Dishin'

I'm not what you'd call technologically savvy. Some people might even call me technologically retarded. Those people are cruel insensitive and not very P C, so don't listen to them. Anyway I just got my first IPod Shuffle. I have an MP3 player and never thought there could be much difference, but this thing runs on magic. I think it is made by little elves living in trees. I unintentionally loaded every song and CD from my computer on it. That was nearly eight hours of music and it was less than half full. Yet the thing is so tiny, it just can't be possible.

I never thought I would be singing the praises of a Macintosh product. People who use Macs are, well they are computer snobs. I think I could buy seven PCs for what a Mac cost. But everybody is a snob about something, right?

Some people have to drive the nicest cars, even if it breaks them. And car dealers don't mind. If they repossess a car it can be sold, again, at a huge profit. And the person who defaults on the loan can always find a dealer willing to finance them again.

A lot of people are cell phone snobs. They have to be able to take pictures, shop online post their face book status and call their mother in-law on Mars all at the same time. I only need a cell phone to make an occasional call.

No, my obsession is dishes.

I might be living in a trailer house with a Trans Am on blocks in a yard protected by a Pit Bull on a chain, but when you come to my house for dinner I will set a darn nice table. You will be impressed. Not so much by my cooking, however.

I have so many sets of dishes I'm a little afraid my cabinets may fall off the walls some day. Every once in a while I'll give some away. This is very hard to do because I heard once that a gift is not a gift unless it's something you really want to keep. So if I have given you dishes you know I really love you, Tracy. At one time I had given my daughter, Sarah, so many sets of dishes she started bringing them back. I couldn't blame her, though. She was single and living in an efficiency apartment with six sets of dishes.

I have sets that remind me of different people. Of course my Blue willow will always remind me of Grandma Bell. Another set, I think is from the 50's. It's white with silver and that art deco turquoise color and I can almost see my Aunt Eloise drinking coffee from the delicate little cups. That's a good memory.

The dishes my mother gave me were white with blue roses on them. I'm sure they were not expensive but they look kind of Victorian. For years after my mother died I would see the matching sugar bowl on my dad's table and wonder if I could ask him for it. But I never did and then one day I found one in an antique store. I actually was able to complete the set.

Dad has told me I could have Mom's china but I wanted Sarah to have it. Maybe she will have room. I know I won't.