Dinner Party

Woodlawners

7:06

7:55

A spectacular morning of early orange, now blue skies as the sun has yet to rise here at 7:42. It's a surprisingly warm 33º with little wind. I cannot wait to get out and kayak but will be paddling directly into the southern sun when it rises once again. I was out for forty minutes, paddled over to Long Point and back to Sandy Bottom and home, a delicious Friday morning on the lake.

Kayak Morning

Solitary Loon

Yesterday was basically another lost day although it started fairly well with breakfast in Bemus Point with a couple of friends. So I skipped kayaking and yoga because I had a doctor's appointment in Jamestown at 9:45. That went quickly and well so I was home by 11:00 to help Evie with getting ready for our dinner party. She was organized so that everything did not have to be made at the last minute. She even had time to make me a chicken salad sandwich to go with the last of the veggie soup.

Afternoon Light

The rest of the afternoon was spent either getting something done to prepare for dinner or relaxing with a book, napping or watching some TV. I should have either walked or kayaked because it was a beautiful afternoon, the lake calm, the sky clear. We both showered around 5:00 and were ready for our Woodlawn friends, Jim and Barb, Julie and Tom. They came bringing bottles of wine, an invitation to a New Year's party, and a poinsettia. We sat around enjoying appetizers, spinach and mushroom pinwheels, spicy cashews, and a fruit plate and cheese while listening to John Prine, a favorite of both couples. In fact, Barb and Jim knew the lyrics to most of his songs and serenaded us along with John Prine. 

Jim, Barb, And John Prine

It was a fun way to begin the evening. We then moved to the dinner table for Santa Fe chicken, with hominy, sweet potatoes, and a green salsa. It was a perfect dinner for the six of us along with cornbread, salad, green beans, and a couple of nice bottles of red wine. 

Dinner

For dessert Evie made brandy alexander mousse -- yum1  We sat around the dinner table until 10:15, talking of course about the good old days in Cleveland, Pittsburgh, and Chautauqua. We ended the night with a crazy selfie, compliments of Evie. Once everyone was headed home, we spent 15 minutes cleaning up the kitchen before bed. It was a really fun night. 

Evie Joy, Our Happy Hostess