Thursday, July 30, 2020

Dear Marion,

It seems like forever since we last sat down for a cup of tea or your incredible julekake. While I speak to you daily, there is nothing like our heartfelt conversations, soul warming treats, and bursts of laughter in person. Short or long talks and even sometimes without words, on the phone or in person, I cherish all of our moments. So often they revolve around our tables. Beautifully adorned or simply placed with flowers or hand made objects, but always with love and careful attention.

Remember that beautiful handmade table, one of many made and designed by your father? Pop, dad, Oscar, no matter the title, he was a wonderful designer and craftsman. It has tested the years and stood the time but after almost 60 years it has needed a little help from a gifted cabinet and wood craftsman.

Originally designed as a coffee table to be used in the newly purchased suburban home with hopes of providing his loved ones with a place to meet around for cocktails or that special recipe on a weekend or holiday. During lazy Summers, it provided a place to hold monopoly marathons or create play dough concoctions, and often a multitude of craft and sewing projects.

Oddly enough, if I remember correctly, making this table as well as the others was a way to provide something beautiful, useful, and economical. It was not made using expensive materials and it was practical as it could be easily cleaned. Oscar was not a man who easily spoke of love to you but this was a way to express his love for you and your family. Your father was an immigrant who honed his skills as a floor layer in many a lobby in New York City. He took great pride in anything he did whether creating his rock garden, designing a surface or creating mobiles. I loved hearing about his first discovery of the Alexander Calder creations/mobiles. They are still some of my first, favorite pieces of art that we enjoyed at the Guggenheim Museum in New York...and who could forget Calder's Miniature Circus at The Whitney Museum of American Art.

I have gotten carried away… back to the table. This particular one has spent a decade in storage waiting for the right moment to spread its love once again. It took a long while to find the right person who could work their magic while keeping its integrity. I know you are as excited as I am to see it repaired with loving hands and able to shine once again.

This time around, it will be serving as a counter height table used to provide many more hours of family time. Since it will be housed in the kitchen, we will be adding a glass top to ensure more years of family meals and very likely hours of homework too!

Thank you for passing it on, we will cherish it always.

Talk soon,
Forever Yours

Quote

“I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”

Maya Angelou
Civil rights activist, Poet, Award-winning author
1928-2014