The care and keeping of flat ware.

This is a full set of 24 Gold toned flat ware. Looks pricey but it too has a little secrete. It also has a story for those of you who are enjoying getting to know more about me. When I was a girl like my sister before me, our Mother kept a "Hope Chest" for us. Our Mother had an "old school" heart. From many years back in the hills of Tennessee it was the way for every girl to have a trunk or hope chest to fill and dream of marriage and of her wedding day. To pretend of having her own home. It helped a girl to transition from her parents home to her own. This tradition was passed to us. My Mother often took in trade for food at the Cafe in those very early years (I was infant -5 years of age) , and then during my youth the gas stations were the prime place for barter. Could you imagine being able to trade something for fuel. Momma was raised during the Great Depression. She was beloved by her customers. So Often the things in our hope chest were barter. She had a good eye too. Once her and my Step Dad Had a fellow trading a set of flat ware much like these. My step dad got them for me. It was one of the nicest things he had ever done for me. I was a young teen ager at the time 16 maybe. They were busy about filling my hope chest for they were old and tired of being parents and looked forward to the empty nest.(it was bitter sweet for me). Well that set was gone after a thief took them long story.

So once many years ago remembering my step Dad's rare kindness I has asked God if there was a way someday if I could have them again. Well I found the two sets at a close out sale for under $20 each and had to have them. They are a treasured gift from both my real Dad (God) and the memory of what my step Dad might of been like if he had lived without such a wounded heart.

I NEVER wash them in the dishwasher they will ruin. I lost one serving spoon this way (it slipped through). They must be rinsed too because acidic foods will ruin the finish. I then place them out to drain a bit and then towel dry them. They are counted as they are put away. Folks are often accustomed to plastic and they have been thrown away. I had one fork missing so I knew to watch out for it and found it today as I was loading the dishwasher. Keeping an eye out for it it was preserved from the dishwasher.

If yours are silver there are some wonderful anti tarnish papers made by 3M