The Big Table
When my husband and I were just in the planning stages of building a new house we purchased a large sturdy rectangular oak table that had two leaves to extend it to sit twelve good sized (my family is very tall) people comfortably. We envisioned dinner parties and family gatherings in our new home.
We did build a gracious and comfortable new house and the substantial oak table looked perfect in our Great Room. For the brief time that my husband lived in that house we were glad we had bought that table. And for the last eighteen years I have had dinner parties with family and friends. But more and more I notice I do not want to dine alone at a large table even if I do have a friendly view of birds eagerly eating seeds at my feeders. Don’t ask where I eat most of my haphazard odd meals.
This holiday season I planned I would host one grand dinner for my family. I went to the grocery store several times each time buying more food: potatoes, ham, chicken for stock, chicken for Arrroz con Pollo, chips, mushrooms, salad ingredients, vegetables, chiorrzo, special rice, wine, seltzer, goat cheese, regular cheese, crackers, ice cream, olives, wines etc. I made homemade chicken stock and thought about my menu.
Christmas Day was not a great day for me. At our family party, there was an incident that I find myself unable to talk about or share. I came home shaken and I could not sleep the entire night. And I was unable to make my holiday dinner…I just did not have the emotional or physical strength. I gave all the food to my family …some of it cooked and some of it just excellent ingredients.
I think it is time to donate the big table and buy a small oval table with very comfortable chairs. The birds are good company.