The Table

It was a few months after getting married that Gavin and I decided to invest in a family dining table. We knew that we wanted to buy something that would grow with us, as our family grew. We wanted something that was special, but not formal; something that reflected who we are. We knew we wanted something big, and that it needed to be wood. We pictured ourselves sharing the table with family and friends of all ages and knew that it needed to be able to seat at least 10.

We went to see a carpenter working out of his garage on the outskirts of the Cape Town city center. We had heard that he used reclaimed wood from beams and rafters salvaged from the roofs of old homes around the city. We liked the idea of our table having had a story, before becoming a part of our home. We spoke to him and a few short weeks later we were able to bring home our new family table. It was a joke how the table took up most of the space allocated to the dining area of our newlywed-duplex And that was before we added any chairs! We scrounged through the city’s second-hand vintage and antique stores and found 10 perfect school chairs from the 1950s, which we bought and placed around the table.

That was almost 15 years ago. And we still eat at the table together everyday. Now, there are four of us who sit together daily: eating breakfast; enjoying tea and biscuits; doing homework or craft activities; baking; and sharing dinner. It is the one piece of furniture that has been a non-negotiable in all of our moves, coming with us even as we have crossed continents and seas. And in each city and every home that we have settled in, we have shared meals; moments; life with people around our table.

Even as I type this blog post, I sit at our table. And I can see how my blog was birthed out of wanting to continue sharing my table and my life with those I love, but might not live near to, anymore. I want those who have shared our table with us, in the past, to be able to continue coming, even if it is only virtually. And I want to extend my table; to have those looking for a welcoming place, or just meal inspiration, be able to come and read, and join in the conversation.

So it is to this table that I invite you. You will see that there is always place. You will always be welcomed. And, most of the time, if you find yourself at our table, you will find yourself not only sharing our meals, but our lives.