Wednesday, December 18, 2013

Petit Point dishes from a kind stranger

Several years ago, I wrote about having found a new Royal Albert Petit Point cup and saucer (shown here) at a bargain price. It's probably the most accidentally interesting blog post I've ever written, simply because I have received lots of e-mails from people scouring the internet who wanted to sell me some of their Petit Point dishes. Now, you can learn a lot about human nature by studying such e-mails. As most of you know, I'm pretty cheap when it comes to my "collecting" (far too formal a term for my little junkin' habit). So when people offer to sell me entire sets of dishes, I write them back politely and say thanks, but I'm not really a serious collector of this pattern. Sometimes, too, I've gotten rather snippy e-mails letting me know that if I didn't go to some website immediately and pony up rather large amounts for their Petit Point wares, I was going to lose out on the opportunity of a lifetime. I didn't acknowledge those sorts of e-mails, though I can assure you I was tempted to! Most people, though, have been exceedingly nice, and some were almost apologetic about even e-mailing me. A kind inquiry is never in bad taste, so I have never minded those polite inquiries.

But the *best* such e-mail came recently from a woman in Alabama, a small business owner, who happened to buy some items that included three Petit Point bread and butter plates. When she searched online for more info, she came across my old blog post. This time, she wasn't trying to sell me anything. She just wanted the plates to have a happy home, and she said if I'd pay for postage she'd send them to me for free. Now isn't that amazing?

I love the new plates (they make me want to go cross-stitch the design), but mostly I love knowing how they came into my possession. And now it's inspired me to "pay it forward," so hopefully soon I'll be able to do something kind for a complete stranger, simply for the pleasure of being nice!

13 comments:

  1. Meeting special readers has been the best reward of blogging.

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  2. I love it! As well as the dishes,they are lovely!

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  3. How nice! You are always doing for others, so it's nice when your kindness comes back to you "just because."

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  4. Kindness from a stranger! A lesson for us all.

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  5. Wouldn't the world be a wonderful place, if everyone would take that attitude? What a pleasant way to acquire the dishes. And don't worry...you seem the type of person who has already paid it forward and then some!!

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  6. So pretty - and such a lovely story during this holiday season.

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  7. That is such lovely story! So happy to hear it. I have some of those dishes and I just love them. You will think of her generosity whenever you use them. I hope good will comes her way too as I am sure it will.
    xo Ruthie

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  8. Sweet story and they are very pretty.

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  9. What kind generosity! It's a beautiful cup and saucer. I'm also one of those thrifty shoppers but love beautiful things. Many years ago I found a lone saucer in Royal Albert's Needle Point pattern. It makes a nice little candy dish. The English sure make pretty things.

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  10. How lovely! Interesting because I was just thinking of doing this very thing at some point with some of my tea ware. I love pretty dishes, such as these. What a treat!

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  11. Great story, Angela - what a sweet reader! You are very deserving, Joanie

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