MARDI GRAS

Not the REAL one, but a Fat, Full Tuesday, nevertheless---full of activities and friends and good food and some sightseeing, some quiet, introspective moments, and an enjoyable supper at home with our friends.

Our guests went to tour the Speedway this morning, so it was very quiet here, with the neat rooms and the unaccustomed empty sink and pristine countertops. I had allowed for the mere possibility that they might come over for breakfast, so I had everything ready to just set the table, get things out of fridge and pantry, and sit down.

So I just leisurely drank my first cup, strolled out into the day, enjoyed the bird-song, the breeze, the still-below-72 of the morning, and the damp greenth of the herb beds, which BabyGrand and I had watered thoroughly yesterday, when we ran and played and read and had such a good time together, I was exhausted at the end of the day.

Yesterday was a lot of hose-water and sprinkling with a teensy green plastic watering can, snub-nosed as a seal pup, and continuously re-filled from the hose. Water held eternal fascination as it made drops on the clover, spatted onto the driveway, poured into our shoes. We got barefoot, wrestled the hose way out back in the garden, watered the leaning herbs and the furling hostas, skitted a hungry mosquito or two from our tempting ankles, dripped watermelon down our chins and elbows at four, and finally she had a warm lavender bath in the pink TeleTub in the shade of the Big Ole Tree before her Daddy picked her up.

And so this morning was quiet, somehow, with the unaccustomed serenity of calm surfaces, neat counters, none but us in the house and no chores a-waiting. We showered, chatted, I drank more coffee, Chris went out to the workshop.

Our friends came back around noon; we debated going to lunch, and since all was in readiness, they needed no persuading to sit down and have a cool drink while GuestFriend and I took Things In Dishes from the fridge, poured crackers and doll-sized rice cakes into bowls, scooped the clear crystal ice, poured tea. GuestFriend’s Friend sliced a big bright plate of tomatoes, and we sat down.

We ate and drank from Solo's finest red cup and plate combination, which I’d stuck high on the pantry shelf---I’d been surprised when Chris brought them home with the groceries, and had plates all set out. I have absolutely NO Miss Martha Fixation on real plates---I just have a lot of them, collected in bits and bobs over the years, and I love setting a pretty table. Today was for fun.

We passed the tuna salad, Paminna Cheese, the egg-and-olive, the curry chicken salad, the wheat bread right in the bag, while I sliced lovely soft slices from the loaf of velvety Farmer’s bread. Everyone picked and chose, and everyone had a one-of-a-kind plate, kinda like going down the line at a buffet---no two alike, like us. And we laughed a lot, with Chris and his childhood friend swapping stories and good-natured insults and do you remembers, as everyone else laughed along and chimed in.

Then we went to several wonderful Flea-Markety-stores in a nearby town, the ones with fanciful names like Stitch-in-Thyme and Twice Around, finding a book or two, some lovely little shades for the dining room chandelier---very Summery---and 12 beautiful pastel dessert plates in a kind that I love, but can never find the name of. I'll post a picture, and maybe someone can identify them.

I looked at the price, then went to the front and asked if the booth owner would accept $X. Manager said she’d call, then said she wasn’t answering, but would 20% off be suitable? So I have new plates. Dish junkie, just like Chris says.

We came home, poured some iced tea, ordered a wonderful assortment of Chinese dishes; Chris picked them up, and we sat down not five minutes after he arrived. We talked a long time again, then they went home to their stunning small houses-on-wheels. Our Friends will be back, possibly for breakfast tomorrow, while the others will visit old friends up north of here.

And so, another day, full of friendship and sharing and eating together at our table, with friends old as gold and friends newly met. And Chris and I ourselves are full and running over with new news which came after the guests departed. That will be for sharing later. Much later.