The Dish

MY MOM sent me this e-mail yesterday that I wanted to share with everyone because I think her observations are really fascinating. And I've been wanting to inject a little of her perspective into the blog.

So, without further ado, I introduce my Mom...

Steph,

Throughout your whole house saga and particularly recently, I have been pretty much in my head about you and Bob selling everything and traveling lightly. It sounded romantic, adventurous and freeing. UNTIL...the white dish conversation. When you told me you couldn't even get $25.00 for the Crate&Barrel set of white dishes that we bought you for your 4th anniversary, everything became real for me. I started thinking about what will you do when you land somewhere??? What will you eat on and with what utensils??? You're giving your wonderful Crate&Barrel stainless to Tommy... such lovely "things" and now your casual ware will probably be Scott paper plates.

Getting rid of those white dishes really bothered me. Not because I gave them to you, but it was like no one wanted them even for 25 lousy dollars! Then I thought of registering for things when you got married...all the time and energy that went into those choices, and all the people who chose your dishes and stainless to give to you as gifts....now just gone for a few bucks and someone else's whim at a garage sale on a Saturday afternoon.

But, my upset really got me thinking. When Tom and I returned home after living on board our boat for a year, I was amazed at all the "stuff" we had in our house. It made me nervous and agitated. After cooking out of one pot and one pan for one year and having the time of our lives, our excess at home made me feel somewhat guilty. But, that was two years ago and somehow I've gotten sucked back into my things.

Your white dishes made me count my own sets of dishes. And guess what I discovered?! We own 7 complete sets of dishes not counting our Christmas china. Seven! Isn't that insane? And how much could I sell them for? Well, apparently not even $25.00.

Love,

Mom

A couple of things....

1. We have decided to keep the Crate&Barrel everyday china that no one wanted even for $25. That's going in our tiny storage unit that our friend has rented on our behalf.

2. Mom and Tom's year on the boat has been in my thoughts often through this whole house - as Mom called it- Saga. They had all they needed in one boat. A tiny space. Two people and a dog. They made it work. My grandparents did the same thing. Every summer they lived on their sailboat on the St. Lawrence Seaway in Detroit. Mom's comparison of the two lives-- boat life and house life-- speaks to an interesting phenomena. We get attached to the things we have. But when we don't have them, it's often true that we don't miss them. Seven sets of dishes. I had 5 water pitchers that I sold at the sale. 5 water pitchers? Who needs 5 water pitchers?!

Thanks, Mom, for your e-mail and allowing me to share it!

Littof readers, what's your equivalent of Mom's 7 sets of dishes or my 5 water pitchers?


UPDATE:
So, funny story... Usually Bob reads each post before I post it. Not this one. This one he read after I had already posted it. And this is the conversation that followed:

BOB: We decided to keep the dishes?! I don't remember deciding that.
ME: You don't?
BOB: No.
ME: I thought we did.
BOB: Uh, I don't think so.
ME: Oh. So you don't want to keep them?
BOB: (emphatic) No.
ME: Well, I guess we'll talk about it.

So the fate of the dishes remains undecided. I have a feeling that Bob will win this one, though. After all, the point is to let it all go. Dishes included. Sorry, Mom!