Thankful Thursday

Looking back over my blog, I've noted that the past few years have been rough.  I haven't been thinking or focusing enough on positive things.  Nor have I been keeping up with a faithful dialogue of my life, stressful or not.
And there's a lot of mention of depression, which I flirt with and am repeatedly told that there's not much I can do except reduce my stressload.  Since there isn't a lot I can do about that either, I decided I'd begin a series of thankful thursdays to last through Thanksgiving if not beyond.  (Eventually I may start being thankful for the same things over and over.)
This lovely epiphany began as I was strapping on my favorite apron and thought "This makes me happy."  I don't often wear aprons.  No one really does anymore, I've noticed.  They sell them all over the place, and hang in kitchens and appear on TV.  But how many times do you show up unexpectedly at someone's house and see them hastily untying a stained apron?
If people wear one, it's usually for show.

My favorite apron isn't exactly showy.  It does a lovely job of absorbing that extra backsplash when I'm washing dishes, although I usually am reminded to put it on *after* a large pot resettles itself with a clatter and splatter of suds down the front of my jeans.  But, tie it on I do.  And then I feel my mood raise.

I have no idea what was done to the fabric to create this cute design, but it appears to have been done by hand.   

You see, this apron is special.  It came to me when my parents were cleaning out my Grandmothers house and I mentioned I'd like some cute kitcheny things.  Along with a dozen egg beaters (which all were abandoned soon after, when I was diagnosed with Celiac and Corn allergy and terrified of cross contamination) I found this apron.  It was cute, I thought.  The little pattern at the bottom seemed unique.

I figured I should throw it in the wash.  After all, how long had it been in storage?  And what manner of flour might be hidden in it's folds?  Gingerly, I turned it around, looking for a tag.  That's when I discovered the most wonderful thing about this apron.

It's handmade.
Family research indicates it was originally handcrafted either by my grandmother when she was young or by my great grandmother.  Either way, it seems like an heirloom I should cherish.

A good collector knows that collectibles collect nothing but dust if they aren't loved and used.  So, it was thoroughly handwashed and now it is regularly worn. That's the best way to cherish something, don't you think?