Sharing and Caring

In the "good ole days" someone would drive up to the house and Dad or Mom would walk out to greet them "get out and come on in" was the standard saying. The next thing was "have you had dinner-supper--etc. It didn't matter if it 3 o'clock in the afternoon or 8 o'clock that night, by gosh they wanted to feed them something! There is a lot to be said about sharing your table and food with someone--it makes them feel cared for and welcomed. Well, my parents were masters at making you feel welcomed, whatever they had you were welcomed to share in it.
Many times we children gave up our beds for the night because the company would be convinced they needed to stay the night and "get a fresh start"in the morning. The quilt pallets would be brought out for us--but I don't think any of us ever minded.
I can't remember many times that Mom would not already have something in the way of dessert already prepared but if she didn't or there wasn't enough, she would "mix-up" a batch of doughnuts real fast or some of her fried pies. Doesn't this make you want to load into the car and go visit someone like Mom?
If the company were to be relatives with children, I remember how the women would go through the clothes that we had outgrown and select the ones that would fit their children. Mom would always put the outgrown ones that still looked good in a box for this very purpose. The other women did the same thing--personally I always thought it was a lot more fun to go to their homes and get their clothes, than giving them mine! That was as good as going to stores and buying them in our eyes.
If the company didn't can their their own vegetables or make their jams-jelly-etc. I can assure you when they loaded up the next morning heading for home they not only had our clothes but Mom had supplied them with enough canned goods to last a long while. Guess one might say that the good ole days was all about hard work, not having a multitude of things but whatever you did have you had open hands and a giving heart--at least Mom and Dad did!!!