Family times

Just recently I was with some friends and we got to talking about growing up ,and eating dinner with our families. Most of us are now 60-ish and our kids are long gone. I am always amazed that somehow I managed to come up with a dinner for 4 people most nights of the week. Now that my children are gone, it seems like an amazing task.

Before my Mom moved in with us, Arnie and I would grab something very simple and frequently eat on a t.v. tray....watching the news or some other program. My Mom finds it hard to eat that way. So now, I usually cook something and we eat at the kitchen table again. Most times, I have no idea what to make although some weeks I am better at planning.

What my friends and I were sharing with each other, was how most of our families sat down at a dinner table together, usually the same time every evening and ate a well prepared meal that included the food groups and a dessert. My Mom cooked for 5 people for as long as I can remember, and after my sister left for college, 4 of us, then just for she and my father until he died. She and my 2nd father ate together every night too, usually at the same time....in our family,dinner was at 5:30, come rain or shine.

My Mom washed, ironed, mangled sheets (for those of you who remember them days!), was in charge of a 3 story home, with an attic... our yard was large. She kept the house cleaned and well stocked. I know we had help maybe once a week. She didn't work outside of the home but she sure must have worked inside it!

I remember our kitchen so well and I remember it fondly. My father made our table out of an old door that he stained green. It was built in against an outside wall and it was big. My sister helped Mom with the dishes. (I apologize for the photo Sharon, but dig the jeans and saddle shoes!).The little guy is my brother. I have no idea why there were no photos of me in this group. I either ran outside as soon as I could, or was in my room, being punished for not eating. It was a lovely livable home and a good time to grow up in.