Reconnecting to Sunday Dinner

 Every Sunday while growing up there was a family meal.  It was usually Sunday lunch after church.  It was either at our house or Grandmother's.  Occasionally, we would be invited to someone else's home for Sunday lunch and that was always nice.  Some times, we would go out for lunch, usually to The Palace or sometimes The Oriental in Charlotte.  It was always a treat.  It is that feeling of friendship and fellowship that I am wanting to reignite in my life and what better way than Sunday dinner.

We had a few friends over for dinner on Sunday. I'm hoping to get back into the tradition of doing Sunday dinners.  Maybe not weekly....as I am on a budget...but maybe every other week or monthly.  We shall see.  But one of the major reasons that I wanted to do it is because I just wanted to set my table.  I have not gotten to do that since Christmas really.  And even then we did it buffet style.  And there's nothing wrong with a buffet, trust me!

There is no question that I love setting my table.  It makes me happy.  It relaxes me.  It makes me feel accomplished.  It's the little things here, people LOL  But it also does something else for me. It connects me to people in my life that I love.  Some that are gone, some that are still here.  Each thing I use on my table reflects someone who has made an impact on my life.  Sometimes the item was a gift from that person, sometimes the item was a legacy left to me by that person. But, have no doubt that everything has some kind of significance to it, which makes setting my table and using my things all that more special to me.  

I look back at the pictures of my table from Sunday and see that all connects me to others.  I will start with the basis for this all:  my dining room table.  It belonged to Grandmother.  She bought it from a friend of the family who sold furniture.  She got a very good deal on it because it is flawed and couldn't be sold in the retail store.  You would never know it's flawed until you put the leaf in.  When the leaf is put in, it does not sit flush and is about a quarter of an inch off.  That is all, but it was enough that they couldn't put it in a shop.  She bought the chairs at Belk's in Charlotte and she and Mom did the needlepoint covers.  I love sitting at this table.  So many good memories.

I used Mom's table cloth and her china.  The runner is one Michael's Mom gave us.  The flatware was a housewarming gift from a friend who has since passed away.  The pitcher and the trivet were Grandmother's.  I bought the glasses because Aunt Sara had a set just like them.  The candlesticks belonged to Aunt Billie.  Everything has a connection to me and when I sit with my friends and family around the table, I feel so much more and that makes me happy.

So, you see, having dinner in the dining room is so much more than the food on the table.  It's the people around it for me.  It's the history of what I use.  I feel connected to so many things on so many levels just by entertaining.  And I'm ready to do more of it.

That is all.