card number 300

For many years I have been dreaming of acquiring some china.

For the record, I have never been a china lover. (All that potential breakage! Let's go with stoneware, ok?)

But even more since we moved into the our old stone home, (which gave us a real dining room, for goodness sake!) I have been scouting the local auctions & thrift shops for a humble set of china to pull out when company comes a-calling.

I also dreamed for a setting for twelve. Call me crazy.

Now be it known that this crazy so-not-in-love-with-china girl lugged home 4 boxes full of the stuff this past Saturday.

I just love Blanchard's auction house. And although I arrived quite fashionably late on Saturday afternoon, it only took ten minutes for me to wave my card wildly in the air.

Sold for $70 to number.....300.

Then my resident muscle (the LOTM and Clever Tommy) brought in my inherited china closet, which has been residing in the barn since our move. Luckily, there was one small wall left that could house such an item.

The facts: around 120 pieces of Carlsbad china, place settings for 12 with only a few missing pieces, manufactured in Austria (actually Bohemia -where my grandparents emigrated from!) in the late 19th century. Cream background with gold-rim and dark brown design. Who knows what its worth --but it fits our dining room decor perfectly!

-And we will share many a happy meal in its company.

one bad thing, sixteen good things

I try not to use the word "maniacal" too too much. The last time it made it appearance in my musings, it was a few years back -and not even in this particular blog. Do you remember this?

But I digress.

Last evening, I came home from a prayer meeting (which was going full steam ahead, I might add) in order to ready the house for hungry company. I set out the food, warmed the pot o' soup, and decided to light a fire in the dining room fireplace. I fanned the flame, shut the door tightly, and went into the back wing to oversee the staff.

Haha. Caught you there. No staff; just me in an apron.

Five minutes went by, in which the front two rooms of the house were filled with gray smoke.
Now I can insert the word maniacal. Actually, I will spare you the description and ask you to employ your imagination of my antics. While wearing an apron.

I might also add, for your enjoyment, that I was whooping loudly although there was no one at home.

It seems that either the flue or the chimney is cracked. Or both, I don't know. But now we have a new decoration on our fireplace to keep the cold drafts at bay. Do you like it?

There was no smoke damage. Only a barely detectable tinge of smokey smell to the house when company arrived. As for me, I was redolent of a chimney-sweep.

In the department of Things That Make Me Happy, I bring you this: my new plates. Eight bowls and eight sandwich plates with l'il birdies on them. How I love them!

They were a splurge with Christmas money from my mom. She will be glad to know that they look great in Aunt Diane's hutch, which she also gifted me.

Thanks, mom.

soup's on

After the prayer meeting tonight (the last of three this week), a small crowd will gather around the kitchen island for some soup & sandwiches.

The soup is chicken vegetable.
The sandwiches: egg salad on home-made bread.

Just as our bodies are nourished by food, so our souls are nourished & fortified by prayer & fellowship!