Images of my grandma cooking in this tiny kitchen for a family of 7 sometimes makes me squeamish. Yes you see it right. Those sections beside the sink are the ONLY counter space.

I have a lovely remodeled kitchen that my handy husband put together and tonight as I was chopping veggies for making chili (it is blizzarding outside) I was thankful for the granite counters, the sharp new knife and the ingredients easy at hand.

Now picture a woman at this kitchen counter, 5 kids to feed, World War two raging outside, her hubby gone for an indeterminate amount of time working for the Dutch Underground, and veggies a luxury that she may have dug up herself from a previously bombed neighbourhood garden. I bet she's thankful for more important things - like her life, her kid's health and the fact that her spouse is hopefully still alive.

I took this picture when I visited the place my father was born. The current owner let us in when she heard why we were standing outside her house taking pictures. It's on Bosstraat in Bolnes, the Netherlands. It's pretty close to Rotterdam and my grandma was instrumental for her family surviving the infamous Hunger Winter that claimed thousands of lives. 

So tonight, I'm in reflection mode again as I am so often in this job. My chili will hopefully be gratefully enjoyed by my family and I know I will gratefully enjoy my family as I eat my chili.