A Monday Memory....

"Every picture tells a story, don't it?" ~ Rod Stewart lyrics

or in this case, every table.

When the Englishman's then teenage son moved in with us, many, many years ago - it quickly became apparent that a larger table for daily family gatherings was required.  Packing everyone up in the station wagon, we headed off to our  my favorite Ethan Allen furniture store.  

In no time at all, the Englishman and I quickly decided on the table and chairs pictured below.  It had a sort of English country house look about it and the distress marks, which were part of the set's charm, would allow us to relax and not have to hover over the kids for fear they would ruin the new furniture.

The table and eight chairs we purchased served us well for a very long time.  Giggling school aged children bouncing in their seats, women chatting away while sipping tea, parents discussing world affairs, and toddlers consuming countless bowls of Cheerios were among the numerous scenes which were played out around it.  

You can just make out where the finish was removed on the table top when the Englishman took apart a small gas powered engine from a model car he was working on.  And no - I didn't lose my temper.  I tried to see it as an addition to the table's "charm."

Two house moves later, the set had to be relegated to the lowest level of our present house for a decade because it was just too big for the kitchen.  So I was quite happy when we purchased the "retirement house" and could place it in our kitchen.  And while it is always fun to change things around and make new decorating purchases, I find it a real comfort to sit once again at this particular table and recall all the happy memories it brings back.

Grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, and numerous friends, both young and old, have sat in these seats.   The fact that some of them are no longer with us makes this furniture even more dear to me. 

Where once our youngest, then four, sat and ate her meals - our now four year old granddaughter sometimes sits.  

Lovely to think that maybe one day our great - granddaughter will sit there too!