Sentimentality won out over practicality.
I recently went to the Out of Hand Craft Fair. I love this show; it’s about artisans who create jewellery’ furniture, clothing, food, miscellaneous.
So, as I’m walking through, there is a booth that takes standard food utensils and makes them artistic by adding metal wire and coloured glass. This booth catches my eye because it has a three-pronged fork.
Background: my mom had a three-pronged fork with a bone handle. Mom got it from her grandmother. It was used, in our household, to serve carved meat. It’s in no way similar to a meat fork. I can’t begin to guess the original intent behind her fork, but I can tell you that it wasn’t a pickle fork. Some 15+ years ago, a tine broke off this fork. Mom and I used to scour flea markets and the like looking for a replacement. We never found it, let alone any kind of fork that was three-pronged.
There were two three-pronged forks to choose from. And while I found them to be pickle/relish tray forks, I couldn’t shake my memory of Mom’s fork. So I purchased one.
And then I had a fork with no use, until I told the story to a co-worker. She suggested that I add string and hang it on my tree.
Perfect.
A new ornament AND a Mom memory. Mom used to love Christmas. Next to birthdays, Christmas was her favourite time of year. I love that I’ve found something to remember Mom.
namaste
Cool that you have a memento of Mom and a story behind it. That’s important.
BTW – Three pronged forks are available for your use at Olive Garden all the time apparently (at least that’s the option that was presented with my salad just last night).
That’s a great story, Gayle! Now every year you can honour her by putting it on your tree and going over your happy memories.