Silver Patterns

This is what happens when mothers and daughters find things to bond over. For years and years we'd wait for the quarterly Betty Crocker Catalogue to come in the mail. As well as the umpteen stitchery and needlework catalogues we were on. And when they'd arrive we'd sit down with cookies and cups of tea and leaf through the pages. We picked out my silver pattern, my china pattern, both everyday and formal. We decorated my future home with pictures and linens and all sorts of knickknacks. It was always "someday".

Last week my mother called. She had gotten the official last catalogue of the Betty Crocker company. They're discontinuing their boxtop point redemption program and the catalogue. That's right- after all these decades, they're not doing this anymore. The stock that's left is ALL that's left. Ever.

And my mom? She gave me her credit card info and told me that now is the time. This is the last and final chance to get stuff. That entire stainless steel pattern of servingware that I dreamed of and drooled on over the years... the chest with the anti-tarnish lining to store them in. All mine. In a short time the UPS man will bring a large package to my door.

That was the day after I had a sober moment, reflecting on my shoddy bargain-discount-basement flatware, that only has 6 settings, that is all bent and dinged and cruddy after only 4 years in use. I thought to myself, this is really time to replace this. And how am I going to manage that in the next year? Well, now I can do this. Now I don't have to think about it anymore. And I'm very happy for that.