Dish Towel Memories!

I remember meeting my future in-laws in their home in Orangeburg. They had no daughters and they were delighted when their oldest son, Phil, brought me to lunch. Sitting at the kitchen table, I felt comfortable and happy to be there. As I looked around, I noticed a linen dish towel calendar hanging on the wall. 1967 was the year printed on the towel along with the 12 months. It was the first "dish towel" memory for me. (20 years later) my Mother-in-law gave me that dish towel along with others she had saved throughout the years.)

In 1976, we (Phil and I had married and had a daughter, Anne) decided to spend our summer vacation week at Garden City Beach with three other families. As soon as we got to the beach house the four "mothers" planned the grocery list and headed for the store. While buying food and supplies, we decided to buy four dishtowels to use during the week. We had fun cooking, eating, and playing on the beach for the week. The last morning before going home was hectic with packing, cleaning and loading the car. As we walked out the door, we each took one of the dish towels with us to use during the year.

As a Textile major in graduate school, I spent several years looking at, studying, testing , and feeling textiles from all over the world. I think that is the reason that I can't go anywhere without looking at fabric and textiles and enjoying their design, beauty, and function. When Phil and I went to Paris, we had to take time to find the perfect "Jacquard Francais" dish towel with the Eiffel Tower woven into the design. Oh and it had to be red to match my kitchen!

And the memories continue . . .I'm using my dish towel from Multnomah Falls that I got while visiting Anne in Portland, OR. I bought one for her, too. We can share the memory of the wonderful day we had there.

So. . . memories are everywhere, even in a dish towel! Now I know that even when the dish towel wears out, I still have the memory. Just the thought of a dish towel makes me smile!