Gatherings: Family

Despite not making it to Gilhooley's and despite the lack of boudain egg rolls at Thibodeaux's (Will they ever visit again, now that we've disappointed them like this?), Elizabeth and Nathan's visit from California was great. A trip to the Bayway El Toro was always a part of any visit when we lived a few blocks away, but substituting the nearby El Brisa worked just fine. And Tom and I reestablished ourselves as the Sanders/Bell family shuffleboard champions at Jackie's Brickhouse, keeping our cool and breaking through at the end despite our poor showing early. Shows character, no? Now, now Nathan, . . . something about sour grapes?

We saw few friends while they were here (Steve and Ellen were the delightful exception), but did get visits from family, Marian and nephew Eric. Both visits were great. Thank you both for driving from Katy/Houston, a pain of a drive when you take I-45, which they both did.*

When the futon that we had ordered** arrived, Elizabeth and Marian jumped to, putting it together with some help from Nathan. What fun it was to sit and watch! 

And Nathan hung my brass rubbing, risking life and limb on the expandable ladder. Thank you, all.

*Tom and I agree that the relative difficulty of getting to/from Houston from here is the only negative factor in the move from Baytown to Clear Lake Shores. We could get to downtown Houston in an easy half hour from our old neighborhood on I-10, a luxury only those on the unfashionable east side of the city enjoy. 

**In dire need of more seating, aware that one double bed for guests may not be enough, and not yet ready to buy new living room furniture, we went the futon route. It's big and fairly unattractive despite our best efforts, but when hosting a small group now no one will need to sit on the floor. And when we do spring for some good furniture, it can go upstairs. 

Mother's Day Weekend

When Elizabeth asked what I would like for Mother's Day, I opted for the brunch that she had planned to make for my birthday, 2013, when we had planned to visit her and Nathan in Mountain View. Alas, that trip failed to materialize due to circumstances (i.e., stroke) beyond our control, but dear Elizabeth tucked the menu away in her mental memory stick and produced it last weekend, not for brunch but for supper:

Poblano pepper quiche, homemade biscuits, and bacon followed by homemade tangerine-Prosecco sorbet - just perfect served on our new elevated front porch as the sun went down.

As there is no room inside for our wonderful, sturdy made-to-order (by a carpenter in Rockport) dining room table, we have placed it out on the deck, where it fits perfectly and looks perfect and will, we hope, endure the elements. 

But Sunday was not the only good day of the weekend. May 10 was the date for the annual Clear Lake Shores garage sale, and since Tina was busy hosting her own and Tommy was manning the Red Cross booth at the Anahuac Crawfish Festival, they lent us their golf cart to tour the island and its many sales. 

Tina's Sale

T & T's Golf Cart, the Longhorn Surrey with the Fringe on Top

And Susan drove over from Beaumont to see her sister and our house and the island and us.

Susan's Mother's Day gift to me was also food: tasso and pralines. What is going on, girls; do you want me to fatten up like a proper mom/granny? 

What a great place to spend a beautiful afternoon - and what a great weekend. Thank you, Elizabeth and Susan, and thank you, Nathan, for chaufeurring us around the island on the golf cart, and thank you, Tommy and Tina, for lending us your excellent golf cart, and thank you, Tom, for Sunday brunch at LYC and, mostly, for making me eligible to be celebrated on  Mother's Day!