When I saw these plate, I thought of my Great Aunt. She could be both firm and loving, and often in the same sentence. My Great Aunt was fiercely independent and quite simply never had it overly easy. Legend has it she became the liberal aunt that my Mother and her sisters went to for a hot tea, stiff gin and a shoulder to cry on when heart broken. She had a passion for china and upholding the correct use of the English language.

One of my earliest memories involving her, was one Christmas when my brother announced that he needed to go to the “loo”. My great aunt was having none of this and my mother was told off for letting us use such coarse language. I still don't know what word she expected us to use. Water closet, maybe? Certainly not that American euphemism, bathroom when really you mean toilet.

She continued to up hold the english language in every way when I was in my teens. There are many words that you read a number of time before hearing them said. Opulent is one of them. My attempts at o-pew-lent were brushed aside with “It's op-ulent, Dear”.

Then there are words that changed in meaning over her life time. Once she told me of a wonderful evening she had had, lamenting that she couldn't just say gay anymore.

When I turned over these plates to check the mark, something my great aunt taught us all, I had to chuckle and I thought of her. The pattern certainly wouldn't be called “Gay Fantasy” today. I love the pattern, so airy with the leaf stencils, and definitely light hearted. My Great Aunt would be proud.