WHAT'LL IT BE--LEAD OR PAPER?

It seems there are many dangerous things in

this life...not even counting motorcycles!

This danger may not be one to joke about---our

dishware finishes may be full of lead...too many 

parts-per-million for our health, and even more 

perilous for our little children.

Have you taken your dishes to a reputable

lead-scanner lately---you know, one with an

an impossibly long acronym---whose sole 

purpose for existence is to protect us?

Wait 'til you google: "13 INVESTIGATES THE 

LEAD IN YOUR DISHES." You will hope

someone out there in the government is seeing

after us. But you may be disappointed.

Let's go way back: My dear mother bought a set

of bright-colored Fiesta dishes circa 1941. Over 

the years she "raised" a family with those dishes.

(I inherited one little green bowl, from which I

likely ate cereal and listened to KICA before

heading for La Casita school, when I was ten or

eleven.)

My Beloved Wife and I were so tickled-pink over

getting married in 1957 that we selected "TICKLED

PINK" as our dishes! We have a cup and a bowl

left from this set! 

I went back to HSU in Abilene in 1956 for the 

wedding of my dear friends, Ken and Juanell. 

I'll never forget  that their dishes laid out with all 

their gifts, were "DESERT ROSE."

My mother, who in later years acquired Desert

Rose  dishes, one day bequeathed them to us

on the spot, showing us her new solid whites.

Though chipped and scraped, we've liked them

and used them for years. after all they are a

popular long-time classic. We have added and

replaced. (They say: chipped and scratched dishes

may tend to leach more lead.)

All of the above dishes were made before 1970,

after which the word is that more careful testing

and control-of-lead-in-dishes has taken place.

However, since 1970, the world has gone on.

Newly-weds and we older folks have been

acquiring more dishes. It seems to  be a some-

what nebulous subject--- In fact, IS there better

control over lead in our dishes by government...

or not?

Just take us, for example: we had a dear friend

who traveled a lot in the eastern part of the

U.S. She brought me coffee mugs for my

collection from all over---even Newcastle, Pa.

and Boston! Since 1970....

Too, I can't resist Starbuck's colorful, creative,

and unique coffee mugs. I buy them! I even eat 

beans out of fhe bigger ones.

This Christmas my wife bought a partial set of

square white dishes, painted beautifully in one

corner with a bright green-and-red  holly plant---

all kiln-baked-in nicely. Cups and square bowls

came to match, also with holly painted on.

These latter-day dishes since 1970---are they

lead-free, and safe?  Well, you can bone up on 

this one, but  I think the answer is: "No one knows

for sure."

There is some good news: The new "FIESTA"

dishes proudly advertise themselves as being

"lead free," as well as one or two other 

companies' latest products.

This discussion with my wife about dishes

began when she said: "There are the neatest

colored dishes down at the Dollar Store for

a buck apiece. it'd be fun to have a few just

for variety!"

Everything in life seems to have a bane...

and I said: "What about lead in cheap 

dishes?" That started the research on my

iPad.

So I said to my wife today at our delightful 

and regular morning coffee conference, as 

we discussed our dish status: "Honey, there's

really only one answer to this dilemma!"

And she beat me to the punch line:

"Yes, I know," she said, with a smile and a  

cute, joyous twinkle in her blue eyes,

"PAPER PLATES!" she said.

(Women love 'em. And I hate 'em!)

********30*******

BY MIL

02/25/14

Response by Robert Stebbins:

Milburn...I think that every family in Clovis had a set of those Fiesta dishes.  At least, all of my relatives did.  They did chip with hard use, but were pretty durable for families with lots of kids or grand kids.  There must have been a Fiesta dish salesman who traveled around with those guys who were knocking on doors and taking baby pictures.   And, of course speaking of lead and other bad stuff...how about those little painted lead soldiers that we used to play with and chew on when we got "bored"?  Or, the drops of mercury that we used to rub on a dime to make it shiny.  Where was the EPA and how did we survive?  I guess it was by drinking water out of a garden hose, but it makes one wonder.  Was it because we didn't have instant worldwide communication with pundits shouting the dangers and hazards that everything in the world presents?  Oh, we were a sturdy bunch!  We survived growing up on the Great Plains, World War II, the development of atomic weapons, the Cold War, and some other stuff that I won't mention.  But, regardless, as the old cowboy would say, we've had a good ride whatever the future holds.  And for that, we can't complain.  Robert