Most folks know I had a rather exotic upbringing. My Nana could have worked for the CIA, my Mum was probably crazy, and my grandmother had delusions for grandeur. I went to a boarding school , where I learned to use a cloth napkin, and took ballet lessons instead of gym. My grandmother refused to step foot in another woman’s kitchen; even at holidays, she’d help set the table, and she always brought the home-made cranberry sauce, but she would put it on the table, rather take it into the kitchen.
My grandmother was Hyacinth Bucket all over. She had somehow convinced herself – and my sister and me – that my grandfather was a Hapsburg, and we were princesses, expected to behave as such. All too often she’d stop us from doing something “fun” by telling us ‘Princess Anne doesn’t do that, and she’s just a little thing’.” I grew up hating that poor woman, and she never did a thing to me!
So – Last week a woman at our church had baskets and baskets and baskets of grapes from her vines. I took about five pounds, picked them, cooked them, strained them, and today I finally got around to making jelly. When The Squire and I were first married we had a grape arbor below the pond, and I used to fill baby food jars with homemade jelly for him to take as Christmas gifts for the folks in his office, but this is the first time I’ve done it in living memory. It wasn’t a big deal, and really kind of fun.
All went well until it came time to put paraffin (wax) on top of the jars. Mum used a little white enamel pitcher, but heaven only knows what ever became of that. After considering – and rejecting – several options, I decided to use a small pewter creamer I got from “Hyacinth” herself. I had always admired the set, but once I actually got it in my hand I understood why my grandmother had given it to me. It is very thin, low quality metal, and I can press it out of shape with my fingers. I’ve never put it on the table, and it’s just sat it the china closet since The Squire and I got married. I sat it in a pan of simmering water, melted my wax, and was topping off my jars when The Squire wandered through the kitchen.
“Are you using THAT to melt wax?”
“Oh, this isn’t the good pewter.”
“Oh, well, thank goodness”, sez he.
thisendoftheswamp 
Lol it’s great you finally found a use for it:)
Did it have hand-painted periwinkles?
Oh, no. That’s the bone china! I inherited some of that, too.
Royal Doulton?
Haha! A fun read…oooh you are “bred like royalty”😉😃