Set Another Place at the Table

Since our youngest moved out in May, special meals at our house have become infrequent. It seems like dinner for Barry and me has been leftovers, "make-something-out-of-nothing," carry-out, or "let's just skip it." So it's a pleasant relief when either of us really plans a meal ahead of time. We find ourselves talking about the preparation and the food, and our conversation switches from the day-to-day recap of running a small business to the joy of cooking and sharing a good meal.
We've recently added a third place at our dinner table. My dad has moved here from Florida and has instilled us with new energy to apply to meals. We're excited to share recipes he may have missed since he last visited ten years ago. Since his diet is switching from frozen dinners to "real cooking," he's an easy customer to please. Among other food favorites, we enjoy sharing the fresh produce from Daisy Mae's and find our food becomes a launching pad for further conversation.
When you sense that meals are become more of a chore than a pleasure, why not add another mouth or two to feed at your table? I remember even when the kids were younger, we kicked it up a notch when a neighborhood friend joined us for dinner. Invite a relative. Encourage an old friend to come for dinner. Just by adding another face at the table, you'll find that your meals take on a new dimension and food can become fun again.