The Throwaway Society

 When I was growing up we used proper linen napkins and each member of the family had their own silver napkin ring. My parents had a matching rings with their initials on, my sister had a large one with scrolling ornamentation and mine was slim and delicate (like its owner). My parents rings have gone missing, my sister probably has hers in safe keeping and mine has been travelling round with me for years- never actually being put to use but moving from house to house and drawer to drawer. We were a doing a little frivolous spring cleaning this morning and my ring turned up again- very badly tarnished- so I gave it a good polish and put it away in yet another drawer.

These days we use paper serviettes- or kleenex tissues- so napkin rings are superfluous.  I've gone through life congratulating myself on how much less formal I am than my parents- but the obverse of formality is carelessness- including carelessness about resources. You don't wash you napkin you just throw it away and grab another- and actually- on mature reflection- I think this is regression not progress.

The Throwaway Society Continued...

 ...And then I asked myself, "If the napkins and napkin rings are missing, who exactly got rid of them, because I'm pretty sure it wasn't me and I doubt that it was my mother because she's a hoarder?"  So a search was instituted and they turned up- in the drawer of the dining table- which is really the first place you'd think to look- only we didn't.

Ailz, of course, wasn't a member of the family when these things were last in use- but no problems because when we looked over all we had she had no fewer than three rings to choose from....

So this family is once again using proper linen napkins with proper silver napkin rings.

Hey, look at us we're Edwardians...