Birthday Splurge

I don't usually do much for my birthday.  I think the last actual "party" I had was my 16th.  There have been dinners out, including one surprise thrown by a roommate, but nothing I would call a full party.

Still no party this year, for pandemic reasons, but I felt I had earned the right to splurge on myself a bit.  I survived 2020 in general, a bout of Covid-19, got vaccinated, and managed not to lose my job in an industry that has been decimated.  That is all cause for celebration even without a birthday.

So I started to accumulate the set of china I've always wanted, Royal Albert's Lavender Rose.  I fell in love with it in the 80s and was very disappointed when it was discontinued.  The more popular Old Country Roses is still easy to find.  I looked periodically on Replacements Limited, but everything on that site is very expensive.  Years ago, I passed up a set at an antique store because it sounded pricey at the time.  Never should have done that.

This year, it finally occurred to me to look for it on EBay.  Still not cheap, and you mainly find stray pieces, but I could piece together a set for eight over a few years.

The day I decided to get out the credit card, I found one listing for multiple 5-piece sets.  Even one was a reasonable price, and they got cheaper if you bought multiples.  Plus, free shipping from someone in Buffalo whose shop deals primarily in china and other breakables.  I took the plunge and bought their remaining four sets.  They probably barely broke even, but they set the price.  I didn't haggle.  There was a different listing for a full 12-setting set, including serving pieces, for a very good price, but I would have had to drive to Arizona to get it.  Not that obsessed.

A week later, the box arrived.  I very carefully unwrapped each piece, checked for damage, washed it, and put it in the china cabinet on the shelves set aside for that set.  In one blow, I'm halfway to having my English bone china set.  I'll also pick up bowls, stray platters, and such once the basic set is complete.  It's going to be great for smaller tea parties and other spring/summer gatherings.

I'm using my grandmothers's silver flatware with it instead of the gold-plated, even though the rims are gold.  I don't know why, but I always pictured using silver flatware with it.  And the punctuation wasn't a mistake; both of my grandmothers coincidentally bought the same silver pattern years before meeting.  I have eight full sets, plus extras for dessert and an uncommon number of soup spoons.  Not sure how that happened when we divvied it up.  Celebrated the unboxing by picking up a Mediterranean vegetarian plate.

From my brother, I asked for a proper water bath canner and some Clearjel, so I can start making my own pie fillings.  Guess I'll have to peel more fruit.  Now that I have a pot deep enough for pints and quarts, this summer will be full of canning projects.  I have a list.

For the actual day, I had just gotten my second Pfizer shot, so that was a gift in itself.  Felt like I had a bullet in my arm and developed a low fever, but I'll put up with two days of that to return to a semi-normal life.  Made myself a stir-fry with about a pound of peas from the back yard and a Banana-Chocolate Cake with Peanut Butter Frosting, because why not?!