Reminders of Summer

Our Italian Adventure included a day trip into the Chianti - beautiful countryside, ancient towns, great food - just don't ask about the wine tasting.

They're famous for their ceramics there, so we took our guests to Rampini Ceramics, near Radda.

 

We don't buy many souvenirs on our trips, or at least not big ones. But we already had pasta bowls from an earlier trip - a lovely olive pattern. We like them and use them often.

And of course, they had matching plates to go with it.  We thought, hey, OK, we will use them and enjoy them, too.  Ordering was a snap and they said, 4 weeks, you'll have your new plates.

But they must have forgotten they were Italian and Italians seem to have a different clock than the rest of us.  Maybe especially when it comes to ordering ceramics.

When I got back from the October US visit, about 4 x 4 weeks after the order, I asked Werner if he'd heard from Italy. No, he said.  So I wrote and they said  OH NEXT WEEK!

That was four "next weeks" ago, but finally "next week" arrived.

So we celebrated. It wasn't a completely new meal to celebrate the new plates - the mushrooms and zucchini had been hanging around and there's ALWAYS smoky bacon in the fridge along with Parmesan and cream. But it was the perfect meal to inaugurate our new Italian plates. And a wonderful reminder of a summer trip with people we love.

Thanksgiving

18.  Eighteen years.

That's how many times we've done Thanksgiving dinner here in Germany with our friends.  (Last year was a bit off-the-grid since I didn't cook it myself because of the broken foot, but still ...)

There are the usual invitees and one or two "guests" to round out the table.  It varies between 8 and 10.  Maybe we had 11 one time, but that stretches the table a bit. Back at the beginning we had to put together two tables to accommodate everyone but we have one table now - bought, oh, 10 years ago - that has two generous leaves that can seat them all.  How gemütlich.  I know that's a German word, but I've read recently that it's used in English too.  Who'dathunkit?

Several years ago we started having our dinner more like folks in the US of A - early in the day so there is time to recover from the feast.  That means buying the turkey on Thursday so it can be brined beforehand and we don't have to get up at 5AM to start cooking!

That also means finding place in the fridge.  The turkey takes up some space! (Note the Hellmanns's mayonnaise ready for sandwiches the following day.)

Thank goodness it is cool enough outside that all the veggies and pre-prepared stuff - cranberry sauce, gravy - can nest on the deck. 

We are so busy doing stuff, I forget to take enough pics, but here's the table, prepared for the feast.  And I have to excuse ourselves a bit since the bathroom renovation is still still not done and there was a teeeennny bit to do just getting something ready for guests to relieve themselves in gemütlichkeit!

Nevertheless it is always gemütlich at our little house.

Anyway, it's about food and friends and fellowship.  Of that, there is always plenty.

Mushroom soup to begin.  Werner got it in his head that he wanted mushroom soup, so it was. He gets to choose something!  Turkey with cornbread stuffing, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, cranberry sauce, brussels sprouts in cream sauce with garlic and basil (soooo good!), black-eyed peas. Ample gravy. Normally, we'd take a walk between feast and dessert, but the weather was so un-gemütlich that we just sat and talked longer and then had our coffee and dessert.

The pecan pie was to die for.  The ambrosia was heavenly.  The Key Lime pie had just the right note. And again, the company was just perfect.

Then clean up!  Lots of dishes to wash by hand.  So it is.

Afterwards, Werner and I settled down to the computer and bought the FSU-UF game.  Not bad, the picture.  Real bad, the result!!  Maybe I was a jinx!

But we still love FSU and the Seminoles.  We'll get 'em next year.

The Rest of the Trip

Really now.  This is of course ridiculous, this long break, but I have lots of excuses.  Want to hear them?  Of course you don't but here it goes:  too much to do, a mess of a bathroom renovation, a mother-in-law in distress, a show to do.  Ranking is problematic, but then again, really?

But let's do the pedestrian thing and just go through the trip.  Surely, you understand. Fuller explanations of the other reasons will follow in a later post.

I left Atlanta temporarily and drove to Nancy's place in the north Georgia mountains.  It's always a treat - lovely scenery, interesting side trips to interesting shops, and food with friends. Very, very short, but sweet.

Then back to Atlanta to hitch a ride to Florida with G+B where I was handed off to Michelle + Joey.  (I kinda felt like the kid going from one parent to the other - but all sides here were very friendly!)  Besides going to an FSU game, seeing both my kids at the same time in one place, having a great tailgate party, AND watching the Seminoles win (yeah!!), the greatest highlight was a running hug from Dylan.  Is there something greater than having little kids run to give you a hug?

The stadium is not what I knew when Fred Biletnikoff was slathering his fingers with glue so he could hang onto the ball. But that was then.

Here is now - Ginny and Barry in front of the Unconquered Seminole statue in front of the stadium.

 And me standing in front of Dr. Campbell and Dr. Sliger, two great presidents of the University.

There were lots of highlights and pictures at the game, but I like this one of Dylan and her dad. It was sunny and really warm.  Really.  My German-induced sunlessness was challenged.

Then off to Michelle + Joey.  NEW PERGOLA!  Wow!  This looks so good and what a great place to hang out and relax on a weekend. Can't wait to show this to Werner, except of course he will never get anything done except hanging out. 

People were otherwise camera shy and there is therefore no other photographic evidence of my visit there.  So, imagine Hannah thinner and taller with longer legs.  Imagine Hunter more muscular and trying to learn to drive a car.  Imagine Michelle + Joey in good shape.  Hold that thought.

Then to Orlando and the family with the little kids.  Boy, is that a blast from the past!  Let's go for a walk, MeeMaw!  Let's have a picnic, MeeMaw!  Let's read a story, MeeMaw!  Let's paint a tee shirt!  OK - Let's do it all!!

And then, Let's have a birthday MeeMaw!  Well, OK.  And since we all like doughnuts and I simply can't get them here in my Germany, that was a great Birthday Doughnut. With candles.  And somewhere really close to the doughnuts there was an angel food cake that was calling my name.  So we got that, too.
  

And that was that.  A long visit and a short visit all at the same time.  But you will all understand.