix and match small vintage ironstone pitchers and creamers, that I started about 15 or so years ago. Like all my collections, they are congregations of "old things" that I value, not for their monetary value or rarity, but because they are sentimental and visually pleasing. The wonderful concept of "collections" is that a single element may not have much impact, but when you bring several pieces together, the "group" takes on new life.


 


I love to use the pitchers and creamers for small blooms and ivy starts, and to just line up in my china cupboard and enjoy their simplicity. I have a few orphan sugar bowls, but for some reason sugar bowls are harder to come by; maybe because they are used multiple times a day. 

                       


My mom had this pattern (Myott Olde Chelsea Staffordshire) but when she downsized back in 2005 I received several of the serving pieces, a large water pitcher, coffee pot, and this little pitcher. It was a really hard time for our family, because my younger brother had passed away unexpectedly of a heart attack and because he lived with mom, she wanted to be in another house as quickly as she could get there. My mom, sis, and I were pretty much devastated and we packed up her things hurriedly in a daze, not really knowing or remembering exactly what we were doing. Mom gave away and sold many of her possessions so we could get her quickly resettled. 





Many things remained in boxes in a storage unit and in my sister's attic. Eventually we had garage sales and things were dispersed to friends and family. I added my pieces of her china to my china cabinet and wondered where the little matching sugar bowl might have gotten to. I'm not sure where the china settings are, or who received them. I can't imagine them going in a garage sale, but I'm not really sure. They could have been sold or given away... as she had some generic copycat pieces too. Point is, that was a hectic heartbreaking time and we were all moving and working in some kind of grief borne blur.




I mentioned that a few weeks ago we were in the process of moving my Mother-in-Law into an assisted living home. As it turned out, she had had a small stroke, but it was enough that she needed to be in a more attentive facility, so she's in a "Memory Care" residence which is actually very nice and a better fit for her. I wasn't able to help much with the transition, but went by on a Sunday afternoon to her old apartment where she lived in a Senior Living complex to help get things sorted, boxed, and ready to give to a local charity. She had already made the move, so we were just going through the things that were left that she wouldn't be using any longer in her new place. 




To my surprise in her tiny apartment kitchen, there sat this little ironstone sugar bowl that appeared to be the mate to my creamer. Now, she had lived there for about 9 years, and I'd never noticed it before. I'm not even sure that it IS the actual sugar bowl that was the original "mate" to my creamer, but it was a match. I couldn't believe what I was seeing. How on earth did that little sugar bowl get there? ... gift or garage sale?... I don't know the route that it took, but I will tell you, I grabbed up that little sweetheart and carefully wrapped it up and brought it home.




I kept some handwritten recipes and cookbooks and a few other items. But the main thing we inherited was her little black 9 year old kitty, Tinkerbelle. She's one of the sweetest little girls ever, but she's a little nervous and timid over the move. We have her in the lower level where she isn't being bothered by the other 2 kitties who can be a not-so-warm and accepting "welcoming committee".  I'll have some photos of her soon when she's up to smiling for the camera.

Sometimes there are unexpected small blessings in the harder things...

p.s. you can tell I'm on pain medication due to my head and neck problem,
because I entitled this ReUntied at first.
sorry... I don't do well on heavy duty drugs. haha.

xoxo,

joining in here:

The Scoop at Worthing Court
Inspire Me Tuesday at A Stroll Thru Life
Wow Us Wednesday at Savvy Southern Style
Talk of the Town at Knick of Time
Share Your Style at The Essence of Home
Share Your Cup at Mrs. Olson's
Foodie Friday at Rattlebridge Farm
Feathered Nest Friday at French Country Cottage

20 comments:

  1. The small things often mean the most to us. Enjoy your very special find. Blessings.

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  2. I love stories like this one about small everyday things linked to passages of time and events. Their stories tell our own.

