Cousins Day

We decided last night that the first one to die takes cousins' day with her. We agreed that it wouldn't be the same with only three of us and we didn't see adding another fourth, so we all have to pledge to live a long time. With our various health problems and concerns this might be a challenge, but we decided that we would make the effort.

It was good to see everyone when Kathy showed up in the driveway yesterday morning. Because she had a real bout of her COPD, and I went to Europe and Peach & Bob went camping, we had to cancel the June get together, so it has been about two months since we last had our laugh-eat-and-drink session.

I was particularly glad to finally see everyone because I had all sorts of gifts that I'd picked up in our travels. I had such a good time shopping for these guys. I brought tableware from Provence for my mother (a bread basket, placemats and salt & pepper shakers, along with a perfume sample from Fragonnard, the perfume place in France we'd visited). Kathy and Peach both do crafty stuff and I found an embroidery shop where I got each of them lavender cachets with their initials embroidered on them. Peach also collects salt and pepper shakes and I'd picked up a cute set in St. Paul de Vence, a shmoo-like couple hugging each other. And Kathy collects pitchers of all kinds and I found one in Monterosso when we did the Cinque Terre cruise that I liked. They each also got soap from Fragonnard and shopping bags, Peach's from Paris and Kathy's with a cute picture of children on it.

It was like Christmas for the first bit when we got there and I loved it.

We sat around and got caught up on what is going on in whose life, those with frustrations, those with exciting news, and all sorts of talk about planning my mother's bit 90th birthday. A few monkey wrenches have been thrown into the mix, like Peach's husband finding out just last week that we need a security guard if we are going to serve alcohol. "Better get one hired quick, because it's Labor Day weekend," he was gold. Well--I only booked this place in January and they never said a word about needing a security guard. "It's a new state law," they told me when I questioned them this morning. I somehow find it difficult think that any wedding reception held in a public place in California is required by law to have a bonded security guard! I suspect this may be a PARK law, but she insists it's a new state law. When I asked why she hadn't looked ahead to see if the "new law" would affect any upcoming gatherings, she just looked blank and shrugged. When I asked her what would have happened if we showed up with 75 people ready to party and no security guard, she shrugged. She was great help.

But anyway, that was after cousins day.

We played our usual 65 marathon. My mother gleefully won three games, I won two and Kathy finally won one this morning. We didn't feel guilty about Peach at all since it seems she's usually the big winner (though, amazingly, the records since January show that I have won more games than anybody else).

I had brought some really delicious blue cheese bites that I found on the Pioneer Woman's web site. Since this was a delayed birthday party for Peach, Kathy fixed a "fuzzy navel" for a drink (which contains peach schnapps ... it went down entirely too smoothly and tasted more like drinking peach nectar instead of something with schnapps and vodka in it!)

Peach brought a Rachael Ray dinner, Pasta Caesar, something she'd never made before, which combines the ingredients of caesar salad with hot pasta and was very good.

After another game of 65, I decided I was 65'd out, so we retired to the soft seats and sat up until 11 p.m. talking about all sorts of things, remembering that what goes on at cousins day stays at cousins day!!

This morning we were all up by 6 and my mother fixed a mountain of waffles. Before I could grab my camera, they all disappeared onto plates, but you get the idea.

We packed up after one last game of 65 and headed home. I had to get home in time to put together a plate of melon and prosciutto to take to an after-party for the France/Italy group this evening, which I am about to do right now, as soon as I get this posted!

Gosh, I love these women...