I’ve spent the last two days auditioning tablecloths.

I know, you’re really glad you’re not here to watch the process.  Kinda like watching paint dry, I’ll bet.  But I take it seriously.

We have two dining tables–one in the dining area and one in the living room–for Thanksgiving dinner.  Yes, it will be a little tight, but no one will care.  The house will smell like turkey, the conversation will joyfully flow, and there will be wine.

Banjo Man set up table #2 so I could measure and plan.  And then he fled to the basement, where he is busy painting a little bookcase.  He was so intent on doing a good job on this project (after a total disaster painting a wire bistro set) that he actually took the vintage bookcase to Home Depot to ask the paint guy what paint he should use.  No fewer than three people stopped him and asked if they could buy the bookcase before he got out of there with his little cans of primer and paint.

Anyway, back to the tables…

I changed to a different cross stitch cloth, the one made by my grandmother.

Pumpkins that didn’t make the cut.  Maybe next year!

This might work.  With the addition of sparkly lights and some artificial leaves.

Dining room table.  I wanted something blue so I could use my blue-trimmed wedding china.  Blue or white or gray napkins?  What color pumpkins?

I love this spider web cloth, but it might be a little too colorful.  But I’m going to iron it anyway and decide after I put the turkey in the oven.

So today I will be ironing tablecloths and napkins–something I really love to do.  It’s fun thinking about how pretty everything will look.  Holidays should be special events, if you’re up to it.  I remember my grandmother’s elegant dining room table and how impressed I was by the china and the tablecloth.  I will be using her crystal water glasses next week, too.

It’s a nice memory.

And getting together with friends and family is something to look forward to all year.

Time to plug in the iron…