Teacups and those we have left behind. Teacups left behind by those who have left us. I have some of Gramma’s (Mom’s mom), some of my step-fathers’s mom’s, and some of Dad’s mom’s. I can tell those apart because they are yellow-stained from the years of smoke in my grandfather’s house.

When my great aunt Helen died she left a note in her ‘blue and white’ set “for Little Penny” for her daughter Frances to find. The tea cups, saucers, and dessert plates were given to her on her 21st birthday by her father, who everyone referred to as Grampy. I never got to meet Grampy, but I knew he was special, he was spoken of with such fondness. Frances delivered my tea set to me packed up in an ancient Simpsons box.

My friend Vineeta loved her Old Country Roses pattern – despite lack of support from others, including myself. She had the teapot and many other pieces. She was deeply disappointed when a friend gave her the plain white version of her teacups, she so loved her roses. My sister and I now have some of her set, which was not wanted by her family, and I wonder how they didn’t see the importance of her china – it was so much a part of her.

I want to have a tea party for the big and little girls in my family. Josie is still too small so she would get a special cup. I will use Vineeta’s Old Country Roses tiered cake plate and tea cups from everyone. I probably have enough for a party of more than twenty, but we’ll keep it small.