Today’s theme is “The Easier Way.” Anything where I have to decide which way to go, I’m going with the easier way. Elizabeth could stand to have a bath this morning, but it’s not at a crisis point yet so I’m going with the easier way and not bathing her. When I packed the boys’ lunches, I went with whatever items were easiest to grab and toss into the lunch boxes—and if today’s hot lunch option hadn’t been something I knew they wouldn’t eat (“Warm Egg-and-Cheese Bagel”), I would have had them get hot lunch. The kids are going to watch a LOT of television today, and I’m not doing any laundry or any cleaning. I don’t think I’m even going to unload the dishes from the drying rack.
Let’s see. I know I had some Positive Spin things to say. Now what were they? Oh yes!
One: My Mother-In-Law Good Dishes are one of the best purchase decisions of my entire life. I feel happy to get them out, happy to use them, happy to set the table with them, happy to WASH them even. When my mother-in-law announces a visit, I have the happy thought that I will get to get out the Good Dishes. They’re dressy without seeming unreasonably dressy. I like to look at them. They’re to my tastes. I don’t mind if, later, the children fight over who gets to inherit them. And yet, I don’t mind putting them away between visits. Here they are, so we can all admire them for a moment:
Except my set has mugs, not cups-and-saucers. I’m not sure why, except that I bought mine open-stock-style at TJ Maxx.
I had more positive-spin stuff, I’m sure I did. Oh! My mother-in-law visited some other relatives first, and she brought me two nearly-new, good-quality coats another relative was getting rid of. And, unbelievably, I really like both of them. One is a light, clear, vintagey aqua color, and a vintagey cut, too. It’s old-ladyish, but in what I THINK is a cute, sassy way. The other has a red suadey outside and an orange fleecey inside, and it’s cute and warm and cozy. So even though my mother-in-law announced with a merry laugh that she’d told her cousin, “Swistle is bigger than me—I’ll see if she can use them,” I’m happy to have both coats. I wore them on outings and felt like a cuter person than when I wear my usual coat (one of Paul’s). And for the record, I am NOT bigger than her. Taller, yes, and I could totally take her in a fight.
Now I’m going to brew a pot of coffee and get caught up with everything you’ve been writing while I’ve been gone!
Those dishes would be the EXACT style I’d pick out if I was in the market to get some fancier dishes. I love all that blue and white china, no matter what the pattern is. Wow, they are pretty.
And I’m happy for your inheritance of the two coats, since I’m in dire need of buying one this year and I hate putting out a lot of money for something like that. Even though they came with a thinly veiled compliment/insult. Ugh. I bet you’re going to be in a very good mood today!
I think this should be your theme for the whole weekend. You’ve earned it.
I’m intrigued by the aqua coat. If you get some time soon, would you post a picture? I love all things vintage and would love to admire your new coat. :)
And your dishes are lovely. I followed the link but wasn’t able to determine if the plates had different castles or the same.
Enjoy that coffee!
Welcome back! I love the dish set…absolutely gorgeous! Enjoy taking a bit of a break, I’m more than certain you deserve it.
Tuli- The castles are the same on each type of item, but different on different items. Er, that could be put more clearly. I mean, all the dinner plates have the same castle on them, and all the bowls have the same castle on them—but it’s a different castle on the dinner plates than on the bowls.
“I could totally take her in a fight.”
Hee!
New to your blog…and you made me laugh. So funny. You could take your MIL in a fight!!!! lol!
Freedom! Freeeeeedom!
(Sung. George Michael style.)
Mugs are better than cups and saucers anyway! Its easier to warm your hand by wrapping it around a mug than a cup.
The Easier Way… that sounds good. I think I’ll do that today too. Congrats on making it through the MIL visit. Treat yourself to something fun!
I am ALL IN on the “easier way”. My contribution? WAY easier to eat a few of the chocolate chip cookies for breakfast that my Mom baked and gave to me than to fix a bowl of cereal. AND easier to let daughter watch television than play Candy Land (again).
g~
We missed you! Welcome back and amen to The Easier Way!
Welcome back!
I’m glad my in-laws live nearby. That is enough for me.
And I love The Easier Way. I need to do that more often.
Is it wrong that I am coveting your dishes? I love them! And your mother-in-law sounds like mine. That’s all I have to say about that subject. :o)
We’ve adopted The Easier Way ’round here since I went back to work. If I wasn’t afraid of the school/daycare calling us in, the kids would probably be wearing the same clothes everday–and sleeping in them also every night. Baths! Pshaw! If it don’t stick, don’t clean it!
BTW: So glad to have you back online. It’s been way too quiet lately!
I think you should drink that coffe out of one of the Good China mugs. You deserve some pampering.
And here’s to the easier way!
Slim
I always feel so fancy when I drink my coffee out of your mug.
Yes, we’ve been on to “the easy way” for quite some time now.
I love it when people post pictures of their stuff! Your dishes totally remind me of Holland…they seem Delft like.
And, I too, want to see a picture of your aqua coat…the “clear” part has me intrigued.
Oh, and thanks for the comments on my blog…it sure does get lonely over there!
I am taking the easier way too today. I put dinner in the crockpot and my little boy is already watching his third episode of Barney! I thought about going out to buy more socks (because we are running low) but the easier way was just to do 1 load of laundry. Of course now it is sitting in the drier and I have taken just the clean socks out.
Welcome back Swistle!! I have missed your posts so!!
yay! she’s gone! you did it! the dishes are put away! :-)
HotchPotchery- Oh! Clear is misleading. I mean a clear rather than a muddy color, but it sounds like I mean transparent!
good to have you back :)
All is right with the world…Swistle is back! Yay! Now, why don’t you use the dishes all the time? At least for you and Paul? Or would that ruin the specialness?
Just for the record, my money was always on you. Enjoy your day- you’ve earned it!
I have the same dishes, only in red instead of blue. My aunt handed them down to me. I use them everyday, which makes me feel special, since I just had random garage sale before that (but of course I have no kids, so if anything broke, I could only blame myself).
Congrats on the freedom!
This whole “easier” way of parenting? Ummm…I do that EVERY day. Is that not right? Shit.
Also, LOVE the dishes. My mom has some very similar ones that her parents bought from a grocery store in the 1950s. It is called Liberty Blue and I WILL be inheriting that set. Yes, I will.
Welcome back! You were missed.
Based on your MIL’s snide comment, she and my mohter may be the same exact person.
YAY! You survived! I love the Easier Way Day. That should totally be a regular day of the week… say, between Wednesday and Thursday?
You’ve been missed!
Ohhh very cute dishes. But no fair… you show the dishes but not the new(ish) coats? How else can we judge how lovely you would look in them?
I will give me MIL this — she’s just not with it enough to be mean. She’s sweet… just not my taste. I feel for you.
Oh, where would a MIL be without the passive-agressive commentary?!
Great job on the positive spin! Those coats sound VERY cute! Want to see pics!
I like blue on white dishes. Reminds me of my grandmother. That will probably be similar to the next set I purchase.
Your “special” dishes are really pretty. I like that they brighten up a MIL visit a little bit.
My money is totally on you vs. your MIL.
Oh my goodness. Those MIL comments. Oh. My. Goodness.
But she’s doing her part to make the rest of us seem so kickass and WONDERFUL, right? It’s her public service!