I don’t often write about good days here, but today was one of those days that I wanted to share with the world. It wasn’t exciting, extravagant, or exotic. Nor were the burdens that weigh on us every day removed. Today was a simple day spent together. It’d be a normal day if it happened more frequently, but we’ll have to take them one day at a time.
After lunch, we went to visit my parents. We do that every weekend and sometimes during the week if they need something. Today we took them a couple of rye breads, a frozen dinner they asked for, a box of Tastykake cupcakes courtesy of my friend Alex, and a couple of treats. While we’re visiting, we talk for awhile, watch TV, and help them any way we can. Usually, the kids and Eliz hang out with my mom, while I talk with my dad.
Today was a bit different because my mom was preparing dinner when we arrived, so we all kind of hung out in the kitchen and dinning area. When we arrived to their apartment, there was a gift on the shelf outside their door for my dad. After we went through all the stuff we brought for them, he opened the present. It was from a few ladies who my father taught to shoot pool. My parents both laughed as Eliz read who the pound of fudge was from. Between that gift, the treats we brought them, and the ice cream they have stashed in their freezer from the “cafe” down the hall, they should have enough sweets for a week or two.
After my mom had everything simmering on the stove, my parents, Eliz, and I went into the den, while the kids went into the bedroom to watch TV. We talked about Shavu’ot, a jewish holiday that Jake has to do a presentation on at school (which neither I or my parents knew anything about,) Jake’s decision to got to Japan with the Japanese club from Westtown, some trips we took when I was a kid, and business. We spent between and hour and a half and two hours visiting, then we headed across the street to Borders and then came home.
Since it is Hanukkah, we wanted to do one of our family traditions: make potato latkes. (The kids are being raised without religion, though they are exposed to both jewish and catholic traditions. If they want to pick a religion when they’re older, that’s up to them.) The best part of latkes this year was that both kids wanted to help in the preparation. They both peeled potatoes. Jake then cut them up for Jane to feed into the food processor for shredding. Eliz then grated the onion in the food processor. I added the other ingredients and cooked them. Jane later said she wanted to form some and cook them, so my cooking duties were over for the day. Don’t tell her, but she is better at cooking them than me… We then enjoyed them together, along with roasted turkey breast, at the dinner table.
Simply eating together at the dinner table is good. We don’t get to do it as often as we should. We all had a hand in making the latkes and spent real quality time with one another. Eliz and I both really enjoyed it.