Monday, July 28, 2014

Where is my Service for 16?

At one time I had a service of dinnerware and flatware for 16.  Now I have a firm service for 10. Where did the missing flatware go? Did they take up with the solo socks? Has my dishwasher taken up with the dryer and it is an appliance conspiracy?

I know some dishes have broken along the years. Yes that time I was giving a plate full of food to a family member to bring to some one seated at the table and it was a bad pass off, and a messy cleanup. Then there was the time some other family member cut lemons with a huge knife and force on a dessert plate. Of course there was that incident when a soup bowl and dinner plate slipped out of the dishwasher onto the floor.

I started with a service of 16 realizing that not all dishes last forever. In fact my pattern has been discontinued. All these mishaps account for my being able to serve Thanksgiving dinner for 10 only. Some one wants to bring a friend; they better bring their own dishes!


Now where are all my forks and tablespoons? I think some went for a potluck and never came home. I am not accusing but let’s just say I use camping flatware for potlucks. It’s not pretty but it serves and if it doesn’t come home it is not missed until the next camping trip or ever.

The dining room table seats 8 comfortably. We don’t have to bring in any extra chairs or the put some one on the piano bench. This is my new limit to entertain. More people than 8 will have to be seated at the children’s table with paper dishes.

I know I can’t be alone with this problem. Have you found your missing dishes or silverware? What do you do when you have more people than service ware?

22 comments:

Sharon Greenthal said...

I have the same question. I used to find flatware hiding in my son's bedroom, but now there's just no excuse.

Haralee said...

There must be a portal to another world full of dishes, flatware and socks!

Lisa @ Grandma's Briefs said...

Oh yeah... somewhere over the rainbow we'll all find dishes protectively rolled up in socks. I've found that even if the dishes don't match and plastic forks must fill in for the lack of the real thing, the very REAL thing is that the more the merrier... most of the time.

Haralee said...

I didn't think of that Lisa, Thanks! Of course the china and most likely the flatware too are all safe and secure in or bundled in socks.

Lori Lavender Luz said...

I think you're on to something with the socks...

We just keep buying cheap sets from Target. Nothing matches.

Haralee said...

If I find the solution I will alert you!

Cathy said...

Yup. I started out with a service for 16 flatware, tableware and wine glasses. Now I have 9 wine glasses. Hmm...

Haralee said...

I know what you mean. At one time there was a lovely service of wine, beverage and champagne glasses.

Kay Lynn said...

For years I ran out of forks and spoons. I finally figured out that my sons were throwing them away along with the paper plates they ate their microwave snacks on.

Haralee said...

Kay Lynn, I may have encountered this same situation.WHY????? There is plastic and paper and stainless steel and china that feel nothing like plastic or paper.

Suzanne Fluhr said...

We definitely have fewer teaspoons than anything else --- why? I still have all the Corelle dishes from a wedding present received for my first 1 and a half year marriage---in 1975. The stuff is truly indestructible. My sister-in-law has never hesitated to tell me how ugly it is. I've managed to retain most of a service for 12 set of china from my second (real) marriage in 1982. Then, I inherited my grandmother's china (service for 12). However, our usual Thanksgiving dinner attendance is often 15. Then I alternate plates every other place setting. They in no way match, but I think it's kind of charming and meaningful---for me, anyway. Socks are entirely a different story. Somewhere there must be a parallel universe where all the missing socks live.

Haralee said...

Suzanne I think you have a charming solution to Thanksgiving. Funny how the Corelle don't go missing or break?

Susan said...

I definitely have some unaccounted for missing pieces!

b+ (Retire In Style Blog) said...

I have always been paranoid about losing a piece of my sterling silver...I count it carefully each time I use it. Honestly, I have had to go through the garbage several times to retrieve a lost piece. I don't want to tell you what I think when the family leaves and I simply cannot find something precious. Darn!

Haralee said...

I think Susan they are with the SOCKS!

Haralee said...

I am with you Barbara! I have my Mother's sterling that is engraved with an initial,and once I put it out for a bridal shower and a teaspoon went missing. i told my Mother and she gave me sage advise, never put the silver out with people you don't know well, family or friends! I never made that mistake again.

Rena said...

I have figured out the silverware problem. I watched my husband... never taking his eyes off of the TV he walked to the garbage can to clean the scraps off before putting the plate in the dishwasher. The fork slid into the garbage and he never had a clue!!!

Haralee said...

Good deduction work but I ask you what gives???

Carol Cassara said...

This reminds me that I sold my silver service years ago after NEVER using it. Back in 1972 we were still registering it and I had no use for it ever!

Haralee said...

Another era Carol. My sister who is a mere 5 years older registered too. I wish I had and ask myself what was I thinking? Our first china was bank china. The ones you get with a deposit. My aunts collected it for my sister but then she got all her registered and the bank china sat in my parents basement until I took it. Bank china chipped easily!

Dianne said...

To find pieces of your china try replacements.com . We used the company to complete a set of serving pieces in a long-ago discontinued silver pattern. Even if you don't know the name of the pattern, as long as you know the manufacturer, it's pretty easy to search for the pattern.

Haralee said...

Thanks Dianne. I will look into it!