Do You Need My Help, Chef?

When Martin suggested we go to dinner at the club, I was actually a bit disappointed. Not that it's such a bad deal to go out with my husband and be treated to a lovely meal in a peaceful and beautiful setting - just that I was looking forward to putting out a meal for the family. What's left of the family, anyway. Brian is at Disneyland today and won't be back until very late tonight so it would've been just the two of us and, possibly, Tim if he got off work on time.

As much as I'm enjoying cooking with a little more creativity than usual, I also love setting the table and getting everything just right for sitting down to enjoy a meal together. Oddly enough, one of my favorite night time routines is making iced tea, pouring two glasses and then putting the rest in a pitcher for the dinner table. It's funny to think of how small mundane tasks can have their own measure of sacredness as we truly pour ourselves into the task. For me, putting out a full meal at the dinner table is so different than how I was raised so, performing this every day job takes on significance of nurturing my family in a way that brings me such a sense of fulfillment.