Sunday, January 25, 2009

Polishing the silver


Today I polished the silver and it got me thinking about how some things seem meant to be. Years ago, I was strolling through a dirty, dark, antique shop somewhere in the Northeast Kingdom of Vermont, when I spied a filthy, tarnished, cobweb-covered
tea service. Most people wouldn't have, understandably, given it a second glance, but something about it spoke to me and after some good natured back and forth with the shop owner, it left the shop with me and made the long journey back to Pennsylvania. And now we come to the point of the story...I quickly set about polishing (thank God for Goddard's silver paste) and as that lovely silvery sheen emerged from under years of black tarnish, I was shocked to see that a finely engraved "B", previously hidden under the weathered layers of age and time, now graced each piece of the tea set. A "B" for my last name: as if it were meant for me all along...

Sort of the way it seems that I was meant to find the Cultured Purl, and Sue and Shirani, my wonderful friends, and all the customers who I enjoy so much. It makes me smile to think of all the little twists and turns my life has taken through the years for me to have happened into their shop one sunny August day. As if it were always meant to be!

Well the silver is gleaming, and I am heading back to my super chunky neck warmer: a new design I've been playing around with. And, no Amy, I never made it to 12: New Year's Day saw me at 11 and 1/3. Although, technically, the single socks I had done through the year really did push me past the dozen I had set as a goal, but since they weren't pairs I'm not going to count them!

Yours in knitting,
Claire

ps, the thing that got me in the mood to polish silver this morning is the book I'm reading: An Incomplete Revenge by Jacqueline Winspear, her most recent title in the wonderful Maisie Dobbs series - set in 1920s England, Maisie is a psychologist/war veteren (nurse) who solves some very interesting mysteries as Winspear explores the journey of an independent woman trying to make her own way in life in the aftermath of WWI. A good weekend read.

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Sent with my Treo 755p smartphone & Chattermail

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Claire,

How wonderful and how awesome that there was a B there, it is so amazing how life curves and bends us to these little treasures that were so meant to be ours!!

Thanks for sharing the beautiful photo and the weekend read!!

Yours,
Amy

Shirani said...

Claire,
I am sooooooo glad you wondered into the shop looking for natural fibers!!! You have become a good friend. Thanks for all you do and always listening.
:)~S