Saturday evening we had a Pioneer Woman Cooks party. My good friend suggested we actually cook something from the PW cookbooks we both have and bring our families together to enjoy the meal. I chose a meatloaf recipe as the main dish and my friend brought P-Dub's Twice Baked Potatoes as the side. The meatloaf is my new go-to recipe (although I did change it up a bit by adding minced shallots and garlic and pre-cooking the bacon so it would get crispy on top).
The whole meal was delicious and memorable but my favorite part of the evening came when we spontaneously brought out some art supplies and my naturally artistic friend gave an impromptu drawing lesson to RW. It was one of those heart-warming moments when you realize that your friend loves your children like family. This counts for a lot when we both live hundreds of mile from our nearest family members.
Friends that become family takes time: many evenings spent around the dinner table, meeting up at the same Mass, going for brunches afterward, park meet-ups watching our boys play together while we sip coffee from thermal cups. Now she has even suggested that we go camping together - as in outdoors in tents! (This will be no Glamping trip girls...) And because we are friends like family, I will venture out into the woods for a night of star-lit conversation and s'mores. How can I be afraid of the dark with an ex-marine as a best friend? You can be sure the photos will wind up here on the blog. My only request is that we go before tick season begins. Oh, and that we have cell-phone coverage and also wine. Can you drink wine on a camping trip? I'll find out and I'll let you know...
Hi Misty,
ReplyDeleteGood friends are a blessing, and yes, you can bring wine camping! Also bring art supplies and have a wonderful time. I'll look forward to seeing your pictures, so make sure you mention them on Leah's AED Challenge once you've posted them.
- Wendy
Wonderful post and so fantastic to see your son creating with your friend ~ they are a blessing ~ good friends and family ~thanks, namaste, ^_^
ReplyDeleteThis really touched me as I am, at this point in my Life, living alone, with my dear Gracie Mae, my 7-year old Golden who moonlights as my Service Dog. I have had other passages in Life when potlucks and friends who are family and even family who are friends have grace my days and nights. I sometimes feel like I "Lost" all that when the truth is that this is just another passage, and anyway, all of them are just What Is Right Now. I think what I loved so much about this is the way that you caught the moments with your son and your friend. That is how my memories often play on my inner slideshow...
ReplyDeleteThanks for the camping laughs and for keeping it real. Very fun and wondrously refreshing...