Endearing. Clever. I hardly noticed the homophonic play on words, using "hole." Then I noticed the hole in the fledged kid furniture! Which stirred a couple thoughts. How many fledged ones take flight, family heirlooms (?) in tow, and quickly find slip covers or thin blankets to erase the piece from their younger lives? What number leave the piece "as is" for the very sake of its connection with their earlier times?
When is a Whole not a Whole? When it's a boomerang! (note: it really still was a whole) Two week ends ago, my wife and I had the pleasure to spend the week end with my son, his wife, and their almost two daughter. Fun in so many ways! As we prepared for a meal, all of a sudden a serving platter from a Pfaltzfraff "Yorktown" collection appeared. I asked if they were starting a Yorktown collection. A bad assumption on my part. My daughter-in-law replied, "Nate's mother gave us a number of pieces." The boomerang. The whole. Then the memories of using that set, seemingly in another lifetime, flooded back to me. Yes. The chair with the hole in the corner of the headrest!
I've never seen slipcovers for Pfaltzgraff dishes, or any other kind, but sometimes it seems best to see objects as they are. And remember. And live.
Some of my epiphanies have taken so long, it might be better to call them waterboarding! For stubborn folks (know any?) it often takes longer. In 1998, as what remained of the marriage went up in smoke, I was also taking a crack at getting sober. With hopes of staying that way. You may already have guessed that I didn't get the Pfaltzgraff dishes in the settlement. There was also a lot of loss of other physical property along with custody of my son. Yet it became clear that being sober was my best course of action if I wanted to have any life, with or without those dishes!
As for the recent week end, joyful hits the nail on the head. The whole stoneware thing, and the pattern, were not of my choosing. One plate approximated the weight of a discus! So I didn't see value in that platter. What I did see was the generational passing down of parent's possessions to their offspring. I believe they were offered with good intentions and received gratefully by my son and his wife. I saw no need to offer backstory about the dishes.
Jesse Winchester, in 1976, produced an album with one particular song that I often recall. A lyric goes: "Let the rough side drag, let the smooth side show," followed by various observations on life. "Glad that the sea's not dry, glad that the air is free, etc."
Apparently my waterboarding on that subject had been completed. I once told my wife, Beth, that every part of my life had prepared me to meet and marry her. I'm pretty sure the hot air balloon ride (after which I proposed) wasn't the decisive factor in saying "Yes." Or the nearly catastrophic landing, after the wind did an about face and the LP tanks neared EMPTY. Our pilot was well versed in his craft, and the fact that the only landing spot was a field grown up with tall weeds and brush, just added to the joy of that day. More "rough side dragging." Thanks for helping my eyes see that!
Thank you Gail for such heart warming and endearing gratitude! I want to echo the same feelings to you, however will not be able to match your expressions and words!
About this post, I feel your writing skills has really enhanced lately. The flow is smooth. I probably envy you too.
Endearing. Clever. I hardly noticed the homophonic play on words, using "hole." Then I noticed the hole in the fledged kid furniture! Which stirred a couple thoughts. How many fledged ones take flight, family heirlooms (?) in tow, and quickly find slip covers or thin blankets to erase the piece from their younger lives? What number leave the piece "as is" for the very sake of its connection with their earlier times?
When is a Whole not a Whole? When it's a boomerang! (note: it really still was a whole) Two week ends ago, my wife and I had the pleasure to spend the week end with my son, his wife, and their almost two daughter. Fun in so many ways! As we prepared for a meal, all of a sudden a serving platter from a Pfaltzfraff "Yorktown" collection appeared. I asked if they were starting a Yorktown collection. A bad assumption on my part. My daughter-in-law replied, "Nate's mother gave us a number of pieces." The boomerang. The whole. Then the memories of using that set, seemingly in another lifetime, flooded back to me. Yes. The chair with the hole in the corner of the headrest!
I've never seen slipcovers for Pfaltzgraff dishes, or any other kind, but sometimes it seems best to see objects as they are. And remember. And live.
Awwww this is so tenderly beautiful Gail. I want to hug you both!!! 🤗🤗🤗
Some of my epiphanies have taken so long, it might be better to call them waterboarding! For stubborn folks (know any?) it often takes longer. In 1998, as what remained of the marriage went up in smoke, I was also taking a crack at getting sober. With hopes of staying that way. You may already have guessed that I didn't get the Pfaltzgraff dishes in the settlement. There was also a lot of loss of other physical property along with custody of my son. Yet it became clear that being sober was my best course of action if I wanted to have any life, with or without those dishes!
As for the recent week end, joyful hits the nail on the head. The whole stoneware thing, and the pattern, were not of my choosing. One plate approximated the weight of a discus! So I didn't see value in that platter. What I did see was the generational passing down of parent's possessions to their offspring. I believe they were offered with good intentions and received gratefully by my son and his wife. I saw no need to offer backstory about the dishes.
Jesse Winchester, in 1976, produced an album with one particular song that I often recall. A lyric goes: "Let the rough side drag, let the smooth side show," followed by various observations on life. "Glad that the sea's not dry, glad that the air is free, etc."
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CAzaqIX77a4
Apparently my waterboarding on that subject had been completed. I once told my wife, Beth, that every part of my life had prepared me to meet and marry her. I'm pretty sure the hot air balloon ride (after which I proposed) wasn't the decisive factor in saying "Yes." Or the nearly catastrophic landing, after the wind did an about face and the LP tanks neared EMPTY. Our pilot was well versed in his craft, and the fact that the only landing spot was a field grown up with tall weeds and brush, just added to the joy of that day. More "rough side dragging." Thanks for helping my eyes see that!
Thank you Gail for such heart warming and endearing gratitude! I want to echo the same feelings to you, however will not be able to match your expressions and words!
About this post, I feel your writing skills has really enhanced lately. The flow is smooth. I probably envy you too.