Summer is busy. Vacations, barbecues, birthdays, weddings, rodeos and swimming holes take up a lot of time! Not that I'm complaining, because I LOVE summer, but family dinner has been a bit of a phantom in the last few months and I've really missed it.
I got done with the gym a bit early yesterday and didn't have anything else on the agenda so I decided to call Ted. Best decision of the day! He said they were around and I made my way over. Not only did I get to see Ted and Johnnie (Happy Birthday Johnnie, I hope you have a great day and I can't wait to hear how lunch was!!!), but Morgan, Chelsey and Copper dog were also enjoying a cocktail in the kitchen when I arrived.
Ted poured me a mango & hooch and we all headed out to the deck to enjoy the shortening days of summer. In true family tradition, there was plenty to talk about. Morgan and Chelsey got a new place that sounds perfect. Moving day is the 9th and hopefully they will be hosting a family dinner shortly thereafter. Johnnie is planning a yard sale this Sunday, so if you are in Greenlake, go find some treasures. We had a bee buzzing around the table and Ted shared a story about a curious wasp that flew into his shorts on a camping trip. And then, thankfully, flew back out without causing any damage other than a minute of straight fear.
So after some catching up, we decided it was time for the food. Ted had put the smoker to work over the week and we reaped the benefits. My plate filled with green salad, brown rice, smoked pulled pork with barbecue sauce, smoked salmon and cheesy bread. YUM. And to compliment the meal, we opened a bottle of sparkling rose. Summer!
The food was awesome and the conversations continued as we chowed down. The sun moved from behind a tree and gave us just enough warmth to finish the meal. As the plates were cleared, the blankets (and requisite hooch towel) came out and we all wrapped up. There's something to say for being out on the deck, it just feels right. And we all know that come October (like my wishful thinking) it may be a little too wet to enjoy the fresh air.
Johnnie made a peach pie with the farmers peaches, so we continued on the eating path with a slice and a scoop of vanilla ice cream. She said the crust was too 'Mother Earth' i.e. whole wheat, but none of us seemed to mind as we finished off the baked treat.
By the time I got home last night, I was feeling like I hit the jackpot. Impromptu family dinner kicked ass compared to whatever I would have thrown together after the gym. I guess one good thing about the impending change of season is that hopefully our weekly meals will pick back up!
PS: my camera decided to stay in Alaska, so no pictures for now.
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