Grandson Nathaniel baked an apple cake to share with his coworkers. He made a small one for us with the batter that didn’t fit in the big pan. We felt that special food deserved to be showcased, so we served it with china and silver. Nathaniel brewed coffee into a silver pot. He posed for the photo as he cut the cake. All was going nicely at that point.

All went well until he poured coffee for himself. The top of the coffeepot formed a seal, keeping the liquid from pouring. Not knowing that, he tipped the pot a little more. Coffee spewed into the saucer, as well as the cup. Luckily, it didn’t spill onto the tablecloth. Having no wait staff to clear away the mess, Nathaniel dealt with it without getting up. Setting the cup on a napkin, he poured most of the coffee from the saucer back into the cup. Redneck style, he cleaned the saucer. Of course, we all laughed and joked about the etiquette of fine dining.

Below is the out-take shot. The real action took only a few seconds, so Nathaniel recreated the scene by pouring more coffee in the saucer. You can see the smile still on his face. He and grandson David have always been willing participants in preserving family memories, even at the expense of their dignity. They make life with the old folks so much fun.