Remember dinner parties in the 70’s? Or should I say remember how we dressed for dinner parties in the olden days? I remember a red plaid, floor-length, sleeveless dress that I loved to wear to dinner parties. It was very form-fitting. (Not to mention that I actually made it myself.)

In a box somewhere in our attic is a picture of Peter and me, he in a, dress shirt, tie, blazer and slacks; me in the above-mentioned dress in front of our fireplace in the early 70’s. 1970’s that is.

This week, good friends came for dinner. Andy wore shorts and a collared t-shirt. His wife Ruth was dressed in a similarly casual way. I put on a fresh t-shirt, and Peter was in the same casual clothes he had worn to a meeting earlier in the day. They brought their dog.

As in the 70’s, we used our good china and crystal, and I fussed a bit more than I would have if there had just been the two of us.

We sat around the table talking until the candles burned down. No hurry. No baby sitter to get home for.