Aunt Rozella's Silver

I've told this story many times -- but I never get tired of it. My Aunt Rozella's Silver.

I own it -- I love having it -- and it has a place of honor right in my kitchen. Every time somebody special is eating at my house -- I always use Aunt Rozella's silver.

After Aunt Rozella died, I was helping Uncle Marion clear out the house. This box of silver was under her bed. He said, "That's your Aunt Rozella's silver". I knew she didn't have REAL silver. For crying out loud -- we ate Thanksgiving dinner at her house for nearly 40 years...I'm quite sure if she had REAL silver -- I would have seen it...

But I was wrong. Aunt Rozella, did, indeed, own a complete set of REAL sterling silver. Spring Glory. When she was 22 years old, she began to purchase pieces -- and every receipt was still in the box. The last purchase was this pie server -- which cost $249 in 1976.

Holy Cow...

Here's the sad thing. She never used it. Not even once. So no special memories come with the silver -- because none of us knew she had it. I guess she was "saving it" for a special occasion??

To make a long story short -- I bought Aunt Rozella's silver at her estate sale.

And I use it all the time. I like to think there will be many wonderful memories associated with her silver by the time I'm done with it. Every piece of cheesecake, every special dinner, every book club breakfast, every holiday meal -- if it's a special occasion -- I use Aunt Rozella's Silver...if my sister Ronda bakes one of her delicious apple pies -- we eat it with Aunt Rozella's silver...

If I have special company at my house -- they get to use Aunt Rozella's silver...

Because if you leave it under the bed, nobody will ever know it's special. And getting it out and using it -- well, THAT'S how you show people you love them...