Monday 12 October 2015

To my dining room table

It's OK. I'm bringing lots of pots and pans from the kitchen and piling them on top of you, but this time it doesn't mean that we're moving. It's just because the new cooker is about to arrive, and I need to clear everything out from that corner of the kitchen so the men can install it. Then you'll be back to normal.

I really do appreciate you, you know. Don't listen to anyone who suggests we might need a new table. So you're a bit smaller than average. So am I, is it a problem? And what are a few battle scars between such old friends? In fact you're not just a friend, you're family. We've had you longer than the kids, for heaven's sake. I remember that you and the chairs cost about £30.00 second hand from lovely old Mr Lessimore's shop, and he turned up personally with the delivery men. He'd even polished you up.

How many nations have you hosted? Apart from British, I mean. American, Nigerian, Ghanaian, Swedish, Austrian, German, Dutch, Norwegian, Estonian, Japanese, New Zealanders, Indian. You remember my Uncle Ben, my godparents, Tony's folks and dear Gordon and Audrey. Remember the party after the twins' baptism, when you were covered with presents? You have hosted Christmas after Christmas, party after party. Around you we have eaten delicious meals and almost inedible ones, and survived. We have chatted, had rows, solved problems, and laughed until even you rocked.

You have born the weight of dressmaking and homework, jigsaws and modelmaking. And who supported all my earlier books? You did. I love you.

4 comments:

Unknown said...

Have you've been writing anything new?

margaret mcallister said...

Yes, but they're not ready to talk about yet - except that one of them is a cat book!

Unknown said...

Super cool!

Unknown said...

What is it about? Is it for the age range that your other animal books are for?