Friday, November 9, 2007

Entertaining a Lesson for Life

Good friends coming for dinner tonight makes me think of my Mom. She was such a great hostess. We would go grocery shopping to no less than three stores to make sure she had the best of everything. Provenzanos would be on her list and we would walk in there and smell the meatballs and cheese at the back of the store from the minute we walked in the front door. When checking out we usually would buy a couple lottery tickets to take out to the car and rub off - sometimes I even got to run back in and buy a few more with the money we won. One time she sent me back in four times because she kept winning! What fun!

We would get back home and her table would already be set with her beautiful cream and gold china her goldware and Waterford all glistening in the light. Everything set the night before. Each dish was on the counter with a little piece of paper that had the name of the food that was going in that dish. A list of the whole menu would be on the table to be sure that nothing was missed.

And then the dinner preparation would begin. There was always a glass of wine or if we were lucky she would make a blender full of whiskey sours. Food always comes out better if the cook is happy! The house would begin to smell like home. There was always too much food and always an extra place at the table if anyone happened to bring someone home with them. Remember how many dinners Nancy showed up with Kathy for - she was like an extra Shea kid at the table.

Once people began to show up for dinner and everything was ready then the fun would begin. I loved sitting at the table listening to all the laughter and talking. The best thing growing up was that when the good china was used then the Aunts and Mom did all the dishes so they wouldn't get broken. (However I don't ever remember ever breaking an every day dish!)

When we were little and we lived on Hoyt Street, and it was time to go to bed we would sneak up to the little room at the top of the back stairway that many years before someone much more affluent than us had used as a maid's room. We would very carefully open the heat register (move too fast and dust would fall on the kitchen table giving us away!) We would sit there trying to hear what everyone was talking about until we were so tired we would have to give up and go to bed.

Tonight Pat and I have eight friends joining us for dinner. The table isn't set, the porch has to be cleaned, the food has to be cooked (although some of it is already made). My grocery shopping is done - the house is almost done - my menu is put together. When I get home from work I will work very fast getting the cooking going and the cleaning done. Then when everyone comes over - we will all catch up - eat lots of food - drink lots of wine - laugh lots and have a wonderful time.

I'm so glad my Mom entertained so much and loved to have everyone over - she never stressed out about it - just worked very hard before everyone showed up and then stopped to enjoy all the fun with her guests. A good lesson in life.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

makes me think of all the great thanksgivings spent at Jim and Cindy's. those were some of my most memorable times as a child. running around teasing siblings, cousins and zac, trying to avoid the many aunties delegating and handing out small chores and responsibilities, and the overwhelming warmth and love in the air. i really miss being able to take part in the festivities and hopefully we will all be reunited again soon for the holidays. so glad that you joined our little blogging family aunt ME, i love you so much and miss your awesome hugs.

Jane said...

Good Lord, sister - why are you blogging at 3:00AM??? Even YOU shouldn't be up that early!

I love it when you write about memories. You remember things I don't, so when I borrow from yours, my treasure box is fuller. Listening from the maid's room and hoping the dust didn't fall onto the table - THAT one I remembered!!

PS - did you know johndillinger is David??