Aside from Pat not being there, the party at Ray and Barb's was terrific. I arrived with my Manhattan Meatballs to find good friends and neighbors, Frank and Barbara, Gary and Julie, Susan and Walter, Anne Mary, and Barb's sister, Pat (Dennis and Leslie are still in Ohio), gathered in the beautiful sunroom.
The appetizers were enough to make an entire meal--or a week of meals. They included tapenade, several dips, all kinds of potato and vegetable chips, cheese, crackers, and pretzel logs, along with fruit skewers and layered squares of salami, ham, and pimento. Soul of modesty that I am (well, where does that getcha?), I must report that my meatballs made a great hit. They disappeared rapidly and several people asked for the recipe.
The H.'s are terrific party-givers. They make everybody feel relaxed, casual, and happy to be there. Of course, this is helped along by an array of libations and I accepted Corona, which I had had for the first time at a Wellspouse weekend last year. Oh-h-h, is it good; to prove it, I had three over the course of the party.
After we gorged on the appetizers, Ray put the ribs and supporting players on the grill and Barb set out salads, baked beans, ziti, and so on. The ribs were incredibly delicious. There's nothing like greasy, full-fat meat to make you reach for more, it seems to me--and boy, did I. Before I ate, though, I filled a platter with a hamburger, hot dog, and sides for Pat and took it the two houses down to him.
As it always is, the company was even better than the food. We talked and talked, laughed like fools, and even ventured into politics, but steered clear of actual arguments. I think that's because we like and admire each other so much, divided though our beliefs are.
Barb put a generous piece of the divine chocolate dessert on a plate and walked down with me to bring it to Pat and say hello. As I told her, and I mean it, our move here was about the best ever--right after that move to the altar at St. James fifty years ago.
Talked to Alison, who said she and Mike had had a glorious day kayaking at Lake Osego in the Pinelands. Heard from Betty, who will be back in Jersey this afternoon--yay! We made a date to go to lunch tomorrow; she doesn't have a car, so I'll drive down there.
I was so pleased to get a message from Eileen G., who is nephew Tim's wife. They are separated, I'm sorry to say, but are still in touch; she said Tim had told her of our fiftieth. She congratulated us and wanted to let us know that she thought highly of us. I immediately wrote back that I consider her a cherished niece as much as I do Tim a nephew, and said she would be so welcome to come with him to our party.
A good, good day all around.