We are in Baltimore for the weekend. Today is my mother-in-law’s 96th birthday.
I know, wow!
So we are staying at my sister-in-law’s house and I got up early to take a 5-mile walk. The car rides to get here and back are long so I have to make up for all the sedentary time we’ll have on the way home later tonight. On my walk, I saw this sign.
Do you ever have signs that call to you? Like you MUST go to this estate sale???
Same with fruit and vegetables calling to you at the market – buy me, no me, buy me!!
No?
Well I do.
So this sign called to me. I announced to my husband at breakfast that I just had to go.
Like we need another plate or glass. I know, but sometimes… that calling is strong.
Reluctantly, my husband takes me there – this is his town after all and low and behold – LOOK what I found!!
Eight, count ‘em, eight beautiful sweet Limoges china bowls for… are you ready??
I asked the girl how much. Clearly they were taking apart some relative’s house who had recently passed. I didn’t want to ask because then I’d get all weepy.
I had the stack of bowls in my hands – all eight of them. She carefully counted them and looked up and asked, “Uh, would $15.00 be ok?”
Gulp.
Yeaahhh!
To be cool, for a tiny bit, I continued looking through the rest of the house while she put them in a holding place.
Then I quickly I ran to the car to get the cash, gave her my $20.00 bill and while they had to search for the $5.00 change, I prayed no one would come and question the sale or turn a bowl over.
The transaction was made and I sauntered on back to the car, arms laden with my stack of bowls.
Success at the estate sale!!
There were actually two other German plates I thought were interesting. Should I go back and get them too or quit while I was ahead?
We decided on the latter and headed back to Ellen’s house. I couldn’t wait to tell her of my find. Ellen was flabbergasted – she loved them – she called her cousin Donna immediately and sent her a picture.
And then Ellen wanted to go back for the German plates. I was ambivalent. What if an aunt showed up there and knew what Limoges were? Or one of their distant cousins who knew something about china? Clearly the folks that were there did not know some things.
Ellen was persistent that I go back with her.
I changed my shirt and shoes to prevent recognition.
We drove there – it was 1:30 pm and the sign did say only until 1 and sure enough, they were all closed up.
I came home to just my bowls but they were quite enough.
I love the size – rather smallish and just perfect. Won’t they look great with gazpacho or even a scoop of chocolate mousse with a smattering of raspberries on the side? Maybe they are berry bowls and not soup bowls. I have to do some research.
My mother-in-law would love this story. She loved, loved, loved fine china and beautiful things. Over the years, she has given us lots of gorgeous china pieces. I will tell this story to her tonight but I’m not sure she will comprehend and she surely won’t be able to see them either.
My daddy always said, “It’s tough to get old, Mare!”