Old/New, High/Low

 I love the versatility of the new plain white bone china we are using for our everyday tabletop.  The plate to the left is Mikasa "Solitude" which we registered for approximately 30 years ago.  I picked it because I thought it had a timeless look.  Yes, it does look a little bit "80's and the pattern is now discontinued, but there are still new patterns like it designed today.  It isn't too fussy but it does look "fancy." You can't easily tell the difference between old and new here.

Common Grounds

I have not yet, nor will I likely become, a Keurig fan.  Yes, I've used them -- the break room at my old office had one and I would bring my own K-Cups in.  But with each cup I brewed, I died a little inside.  It's not just the cost, it's the wasteful packaging.  More than that, it's the flavor. To me, the best brew comes out of a percolator -- the older, the better.

Give Me the Bone!

China, that is.  For dinnerware, bone china is my first choice.  In it's purest form, it's white, translucent, streamlined, durable and neutral.  Are you looking for an everyday dinnerware solution that can be dressed up, dressed down, put in the dishwasher and microwave, that looks good on just about any table?  Then consider going with white bone china for your tabletop.

When we first moved to our small house, I enjoyed eating on our fine china on a daily basis.  The big drag was that it couldn't be cleaned in the dishwasher.  Our formal pattern has a silver rim which makes it impossible to microwave and unsuitable for the dishwasher.  In order to save space in our cabinets, I moved on to clear glass plates, bowls and mugs.  That made sense at the time because they were affordable, durable and essentially "neutral" in color and design.

Taking Off Again

Changing course can be a scary thing.  Conventional wisdom and human nature favor risk avoidance.  But at what point is risk avoidance an obstacle rather than a strategy?  It's an obstacle when it is an impediment to growth.  Being willing to toss out and move forward, common sense be damned, can be tough if you're a comfort junky.  I like to be safe and comfortable but am too ambitious to live my life that way in the long run.

Reboot

It has been quite a while since I've posted to my blog and appreciate those who noted concern over my absence.  Having lost the ability to store more images as well as a major change in life direction, it would seem the old blog was no longer a representation of the type of life being led at Chez Petite.

One of my major goals of this year was to recover from a few orthopedic surgeries.  Convalescence and disability leave provided time for professional reflection.  In an effort to market myself and my skills, I spent time creating a professional website: alexonthejob.com.  Building the site took time and effort which prevented me from attending to this blog.  The time paid off -- I start on a new career path next week.

An updated look and a slightly different view on life will be evident going forward.  I still hope to cultivate and retain blogging friendships from the past.  The past four years of blog material have been wiped out and I'm starting with mostly a clean slate going forward.  If anyone's sticking with me, thanks for your patience, I'm working my way back!