Preparations.......

 We spent this Thursday preparing......for Good Friday.

While Louis Dean cleaned the pump on the kitchen pond and worked in his music room - cleaning it up just in case one of his favorite people decides to play music with him on Friday.

We are hosting our traditional Good Friday Gathering.....

the last time we did that was 2018.

In 2019 we were on critter duty at the ranch - never dreaming 2020 we would be in lock down mode.

I am so excited about having all my children and all but one of my grandchildren here tomorrow.

That would be 'today' since it is after midnight.

I started not to do a journal entry tonight - but I am still up and alert so I am.

I came back from my errands.....I went to the car wash before going to Aldi's and then Kroger.

Kroger had rotisserie chickens on sale - 2 for $10! Win! WIN!!

When I shop Aldi's, I load my basket and unload it onto the conveyor belt where it is reloaded back into another basket. I then wheel that out to the trunk of my car where I have all my insulated bags.

I move things according to fruits and vegetables, perishables. canned goods, etc into the bags.

I only had a few things to get at Kroger - items Aldi didn't have.

When I got home and Louis Dean was carrying all my groceries in, he said, "WOW! You are stronger than I thought to have lifted all these heavy bags!" I couldn't take credit for that so I explained my system to him.

He put in a couple of potatoes to bake in the microwave while I put away the groceries.

Baked potatoes, salad, and some chicken......an easy and good meal.

Louis Dean proceeded to make his famous dinner rolls for Good Friday.

This was Louis Dean's maiden voyage to make bread using our new countertops.

Each one weighs exactly the same - one and a half ounces!

I sampled one with with butter and a slice of sharp cheddar cheese.

He sampled two and then three and I quit counting.

They are beautiful and he packaged them up in zip lock bags.

Some for tomorrow. Some to freeze to take to Fort Worth next week.

Some to freeze for a dinner party with the Cumby's next Friday.

While he was working in the kitchen, I was cleaning up the gazebo.

I strung up some lights and washed everything down with Fabuloso and put fresh tablecloths on everything. Tomorrow I will bring in some spring and summer decorations.

We had a bit of concern regarding our refrigerator and freezer tonight - which explains why I am up so late. We may not have closed it all the way but, for whatever reason. the ice is partially melted and we have been hovering over the display on the front watching to see if the temps are going down.

We can't be sure but are hoping it was because I had it all open for so long while I was putting up groceries and maybe it didn't close right. Time will tell. So Louis Dean just invited me to come out and sit with him and a glass of wine in the newly cleaned gazebo - and then we will check it one more time before we go to bed.