Today is Special...

... and in fact every day is special, so why are we using a horrible mish-mash of cutlery when we have some good stuff (see below) in the other drawer? asked Ben, very reasonably, last weekend. So I pulled out the good stuff, marked Oneida 80-8, and we started using it, and we liked it, and we tried to work out what on earth its name was, as we'd rather like to add to the collection!
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A rather fun-filled few days later and I have been helped by a very good cutlery finding service called Cutlery Search, which has informed me that the cutlery is called Campden, and was first made by Old Hall, which was later taken over by Oneida. Old Hall made iconic stainless steel items in the 1960s, and it seems that our excellent design comes from that period. So we've been storing retro cutlery in a drawer without knowing it, for about a decade!
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We intend to buy some more now...
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And how lovely to meet a sisterhood of people who can't throw away old shoes! Thanks for all your comments yesterday.

Today is Special

Today is special - there are (just) enough daffodils in the garden to cut a few! And I bought three little Villeroy and Boch jugs in Relais Frip for 2€ yesterday.

Time to get out the daisychain tablecloth I bought in Edinburgh...... and a selection of handpainted flowery china picked up over the past year.

Now I have enough yellow to do Niki's March calendar page justice!

So today is special...

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Breakdown of shopping (à la Della!), as far as I remember it...

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tête-à-tête daffodils free from the garden for a little effort

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pussy willow picked weeks ago but still going strong

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Villeroy and Boch jugs from Relais Frip for 2€

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daisy chain embroidered cloth from Bethany Shop, Stockbridge, Edinburgh, ₤5

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Provençal napkin from Relais Frip, maybe 20c

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peacock feathers free from African Safari via sharp-eyed sons

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green glass vinegar jug came with vinegar in it

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gold art-nouveau-style mirror from British Heart Foundation Shop in Harrogate years ago, ₤5

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hurricane lanterns and candles bought NEW shock horror from Gifi before I started the Challenge, about 5€ each

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two hand-painted 1030s floral cups from Barnardo's, Leith Road, Edinburgh, 50p each

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japanoserie toothpickholder from Vide Grenier at Bon Repos, 1€

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hand-painted bird's nest vase with inappropriate golden lion handle detail (!) in a 2 for 2€ deal at Vide Grenier in Fontenilles

Today is Special - Fondooooooooo!

Sometimes exciting ideas in blogland also seem like a bit of hard work - swaps etc. But I found one last week which seemed nothing but pure joy!George's Mum over at Evie George % organised a Winter Olympics après ski party during half term and invited us to join in. Well, yes, please, I think we will! After all, Today is Special - get out the fondue set!
Ben and I are personally very fond of a cheese fondue, and Son 1 had a great meat fondue with friends the other night, but sadly, I am off cheese due to the steriods so we went straight for the chocolate course. Tragic, really.Fair Trade is essential, obviously - I thought we'd try BOTH major French brands.I'm just fooling your with these archive snow photos - we did nothing to deserve our calories the other night.

We melted the chocolate with a bit of milk, and having forgotten to buy cream I stirred in a petit suisse (sweet white cheese) which worked just fine!

We served it with chopped pears (the winner), apples, bananas and quatre quarts cake, which is a bit like Madeira cake for the Brits.

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Mulled wine was also on Georges's Mum's menu - I made up a recipe and Ben and I savoured the results!

A real bit of holiday fun - thanks so much for encouraging something special!
Tomorrow we'll begin the second Pause in Lent. I learnt an enormous amount from the diverse posts last week - I am still trying to think through and digest what I read, so I'd better get a move on before you all get me thinking again!

Today is Special - use the pretty salad servers!

This is the first time I've felt up to downloading any of my photos for ages - today is special! I'm still signed off work as my hormones settle themselves back down following this thyroid virus, but I have a little more energy than a few days ago. To celebrate, I'm linking to Denise's Today is Special idea. This very special little girl and her doll are on the handle of some salad servers my mum passed on to me last year. They are a little fragile and have broken and been mended several times - perhaps it would be wiser to leave them in the drawer?

Well, I think not, really. The full quote, which Denise found on Lissy Lou's blog, is: "Burn the candles, use the nice sheets, wear the fancy lingerie. Don't save it for a special occasion. Today is special." And indeed it is, so the little girls will join us every day we eat salad. I think it would be a shame for them to linger in a drawer, and they do a very good and decorative job for us, even this rather unfortunate little sister.

If we don't use the lovely things we own every day, when will we use them?

And isn't a bought salad when you're ill a bit more special for being served by such pretty little sisters?

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If you're in the Magazine Swap, don't forget to check for your partners in the post below!