A Typical Day

Yesterday was a bag of mixed pleasures as is often the case at Wheeler. Tom and Sue's son Matt is engaged to Halle. They have a wedding this fall in California that will be a small immediate family only event. In order to acknowledge this event and share some preliminary nuptial bliss Sue and Tom organized a brunch. Tables were decorated with Fiesta plates and cut flowers. For the meal we had brunch casserole with sausage, eggs and cheese, fruit salad, blueberry coffee cake with streusel on the top and mimosas. Becky F. Sue and Tom's daughter made a cookbook of family recipes and pictures of the entire family which is being printed and is on its way to them. It includes favorites from family - many of which I've included from the blog. It was a lovely cherished time and the newly weds to be were touched by the cookbook and warm wishes.

The Fords and Diamonds went hiking and Bobo and Jon declined my invitation to go to the quilt store in Cedar. Mimi and I went the short distance to Cedar. Cedar is a charming little town settled by Polish autoworkers as a retirement/vacation community. It's near a beautiful lake. The town is known for its meat market that makes Polish sausages and Plevalean a beef mixture with cherries that is 98% fat free. There is a quilt shop there we visited. I am searching for batiks for a mini quilt. Mimi saw some purses she liked and I told her to choose fabric and I would make a purse for her birthday. She found some beautiful north woods type fabric and she'll have a Michigan purse.

Jen and Josh finished their walk and called us to go to lunch with them at Dick's Pour House - a local establishment. Lunch was fun. Gabe loved his lemonade served in a monkey cup. After lunch the boys played ball while Mom and Dad rested and knit or just hung out. The boys' play was inspired by the baseball game. They acted out numerous combinations of play and of course they won. The front steps are the dugout and Eli comes to sit in the dugout and have talk with himself to improve his play. Of course they always win.

Last night's dinner was a smaller affair. Five of our members had to return home so now we are 13. By the end of the week the Diamond parents will be the remnants of generation 3. Beck made a great meal of a special Greek salad teamed with potato salad. Mimi remembered that on trips to Florida they went to Pappa's restaurant a place that served Greek food. One of the specialties was a Greek salad mounded on a bed of a scoop of potato salad. Atop the lettuce and vegetables Beck served slices of rare, tender flank steak grilled by Dad - the master griller. We had 8 pounds of flank steak and Dad was convinced we would have huge leftovers. As a meal among us would have it all of the food disappeared. Dessert was peanut butter bars with chocolate frosting and the salty peanut cookies with the chocolate frosting was a definite hit. Eli wanted seconds before he finished firsts!

After dinner cards ensued while Granna held Mira and the bathed two boys. It was a lovely day with the people who are most dear to me.

Mimosa's

We served Mimosa's at brunch. They were awesome and potent.

Mix together and chill:
3 cups of orange juice
1/3 C of Grand Marnier

At service add 1 bottle of prosecco and serve with a flair!