The Sisterhood of the Traveling Plates

As we were helping my dad dismantle the home that he and my mom had shared for years, we were pretty successful about finding good homes for the beautiful antiques that my parents had collected over the years. In the end, there were just some odds and ends left and sister Sherry arranged for someone to come in and haul the rest away, allowing Dad to move, unencumbered to his new apartment.

Among the items still left was Mom's good china, which had no sentimental value to any of us since, to our knowledge, she never used it. When no one spoke up for it, I brought it home and put it in my basement, hoping someday one of my children might want it. 

A couple of weeks ago, my niece, Amy, called and asked if she might use it until someone else wanted it. I was delighted that it would be used and enjoyed. I brought the box upstairs and opened it. Mom's china is very simple, very pretty – just a creamy white plate with a wide teal band and a silver edge. As I pulled out the plates, I felt a sudden connection to Mom and I called Amy and asked if I could wait a couple of weeks before delivering the box of china to her. I wanted to use it when my sisters come to Farm Dover for a birthday lunch on Feb. 20. I thought they too might appreciate the connection to Mom.

I set my table with it last night and posted a photo to my instagram account. Daughter Maggie saw it and called to say that she would love to use it once she and Nate complete some renovation projects on their home. 

So I'm going to use it for a romantic valentine dinner with Ed and for sister Kathy's birthday party. Then it will go to Amy to enjoy for a time, then eventually on to Maggie. 

I'm hoping Maggie will use it for as long as she enjoys it and then offer it to her siblings or one of her cousins, who will use it for a while, and then send it to its next intended destination. 

I'd like to think that Mom would be happy that we are enjoying her china and have found a way to form a sisterhood around it.