Visits and Eats

Our day should have been productive today. We should have finished replacing some rotted siding on our house and painted some more trim in preparation for selling our house. We should have made sure Emma finished her book report that will be due soon after she gets back to school. But we had lots more fun than that today.
My dear friend Mark stopped by today with his girl Kate. It was such a pleasure to get to know her a bit better. She has resolved to learn to knit this year, and I could not have been happier to give her a quick lesson or two! Mark is our technology czar - I tried to call him the technology fairy, but he would have none of it. Czar seemed a little tougher, I think. So he tinkered around to fix Emma's laptop (which he gave her last year for Christmas) while Kate and I played yarny games. It must be stated that hers was perhaps the most perfect practice square I've ever seen knitted by a first-timer. Very precise. But my understanding of her personality would not have led me to expect otherwise from her! I'm looking forward to blog photos of all those projects, Kate!
There are few things better than easy conversation with an old friend. And making a new friend? Big-time, cherry-on-top bonus.

By the time we made it home from lunch, my phone was ringing with an invitation from one of my sisters-in-law to join both my brothers and their wives for dinner. We had all received gift certificates to a new and very nice restaurant in town. I can't remember the last time the six of us did something together. My mom took the kids, lickety-split, and we scooted out the door for the loveliest of evenings.

The location is not great, and I worry that it won't be able to stay in business. That would be too bad because the food was fantastic and the atmosphere is great just to my taste. It's in an old house that's been several of my favorite local businesses - a tea house and a sweet little shop called The Bent Oak - over the years.

We laughed so hard and the girls enjoyed a nice bottle of pinot noir. I had filet mignon, cooked to a perfect medium and I had a stealthy bite (but no more than a bite because I would otherwise be very sick) of the best mashed potatoes I've ever tasted. They were made with sour cream and horseradish, of all things! Amazing! All of you who can eat dairy and egg products should try this at home.
I was very sad when my steak was gone, but everyone ordered dessert and I got a nice cup of coffee. Which I proceeded to spill all over the table.

I never said I was graceful.

DAILY BLISS: organic dark chocolate