Love in the China Cupboard

An old photograph of the kitchen table

I suppose I should have written this post before Christmas, still, better late than never. 

The two 1970's dressers which are in the photograph hold lots of china, so does the pantry which is through the door between them.      I often think that I should send the lot to charity, enjoy the empty space, the uncluttered shelves.

However, Christmas is the time of year when I am glad that I haven't given into that particular temptation.    Cooking a celebratory meal for the family is enjoyable-ish, but dressing the table is enormous fun, especially when I start looking in those china cupboards, for they are filled with lovely  memories of people I loved, meals we shared, the celebrations and gatherings.

I always dress the table with a vast piece of sumptuous dark red and old gold curtain fabric - a bargain find in 'Boyes',  many years ago.     I've tried a plain white cloth, but that looks too starchy and formal for my hotchpotch collection of china and bits and pieces...pieces which link my life as a child with my life as a mother and grandma, along with everything between.

Throw on some brass candlesticks, a few pieces of silver, my late mother's dark red and gold china - bought by her, sixty years ago, when we lived in Hong Kong), plus quirky, individual pieces which make me smile, special glassware, whip up a dollop of magic, then serve the delicious (naturally!!) food to the fabulous family and away we go!

How about you - do you go for immaculate presentation, everything perfectly aligned and matched, or are you a messy and sentimental person?   As ever, no right, no wrong. 

Oh, no photograph of the finished table, because I was far too busy to even think about using a camera, instead there is this photo - fairy lights right around the perimeter of the kitchen and homemade 'snowflakes' hung from the kitchen beam, there are fresh holly sprigs on many of the paintings and lots of holly and greenery on the mantelpiece at the other end of the room.   No tree, with a very waggily-tailed Toby, plus two cats who like to shimmy up trees...

In the Attic Today

My nose is still firmly to the grindstone, hence the lack of posts, visits, and comments.     Sorry!  Too few hours in a day, especially with running 'breakfast and teatime clubs' for two of my grandchildren, five days a week.

I am enjoying myself, but I will be glad when my self-allotted task has been completed, the dolls sold, and my free time becomes my own.

I had to go into our nearest market town today, for a free flu jab.   It was a production line all very efficient.   The clinic was held in the Corn Exchange.      To reach it, I had to drive down West Street and turn into the Market Place car park.   Not so many decades ago, cattle used to be walked along this road, on their way to the cattle market, now a Co-op supermarket.

Alford is a small town, a bit run down and shabby around the edges, but I like it.   It has small shops, family butchers, newsagents, craft shops, newsagents, bakeries, supermarkets - small, a few charity shops, hotels, pubs, takeaways, a fish and chip shop, fruit and vegetable shop, a pottery, the windmill for flour and grain, and an infrequently opened library, doctors surgeries, solicitors, a dentist, plus tea shops and cafes, of course.

Best of all, in my husband's opinion, is the Handyman DIY Shop. 

The red brick building to the right is the Corn Exchange, where the flu jab clinic was held.   Arrows directed victims to go round the building to the back, passing this

attractive cake shop.   I wonder how many people are seduced by the call of 'freshly' baked goods - delivered in a large van...

I entered the back door of the Corn Exchange and found myself faced by three receptionists each armed with a printout of names and a highlighter pen.   

"Name please."

"Elaine xxxx."

"Read this, then take off your coat and roll up your sleeve.  Catherine will see to you."

Immediately behind the receptionist, Catherine waited with her pile of vaccination syringes, plasters, etc.    No chair.   A quick hello, an even quicker jab, a slight pause because my arm bled a little, then slap on the plaster and move along.

I was in and out of the door in less than five minutes!

I did a (very) little housework, and then got back to work in the fairy factory.

There are glitzy ones, homely ones, and these pixie ones.    I have a few more to finish off, then they can go into the box, along with the assorted peg dollies, a range of Japanese dolls, the little nutcracker dolls, snowmen and a couple of reindeer.      Around eighty items.   That should be plenty, to raise funds for the hall and the church in the next village along.

I need to stop working on these soon because I have lots of crafts I want to make with my grandchildren before Christmas.

Then I plan to go into hibernation.

x