Do We Have Enough Plates?

One thing I love about renting in Ireland is that places come furnished and equipped with the basics. Furniture, pots, silverware, and just about everything else is all there. Every place we have lived has contained numerous egg cups and a wine rack. This told me something about food culture from the start 😊 Most of them have had various pint glasses which have been rehomed from a pub. I read in a book about drinking culture here that this pint glass pilfering is a thing.  I always have fun poking around and seeing what is in a new place. Like a few of the other places we've lived, the new house was used as a holiday home for a while, so there are a couple of kettles and even a couple of irons in the place. In Ballinrobe, we had two vacuum cleaners.

I like this system for a few reasons. First of all, it is a lot easier to move when you do not have to pack up furniture and dishes and stuff like that. We are spared the expense of buying this stuff. I always prefer to use things that are not new wherever possible and I would buy it in a charity shop if I needed it, but having it already there is better. Clearly, there is enough stuff around, so why not use what is already available instead of getting more? Finally, while this kind of situation would not work for a person who finds matching tableware to be very important, I am, happily, not such a person. I quite enjoy looking at the hodge podge of bowls, plates, and silverware--the designs, patterns and shapes are often interesting. Good thing, too, because I checked the cupboards the other day to see if there was any basic thing we would need to look for in the charity shop, and when I opened the door to the bowls and plates, I found that none would be needed.

I think we're good. Anyone want to come for supper? I have plenty of tableware. 😄

Happy Friday!

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