The Favorite Place To Eat in All The World, Grandma's Table

Grandma's photo book Photo by Mary Vee

Grandma’s dining room table had room for a dozen when opened to the full length.

Years ago, when Grandpa was but a spry youthful newly-married man, he carried it into the house with the added help of neighbor John. It was squished to the smallest size and easily fit through the doorway. They set it on the hardwood floor in the dining area where it promptly dissolved in the large room. Grandma said she and Grandpa spoke in hushed tones during meals those first years to keep their conversation from echoing.

Grandma's table, china cabinet and crochet'd pillows
Photo by Mary Vee

Their third year of marriage brought the addition of a handmade bookshelf hoisted into the house from Grandpa’s work shed. Grandma tenderly set the first photo books, each a long green rectangle shape with black pages donned with black corner pieces tucking edges of memories inking photo paper. Thanksgiving and Christmas gatherings summed the last pages of each year.

Photos inside Grandma's book - she glued them in
the book. Photo by Mary Vee

The first books witnessed the beautiful oak table with only two chairs. A few years later, when tots grew tall enough to sit at the table, four sturdy chairs designed to take the new family’s wear and tear sat around the sides. The first shelf of photo books reached capacity when one leaf opened the table to seat and feed six then eight when the eldest married.

The year Jenny was born, another leaf was added. The latest photo book stood alone on the third shelf. Past photos showed signs of wear, sticky fingerprints, and coffee stains. The dining room seemed smaller with each addition.

The family didn’t care. It filled with more love, laughter, and corner to corner dishes, silverware, and serving platters. Milk spilled, juicy red strawberries topped and canned, and children’s crayon drawings added to the collection of stains in the wood grain

To cover the strains, Grandma quilted this
tablecloth. Photo by Mary Vee

Grandma's face crinkled with smiles as she turned the pages touched with sweet holiday memories celebrated since the first day her dining room table entered the room.

The end of yet another year came, and another sturdy chair was squeezed in at the corner farthest from Grampa’s seat, down by the other children. On the last page of this year’s photo book, the dining room table, designed to seat a dozen, shared more family love by seating a baker’s dozen.

Grandma and Grandpa's family laughed, ate, sang, spilled, sopped, poured, drank, told stories both good news, and sad news. They hugged and said good night, until another year.

Its a 20-20 year!
It may be a roller coaster or smooth sailing.

Hold on!
There's no looking back. No hindsight.

If you're looking for some great reads whether drama, mystery, or fantasy visit my Amazon page where you will find the perfect read. Ebooks are on sale.

Link to Mary's books: https://amzn.to/2Fq4Jbm

Mary Vee loves to travel to places like New York City and Paris and infuse these amazing places in her stories. Mary is an award-winning author and writes for her king.  

Visit Mary at her Website, Blog, and her ministry blog to families: God Loves Kids. Or chat on Facebook or Twitter

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