say good-bye to china, Ann Mary & Jim, Doug & Paula

Michael and I were up at 6:15 on Saturday (7/8) and I left at 6:45 to pick up Pat W and head out to an HOA campground to once again visit with BG & Steven!!!  They were on their way back to Connecticut.  We sat and talked and talked and talked and finally got home around 8:30.  By the time I got my blog out, made cole slaw for dinner:

and cleaned up the kitchen a bit it was 11 AM and time to load up the quilt I got yesterday.  Michael was already out on the golf course…I don’t know how he does it in this heat!  I started to load up the quilt: 

isn't this cheerful looking?

but got interrupted by a bittersweet task.  I have wedding china from 38 years ago.  It is beautiful and I love it.  I have place settings for 8, and have not broken anything in all of that time.  I haven’t used it in the last probably 8 years and have been thinking of getting rid of it.  When we were playing cards with Susan on Friday night, her daughter Melanie indicated that her daughter (Susan's granddaughter) was moving into a home and she needed many things to furnish it.  After talking it over with Melanie, I took a picture: 

and she sent it to her daughter.  He daughter loved it and said she would love to have it, so Susan and her granddaughter came over on Saturday to pack it up.  

dinner plates

salad plates

soup bowls

cups

and saucers

I really loved this pattern, and one of the nicest gifts I’ve ever received was from my friend Cathy L (with whom I had a long phone talk the other day).  Many, many years ago, Cathy took the pattern from my china and had it charted for cross stitch, and then stitched it out along with my childhood dinner prayer:  

This hung beside the china cabinet in my Vernon home, and has hung in our kitchen here every since.  I probably should have given it away with the china, but I still love this picture, so it is staying right where it is!  Michael came home from golf and even though he had 2 sevens, he ended up with an 83 and he was happy.  We headed upstairs to get the rest of dinner ready and our guests (Paula & Doug and Ann Mary & Jim) arrived at 6 PM.  Michael had the chicken done on the grill shortly afterwards, and everyone seemed to like the sides (Orzo salad, cole slaw, tomatoes/onions/cucumber in Italian dressing):  

After that I got out the TRIPOLI board and we played for several hours….WOW...TRIPOLI 2 nights in a  row…..do we lead an exciting life or what  :~) ?  

Ann Mary & Jim, Michael

Michael, Doug & Paula

We stopped for dessert (an oreo ice box cake) half way through playing:

Even Cookie had a good time...Michael had emptied a peanut butter jar earlier in the day, so we gave that to Cookie to amuse her while we were playing cards (thanks for giving me the idea Janice!!): 

chasing it around the floor

still chasing

trapped at last

Everyone left after 9 PM and we both settled down with our books for a bit before bed.