| Thinking back, I was raised in a 'make-do and mend' | | | | These revered items only saw the light of day when I |
| culture, instilled in me by my mother who managed to | | | | used to go up to her room and got them out to admire. |
| make everything last forever. Clothes seemed to last | | | | I used to wear the gemstone necklaces when I was |
| for longer, socks were darned and lasted for years, a | | | | dressing up in Mum clothes and with the clip earrings |
| meat stew somehow fed the six of us for a week | | | | askew on my ears, I would admire myself in the mirror |
| and jewellery was passed on from mother to | | | | and pretend I was going to a very important dance at |
| daughter. Nowadays, with costume jewellery available | | | | the Town Hall. |
| and affordable to all, will heirlooms become a thing of | | | | Now I have the same two gemstone necklaces and |
| the past? | | | | five pairs of gemstone earrings in a smaller jewellery |
| Come to think of it, so many things have changed - | | | | box in a draw in my bedroom and to be honest they |
| when, for example, did you last see someone use a | | | | do not see the light of day at all these days. |
| teapot, or see a shoe tree sitting by the back door? | | | | Instead I have a beautiful collection of costume |
| Who puts empty milk bottles and the cat out last thing | | | | jewellery that I wear extensively, that did not cost a |
| at night anymore - do cats get put out at night | | | | fortune, that I will not be distraught and guilt-ridden over |
| anymore, and can you still get milk in bottles? | | | | if I lose, that I can lend to friends without fretting over, |
| So many things from my childhood seem to have | | | | that I can change with each season and buy to "go |
| stayed there; indeed so many items we had then are | | | | with" each new outfit. |
| no longer used, or required, by the society today. | | | | I have often wished that Mum could have enjoyed the |
| Sometimes for the better it has to be said - no more | | | | frivolity of costume jewellery, she would have rejoiced |
| stone hot water bottles for instance. I managed once | | | | over the different types of necklaces available - faux |
| to let one slip though my hands and dropped it straight | | | | pearls, affordable freshwater pearls, semi-precious |
| into and through the wash hand basin, as you can | | | | gemstone necklaces, bead necklaces, torsade |
| imagine I was not very popular for quite a while. | | | | necklaces - the list is endless. |
| My mother had her prized jewellery collection that | | | | Now I have to decide what to do with the family |
| consisted of two gemstone necklaces (one ruby, one | | | | heirlooms - do I pass them on to my daughter for |
| sapphire), five pairs of gemstone clip on earrings, a | | | | them to sit in a jewellery box in one of her drawers, or |
| couple of pearl brooches and an engagement type | | | | should I have them valued and if deemed worthwhile, |
| emerald ring that is far too small to fit me. All of which | | | | sell them and perhaps give my daughter the money to |
| Mum inherited from Granny, with the exception of one | | | | spend on herself? She will probably spend the lot on |
| pair of pearl clip on earrings that my father bought for | | | | costume jewellery and clip on earrings! |
| her as an anniversary gift. The problem was that the | | | | To be honest, for that reason I can not bring myself to |
| gemstone necklaces and fine clip earrings were | | | | sell them, so I am sorry Mum, your jewellery will be |
| considered too expensive to wear from day to day | | | | passed on but I fear that those revered pieces will |
| and Mum rarely went anywhere that warranted | | | | never see the light of day again. |
| wearing them, so they sat looking lost in a big jewellery | | | | Such is progress, such is life! |
| box in a draw in her bedroom. | | | | |