Friday was my day to prep food for the music/jam session/dinner party on Saturday afternoon.
My friend, Carla, gave me the biggest zucchini I have ever seen!
I had 8 cups once I had peeled and chopped it.
It made some seriously good muffins!
I used 4 cups of zucchini per batch and made two.....
one on Friday and one this morning.
I felt so discombobulated all day over concern for Chris and Chandy.
They live several hours away and this is hard.
Chandy - even as traumatized as she was - she kept us in the loop with text messages.
And we continued to pray......
I made the muffins and baked a ham and boiled the potatoes and eggs for potato salad but that still left a good many things to do on Saturday before the party at 4:00.
Louis Dean has been so excited about playing music and having an audience.
When I did the shopping on Thursday, I bought a bottle of watermelon wine - to go with his Tom T. Hall song he was planning on singing at the party.
Saturday I hopped to it and cleaned the den and straightened up the rest of the house before going to the kitchen to finish up the food prep.I had the pepper poppers (using peppers from my own garden) all ready to put in the oven, the tea was made - both peach and mint.
Ilene to the rescue!
She lives just a short walk away and I was so grateful for her help.
She was working at one counter slicing cheese and arranging pickles and olives and such.
I decided we better try out the wine - just tiny little glasses!
Ilene and I worked solid for nearly two hours getting all the rest of the food ready.
Shortly before 4:00 I went to the bedroom to make a magical transformation from a Gollum look alike into a more normal looking 72 year old woman.
The guests were already arriving by the time I came out to greet them - only to discover that Tabitha had slipped out the door.
That led to the Catch the Cat party game!
I had several volunteers and we circled the car and then next the truck as Tabitha gave us a run for our money!
When we came in after finally catching that silly cat, Louis Dean had already whisked Brenda into the den and they were playing music!
I didn't take as many photos as I usually do but I did try to get pics of all the guests......
my sister, Luann......
we don't see each other as often as we would like!
Louis Dean was thrilled to have an audience!
He also loved that I served watermelon wine right before he and Brenda sang.
It was such a fun evening!
This was the appetizer table to which I later added sliced cold ham, potato salad, fluffy salad and Hawaiian rolls.....and sour cream pound cake with Cool Whip and fresh friut!
My beautiful niece, Leah, and her husband, Patrick.
Special guests!
Rayne and Sabrina!
This was our last visit together before they haed back to Puerto Rico.
The good news is that they will be returning in October and we are all going to spend a week at the Bar J Dude Ranch in Arkansas! Louis Dean and I are even going to ride horses there - it IS a horse camp, too!
This is a group of FUN ladies!!
Ilene, Brenda, Sarah, and Lucy.
Chandy shared an update on Chris late Saturday night.....
UPDATE FROM CHANDY!
He’s doing okay today yall. Hes been up and taken a shower and ate and making jokes 
. Doc is going back in tomorrow to clean everything up again and double check how the tissues are looking and if its still looking better theyll skin graft and close up his hand 
. Thank you everyone for everything and all the prayers
. Doc is going back in tomorrow to clean everything up again and double check how the tissues are looking and if its still looking better theyll skin graft and close up his hand . Thank you everyone for everything and all the prayers Then this morning she sent an even better update!!!
****UPDATE FROM CHANDY****
Ok the surgeon just called me. He's out of surgery. They didn't cut anymore fingers off....just the right index finger. He's got a road to recovery now ahead of him but docs gonna discharge him this afternoon.
****Praise God and thank you all for the many prayers prayed......***
We watched Fellowship Church online and have stayed home all day.
Our hearts are so much lighter now.
We had already planned on visiting Chris and Chandy in early August and I can't wait to see them.
It's been a really rough time for them and Bella is just 3 years old and Jaxon is 11 months.
Chandy posted this most precious photo to Facebook tonight.
Praise God and thank you all for the prayers!
It's good to see good news from Chandy! If you had not said you made pepper-poppers, I'd have figured you were kidding about party food. ;)
ReplyDeleteEverything looked and sounded wonderful, and Linda, Rayne is so pretty plus tall as you!
Ed is always looking for an audience when he plays music, too, so when you said that about Louis Dean - I just laughed out loud.
Ed and I used to ride horses, but we were in our 40s. Don't think we will anymore.
Enjoy the bee meeting and be careful going.
Praying for you all, and Chris! <3
So glad that all went well and the music fest was a success. All the food looked great and everyone seemed to have a good time. So glad to hear the news on Chandy's hand and continue to pray for healing.
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful weekend. Good Food, family and friends, Couldn't be any better than that except you also had music! Wow! Good times for sure. So thankful that the health situation is good too and he will be recovering with no more problems.
ReplyDeleteI am so glad to see good news from Chandy and prayers for them as he convalesces with two babies in the house. it will be hard, prayers for all of them and thanks to God for only one finger missing and he gets to keep his hand. life can change in a split second. the party looks wonderful and enjoyed seeing everyone and of course the food as always looks Perfect
ReplyDeletePraise the Lord for the good news for Chris and Chandy. God knows and is so gracious.
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful party you had. Fun, Fellowship and Family...I love that you found watermelon wine to go with LD's song.
It seems simple dinners are a full fledged banquet where you are concerned...I get worn out just reading what you do.
Sue of photowannabe
https://allredmop.blogspot.com
Good news indeed about Chris. You always have the most delightful, fun gatherings with family and friends. Have a great week!
ReplyDeleteO goodness Linda...what have I missed??!!?? I hope I can find time soon to come back and catch up...oh dear, oh dear...what have I missed!?!!
ReplyDeleteEnjoyed the photos sweet Linda. Watermelon wine (reminds me of George Burns)
good news! Re TAbitha I just put a continuous dry food feeder inside - the cat knows that if she doesn't got there, no food! If you chase them they think you enjoy it... Mind you our cat sleeps outside - no dangerous predators here. Cheers
ReplyDeleteSo glad to know that things are not as dire as once feared...plenty challenging enough as it is so will keep right on praying.
ReplyDeleteYou sure know how to party and plan!
Great news from Chandy!
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful party. I know it was fun just by looking at the photos! You are a wonderful hostess.
Oh Linda, so good to be back to read of your life and adventures. My computer has been down. What a lovely time of friends, food and music.
ReplyDeleteI must go back and read about Chris and Chandy, as I missed that while my computer was down.
You look adorable in all the pictures.
That's great new about Chris. Now you do not and never have looked like that creature, A Gollum. No way. How funny you post about LD and Playing music. I can hear the song now "Old dogs, children and Watermelon Wine... I was just telling Joe about LD going to Mountain View and how he and friends get together to play but the pandemic had put a halt to that. Glad to see they're back at it. And Rayne is growing up. So pretty.
ReplyDeleteYou have a wonderful week.
Hugs
Sounds like a very fun party, and oh my goodness, what an amazing spread you prepared.
ReplyDelete