281 Marbles
A house is not a home unless it contains food and fire for the mind as well as the body.
Benjamin Franklin
Tonight I had my second dinner party since Ex-man moved out. Can I afford it? Not really. Can I afford not to? Absolutely not. I have to stay social, after all.
When my kids are here with me, I don’t like to go out; I’m miserly with my time with them and I don’t like to get a babysitter. My job at the restaurant is social but most of my co-workers are considerably younger than me and often we have different ideas of what it means to socialize.
For this dinner I had a dozen good friends and family including kids. I made a long table out of two short ones and found a dozen mismatched chairs from throughout the house. I set the table with my Mother’s silver and her best tablecloth.
I have a friend, Lisa P, who is the most gracious and organized hostess. For tonight’s party I took a page from her playbook and prepped the dinner the day before – 2 lasagnas, 2 salads, and 2 appies (with my school year over, I now actually have spare time). Tonight, when my friends arrived I was completely relaxed.
I can’t relay how important these times are to me and my kids. They fill our walls with laughter and joy that radiates in the days that follow.
Next month, I’m not having a dinner. I’ll save my entertainment budget for the following month – a Summer Solstice party – a celebration for the return of light.
Oscar Wilde wrote, “After a good dinner one can forgive anybody, even one’s own relations.” I would adjust that to say, “After a good dinner party one can forgive anybody, even one’s own Ex-man.” Dinner parties help me let go and move on. Good friends, food, wine, and conversation - how could that not be fun?
What are you doing for fun post breakup? Are you doing enough socializing?
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