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  3. Aww, Debra, stirring up old memories is sometimes hard, yet therapeutic too. I hope all is well with your MIL, and the kitty adjusts soon enough. I didn't realize that tragedy of your brother's death. I'm sorry for that. It must be really hard, esp for your mom.
    Hoping you get real, permanent relief soon.
    XO

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  4. Serendipitous! They look so pretty together...bits of lovliness from hard times. I hope your MIL is doing better...it must be hard to not have her kitty with her, but I am sure she is comforted to know you are caring for it.

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  5. Sending hugs and thanks for sharing. Life is often a bit of a hectic blur, whether due to grief or other circumstances. So happy the creamer & sugar are reunited . . Or reuntied . . Lol!

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  6. I am so sorry to hear about your mother in law and the passing of your brother at an early age, Deb. It takes a huge level of courage to share.

    I, too, love ironstone...I think its serendipity that you found a matching piece at your MIL's.

    I can identify with the writing and what we have to take to ease the discomfort and pain. I'm giving myself injections now for my rash---I really have to take a few Tylenol before!!!

    Love and hugs,

    Jane x

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  7. So glad that you "found" the matching creamer, a sweet and gentle reminder that though life can be hard and overwhelming, God is still in the details and delights in revealing the little things that makes us happy. :-)

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  8. haha....I'm not on pain meds and I didn't even see the spelling faux pas...I read it as Re-UNITED anyway:-)!

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  9. Interesting and touching stories about some of your treasures. Your family experienced went through quite a lot when you brother died and you helped move your mom into a new place. Love the white china...looks like the sugar bowl was a "meant to be" thing. Hope your mother-in-law adjusts well to her new home. And I hope your day is a good one...

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  10. Dear Debra, I still come across things that are worthless/but precious of my family's and try to integrate them into my home or as gifts to other family members. That is a puzzlement on how that sugarbowl got to your Mom-in-law. That's a chortle. Thanks for the lovely post, Sandi

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  11. I know I once had that little white creamer. Don't know what happened to it. An unexpected little gift for you at your mother's!
    Brenda

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  12. it is nice to have these small, yet precious pieces that carry come memories. I am glad they were reunited. I hope your family is adjusting to all the change of late, blessings to you for all you are going through.

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  13. Dearest friend,
    Oh my, my, my, do I ever have a weak spot for ironstone!!! When I share with others how much I have they either look at me like, " what in the world is wrong with this one" or "goodness, I'd love to see that". I even took my favorite piece to Lowe's and had them match the color to paint. And guess what color I painted my kitchen walls? You got it, ironstone!
    May our passion for ironstone live on!!! Hang in there friend...God's mercy and grace is sufficient.

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  14. I'm so sorry about your brother. Seems you had a cluster of things to deal with, as often happens. Happy that you found some bright spots.

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  15. Sorry to hear about all of the sadness that has happened with your family...my thoughts and prayers are with you and your family. Happy to hear that you found the mate to your creamer...whether it be the true mate or not, a sign of things coming together...and Tinkerbelle is a lucky kitty to have found a home with ones who will love and take care of her. Hope you feel better too!

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  16. I love knowing the stories behind our treasures. I am sorry to hear about your brother and the sadness that happened to your family... I'm sorry to hear you are in pain but admire you perseverance in keeping on.

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  17. Debra, the sugar bowl was meant to be. So glad you spied it! I bought a box of ironstone a few years back at a thrift shop. It contained to sugar bowls, both were missing their lids. Still, I love using them to hold tarnished silverware. So sorry about your brother. That would have been devastating! Hope your head and neck problems improve!! Thanks for sharing with SYC.
    hugs,
    Jann

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  18. I'm glad you found the sugar bowl. I have that same set. I love random creamers. I never heard the story about your brother before. I'm so sorry. I hope your head and neck issues are resolved quickly. Have a good weekend.

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  19. I'm sorry your mother and mother-in-law are having to move and so much is going on. Hope it all settles down soon for you all! 💕😊 Your pieces are very pretty. I do love white dishes!

    Enjoy!
    Barb 😊

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