Just before the holidays, my fellow authors of Library Ladies of Kalamazoo: Home and History had lunch at the Park Club. I always have a fabulous time with these precious friends.
We got together at my sister's for Thanksgiving. A smaller group, but mom was there and we all had a great visit. Dinner was a choice of ham and/or beef, augmented with lots of veggies. We tried cauliflower-three-ways, which was fun. I liked two out of the three! Mike and I brought homemade Banana Split Pie for dessert. It is layers of shortbread crust / chocolate pudding / sliced bananas / vanilla pudding / sliced strawberries / cool whip topping with scattered walnuts and maraschino cherry halves. It was pretty much gone in a flash.
In between holidays Aunt Terry and Uncle Bob from France and cousin Matt from Pennsylvania came for a visit. Our first meal was at Steak'n'Shake. When Bob & Terry met in their college days, S&S was the chain restaurant where they courted. So eating at this sister location is always a sentimental choice whenever they visit.
The next day we attended the live-in-cinema version of the opera LaTraviata performed by the NY Met. I watch these events at home on the small screen when public TV produces them, but it was truly spectacular on the big screen. Later that evening, the family took our visitors out to dinner at the Park Club in downtown Kalamazoo. It was fun being round a big "family" table.
The next day we gathered at Laur's for a day for football and snacking. It was the Pittsburg Steelers (their team) over the Patriots. Lots of encouragement and merriment over that. Food included quiches-two-ways. How French of us! We ate breakfast together the next morning and sent them on their way.
A couple of days before Christmas I went to the W. K. Kellogg Manor House. See next blog page for the lowdown.
Christmas was at our lil brother's. They always decorate so nicely at their classic old farm house. There we had prime rib and/or ham and veggies. I brought a mac'n'cheese with bacon bits mixed in. Lots of presents to open all around. Fleece blankets, airplane socks, toe rings, car vac, and much more for us. We give little ditties and some "everything" seasoning mix that I concocted. All the kids got wood models of dinosaurs to build.
Here's Kev in the kitchen and a few of the crew.
Everything about the holidays was wonderful. We didn't stress, got great gifts, fabulous food, but best was seeing all the family. The only issue was I gained 5 pounds between October and the first of the year. Back on the old weight watchers band wagon.
No comments:
Post a Comment
If you have visited any of these places, we would love to hear your comments. Or send us recommendations of places we should not miss.