The family dinner

When I wrote about the Pumpkin Pilau I did not say what was the funniest thing about it.

That is that I took it over to my mom's. We have this situation going at my mom's that is kind of fun. My brothers come over and my brother George's kids are with us too. They are kind of little and unmanageable and we are trying to calm them down.

I tried making pumpkin pie with them last week and it was close to a disaster.

However, now things are better! I always have a plan, which helps. Last night I took over my pumpkin pilau, aka pumpkin risotto, and I was going to make pork chops to go with them.

I tie my little niece Barbara into a big Roy Rogers apron, which she gets a kick out of. And she sets to work chopping up apples to go into the pan with the pork chops.

This calms her. One apple, another apple, and then another. They are big apples and they take a long time to chop.

Then she sets the table!

Then suddenly we are all in the kitchen, my mom, my brothers, and the kids, all gathered around this tippy table my mom insists on keeping in the kitchen. It's crowded but we're there. There is a salad. The apple slices Barbara cut are beautiful. The pork chops are yummy. The pumpkin risotto is a crowd pleaser. Although my mom does not think she likes pumpkin so we tell her it is butternut squash.

Everyone eats everything. And while they are eating this silence descends. Silence! Calm! It was unbelievable.

I spoke.

"So," I said. "How was everyone's day?"

It was just too funny a moment.

"I went to work," I said. "And in the morning I worked on my book about Leonard Pennario. What did everyone else do?"

The return of the family dinner!