Four down, two to go

Thursday, 2:59 pm

By Kate

Feb

07

2008

Last night, in a moment of astonishing personal grace, I smashed two dinner plates. While I washed dishes by hand, my soapy fingers lost their grip on one plate. It flew out of my fingers like a little flying saucer and crashed into another plate that I’d just put in the dish drainer. Both shattered. That’s the first time that I’ve broken a dish in a very long time. I guess I made up for lost time.

While the lad was home for vacation, he also broke two plates. Just before he left for school, he cleaned his room and brought down an armload of dishes and cups. He and Abbie got themselves tangled up on the stairs and rather than take a tumble down them, the lad simply dropped what he had in his arms. Fortunately, only two dishes broke. But still.

So, out of six dinner plates, I’m down to two in a fairly short time span.

I had two patterns that were complimentary—three of each dinner plate pattern. But for reasons only they seem to understand, my dish manufacturer (Pfaltzgraff) retired my very favorite dish design two years ago—only four years after it was introduced. And trying to find replacements is like hunting (and finding) hen’s teeth. In other words...they very nearly don’t exist any longer through any outlet. My other pattern is still available, but I really don’t have all that many pieces in that pattern aside from the two remaining dinner plates and a couple of bowls. Since I only have two dinner plates left and much of my other dishware is in the retired pattern, that sort of leaves me betwixt and between.

Perhaps it’s time to start over. I’ve been thinking about it ever since I discovered that my favorite pattern was retired. And now that I have in mind to repaint and redecorate with new colors and whatnot, this may be the time.

I’ve been eyeing this pretty pattern for a few months now, since I learned that my favorite pattern was discontinued. If I’m going to do anything about it, I probably should snap to it before Pfaltzgraff retires that one, too.

I haven’t really made up my mind yet, but something needs to be done soon, with only two dinner plates left in my cupboard.