A TABLE FULL OF MEMORIES

 1969 After several years of using hand me down furniture we were finally able to purchase a house full of brand new. We had just moved into a wonderful BIG  house in the country. The solid maple table and hutch were beautiful and without a scratch. The wood was about two inches thick. As you can see I kept a cover on it to protect it. I can't begin to tell you how many meals I set on this table but I can tell you that for me there is no feeling quite as rewarding as filling the dining table with all the foods your family love and seeing them all sitting together. In the above photo we were celebrating my husband's 35th birthday. He had his own business and was prospering beautifully. Left to right are Kathy, Cyndi, Jerry holding baby Shawn who was about six weeks old, Michael and Patty.

 1969 Dining tables are good for many things. Here big brother Michael who was eight and a half years old, is loving his new baby brother whose baby seat is secure on the maple table.  Have you ever seen such love in a little boy's face?

 1970 A year later, Michael is in Scouts and entered a cake making contest. His dad and I both helped. Doesn't he look proud. And that wonderful Maple table didn't jiggle at all. Just set there strong and proud to be holding Michael's train cake. Mikey looks proud too don't you think?

  1972 My Beautiful Patty's sweet sixteen. I made her cake, one I had seen as a little girl in one of my mother's magazines. I saved the picture for years and still have it although it's a little ragged around the edges. I thought it was the most beautiful cake I had ever seen and wished I could have it but Mom worked and didn't have time for such things. I didn't realize it until I enlarged the picture today in photo shop that the smoke from the candles is visible on Patty's right shoulder.

Our dear Maple table loved Birthday Parties!

 1973 Here's Kathy's sweet sixteen. I was learning to make wedding cakes and used her birthday cake for practice. She doesn't look too sure about it. At least it didn't tip over. LOL!!

 1997 Another Birthday, this time my mother who celebrated her 78th. We just put one candle on her cake. I know she didn't have enough lung capacity to blow out 78!

 2001 Christmastime. My girls all came for supper then we went to Bellingham's famous Mt. Baker Theater and heard the three tenors perform. A wonderful fun evening leaving me with some happy memories. This picture was taken before we remodeled the house. It's all different now.

My Maple table was happy with family all sitting around her again. So was I.

 2009 An after Easter gathering brought family together once again for fellowship and Holy Communion. My dear table managed to hold up although the years had taken a toll and she wobbled  some when anyone bumped her. Sort of like me.

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2010 This summer I decided it was time to put her to rest and advertised her for free on Cragslist .

A kind gentleman called to inquire about her and came to look her over.

She sat tiredly on the front deck, her top partly sanded and scars of her past still etched, some deeply. I remembered my Michael's secret carving in the side when he was overwhelmed with affection for his special sister, 'I love Kathy.' I saw the deep gouge on the top which I accidentally made when dragging my sewing machine across her. I didn't realize the machine had a sharp thing under it. I saw the dents where my youngest tapped too hard with his toy hammer and the tiny holes from the stapler that went through the paper too far when the kids made Halloween decorations. Each mark a memory, a time and place in a mother's life and heart. So much to let go, but I did. The gentleman told me he made toys for children and would use the wood from table for that. Suddenly I couldn't think of anything better for her. I told him about the precious memories my family had around that table and about my oldest son and the message he carved into her and how he loved cars and that his life was taken when he was only 30 years old. 

He took my maple table with him. I felt ok with her leaving.

The Gentleman came a few days ago, and brought me this.

On the spare tire cover in back he carved my son's name.

"Mike"

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