Wednesday night dinner

Last evening our Wednesday night dinner menu was:

Herb encrusted Delmanico beef roast
Basmati rice,
Broccoli,
Olive oil and lemon salad
Strawberry trifle for dessert

But...what I really wanted to write about was the wonderful behavior of the three little boys at the dinner table. All three of the boys were amazing at dinner last evening.. They were quiet, they ate everything on their plates and they actually had a little discussion going on with each other during dinner. I publish the menu for one reason. The food was not what children normally love to eat, yet they ate it quietly and without any complaints. I do not expect our five little grandchildren to be perfect at the table, in fact I beileve that we are very generous with the children's behavior. The adults all put up with a certain amount of noise, and sometimes at least one of the five little children is crying. Last night was magical for me. I do not think that any of the other adults noticed, but I certainly did.

As I was putting on dinner music and setting the table last evening, I was all of a sudden aware of how beautiful everything is on Wednesday nights. Most people only entertain this way on holidays, but for our family it is a holiday once a week. Although our one and two year old baby girls are not quite ready for our beautiful china, the little boys have been eating on it for quite a while. If one of the dishes happens to break, it will not bother me. The beauty that the place settings add to the table is joy beyond words. Maybe the little boys noticed.

The candles are also very important in rounding out our table settings. My sister and I grew up eating dinner every evening in the dining room by candle light. My father wanted to come home from work and have a formal dinner every night. Candles soften the light, get rid of the glare and add an aura of loveliness. Maybe the candles had something to do with the quietness at the table last evening.

The background music also plays an important part in our dining experience. We have tried all types of music, but for the most part, classical music sets a very nice backgound for conversations. Everyone is able to speak quietly and be heard. So, with the lovely place settings, the candles, and the music, last evening I recognized that this is something out of the ordinary for many families. Yet our five little grandchildren have been sitting at our Wednesday night tables since they were born.

I am not exactly certain what contributed to the wonderful behavior of the little boys at last evening's dinner table. It may have been the music or the candles. It may have been that the boys were tired or very hungry. It may have just been a good day for all three of them. What I really think is happening is that they are growing used to our more formal evenings and they are learning to sit quietly once in a while on Wednesday nights and enjoy the magic.

Whatever the reason, I think that our Wednesday evenings accomplish many things for our family and I expect that we will continue this tradition for many years to come. And who knows? The next generation may continue these special dinner parties for their children and grand children.