My Pretties

A couple of weeks ago I spent some time cleaning. Whether it was the approach of Easter, the knowledge that guests would soon be on the way or the deep seated feeling that Spring Cleaning was part of my DNA (or should be), I don't know. But out came the rags, the paper towels, the buckets and those sprays and spritzes that Madison Avenue tells us we can't live without. The glass shelves of my china cabinet were coated in dust—somehow the doors don't fit as snug as they should—and as I took out all the different glasses and the occasional chachzki, I realized that the contents of the shelves were telling their own story.

In the rear left there is a Waterford crystal glass which is part of the group my parents sent when we were married. I am not sure if I gave the details of what I wanted, but I realized later they are claret glasses, and not being akin to the Downton Abbey folks, we don't drink much claret. I did, however, inherit some Waterford wine glasses in the Lismore pattern, probably from Ernie's mother. That's one, second from the left, in the rear. I would be somewhat ashamed to include in this photo the rather bulbous, and definitely cheap, sort of wine glass appearing center back. However, one day some time ago I was reading an account of a State dinner in Pakistan which featured a photo of the immaculately set table complete with our J.C. Penney's glasses. Wish I had thought to save the paper.

I do not know the provenance of the two kinds of etched glasses on the right. I do know that the taller one was one of six which belonged to an elderly couple who lived across the street when we moved in. One evening they summoned us over to give them to us "because we looked like such a nice young family." We used them with pride, though thanks to some of the littler members of the family, some of them are no longer with us. I do not know where the smaller etched glasses came from, but they have been used for many a glass of sherry. The heavy Waterford glass in the middle we inherited. Doesn't it look distinguished?

Ernie bought me the colored liqueur glasses on the left to mark the birth of one of the babies. Originally there were six, three blue and three green, but only four remain.

In the interest of full disclosure, although I do like to use the "good" glasses, my children make a beeline for the Ikea glasses stuffed on the shelves. We bought them for a big party and I never packed them up and took them to the basement. No problem.

As for the chachzkis, I can't find the photo I took of the rather confused piece of Royal Doulton I bought for Ernie on a trip to England. Confused because it is a pair of  bunnies (nice on the Easter breakfast table?) but the bunnies are riding a sled. Christmas vignette?

So let me leave you with a mug of Anamosa, Iowa (small town USA) and a cow. I am forbidden to remove them.