A Thanksgiving Plug

It's nice having family nearby. Instead of dealing with the holiday madness that is the airport, hubby and I drove down to see my aunt in Round Top Texas. That little town (and I do mean little - their population is somewhere around 80, not including dogs) is the most interesting, artsy, laid back place I've ever been. I love it! It's the kind of place where guests are housed in neighbor's guest houses, where the soap is made by someone in your church, and where everyone knows everyone else's pets and days are spent alternating between creating and chatting. It has the feel of someplace so idyllic that it's hard to believe it's real. I highly recommend a visit.

While you're there, make sure you check out the shop my aunt runs, Decadence Down and Antique European Linens. There you'll find hand embroidered linens for your every need. The idea of the shop is to collect beautiful work and pass them on to those who will love and use them. Despite the high price tags, these pieces are meant to be used. While I can't indulge in that ideal at the moment, I do like it. My grandmother had a lovely set of dishes which came to me, fifty years after being bought, in perfect condition because my grandmother never found an occasion "good enough" to use the china for. I was there for her 80th birthday and even then she fussed at me for using the good china. Now that it's come to me I like to break it out for the most unlikely of occasions. If I'm not feeling well a bowl of cereal in the china makes me feel better. I treat the pieces with respect - they don't get beat around like my plastic bowls - but I enjoy them as well. I love how Pandora, owner of the store (and a lovely lady as well), uses tea towels as curtains and used a $2000 antique quilt as a table cloth for our Thanksgiving meal. A wonderful way to make every day just a bit more luxurious.