Together Through Life Jun 1, 2021 It was a routine activity — dining indoors at a local trattoria — that marked a sea change in my family’s behavior during the past 16 or so months. Warmed by the wood-fired oven on a blustery, late spring evening, I sat back and took in the scene. Couples sat at the zinc-topped bar, giving the other clusters of patrons some elbow room. A skilled bartender alternated between filling drink and takeout orders. And more than a few customers greeted the burly proprietor with fist bumps and boisterous words. I’ve missed this routine, a regular activity for millions of American families: the “Friday feeling” as parents and kids ring in the weekend by stepping out for pizza from a local favorite, with perhaps a well-earned adult beverage for mom and dad.