14 August 2020

Bess Tuggle's Memoirs of Surviving Children: Matching Dishes & Silverware

 

  All my children are grown- ups now.  Just as sure as death and taxes, they grew up on me.  But they never cease to give me enjoyment – and a royal case of the giggles (I can write that in retrospect).


Once upon a time, I had a dream.  


It wasn’t a big one.  Just a lil’ want for one time in my life. I wanted a matching set of dishes and silverware.  I didn’t think that was too much to ask.    


Well, I got it.  My Gramma gave me a -beautiful- set of dishes!  Light blue floral print and silver around the outside edges.  Plates, bowls, saucers, cups…  I LOVED them!   Still do, but they’ve been stashed in the china cabinet and only get pulled out for special occasions now.


My youngest, Thing 4, was still at home at the time she gave them to me and it took us a lil’ while to figure out the problem.  He used the good dishes, the only ones we had, but I didn’t realize how much he used them.  


Our microwave died.  I didn’t know why, but it completely croaked.  We took it back to Wal-Mart and they replaced it – only to have the new one take a dump a month later.  


On microwave number 3 it finally clicked – the silver lining.


Thing 4 was nuking his food on our good dishes.  Did you know microwaves don’t like anything metal?!?


We bit the bullet (after getting our 3rd microwave) and got cheap Wal-Mart dishes.  They work.  You can eat off them, put them in the micro, and if one hits the floor it’s only about $1.50 to replace.  The dye lots differ (I know this from washing them), but they’re close enough to matching to count.


My Gramma and Mom also got us a NICE set of matching silverware!  Talk about hog-heaven!!!  They all MATCHED!!!  And they didn’t last long - we had grandchildren. It’s amazing how quick silverware can disappear.   


Did you know you can get a dozen forks/spoons/knives at Wal-Mart for a dollar?  Matching doesn’t even matter anymore.  Smiles do – and I’m hiding my chop-sticks!  

    

- Bess Tuggle 

TPC Chief Staff Writer, Correspondent & Contributing Writer 

Bess Tuggle



A jack of all trades, Ms. Tuggle has been a Covington resident since the late 70’s. She's been a K-Mart cashier, cabinet builder, vet tech, office manager for a beef cattle ranch and water well company (where she was able to hold benefits for D.A.R.E. and Scouts), a court reporter, business manager, assistant at a private investigation firm, legal assistant, convenience store clerk, landscaper and elementary school substitute teacher.  Her greatest pleasure is being a wife, mother and grandmother.  Her stories are all real, and all names will be withheld to protect the innocent, and also maybe the guilty, depending on the crime & the Statute of Limitations.  


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