Celebrating Spring

Easter was so special this year that I couldn't let the season pass without sharing just a few of the delights of the weekend.  I think that most of us have learned this past year, that we just can't take these moments for granted. The priest said it well when he commented that we are joyful because Lent is over....and that Lent this particular season was extra long......over a year, in fact.  Just how on the mark was that? We shut down in mid-March of 2020 and are only now beginning to emerge in April of 2021.  

Sure, we had Technology to keep us in touch, but there's nothing like being present in the moment, side by side, enjoying companionship of those whom we've missed, and that's exactly what happened on Easter this year.  

Our youngest daughter, Amy, bought a house in late fall, and she has been working furiously on remodeling it to make it her "home".  So, it seemed the perfect venue to welcome family who hadn't seen each other in well over a year.  She was quite excited by the prospect, and I must say, we certainly all did have an enjoyable time.  Her generally quiet home was buzzing with excitement from Saturday afternoon until Monday morning, filled with the exuberance of little ones excited to be visiting Aunt "Mimi"!  

And, to be quite frank, it was like a vacation for me.  All I needed to do was show up with the traditional butter lamb.  (That's because the mold was handed down to me a few years ago.)  

Amy made the paska (yes....it was delicious) 

and braided cheesecakes; Stacey made the nut rolls (all also delicious....would you expect anything less?) ; and my mother made all of the traditional Slovak foods that have been served on Easter for generations, taking them to be blessed on Holy Saturday as part of that same tradition.

But I wasn't a complete slacker....I did make the Cyrek (Easter Cheese) on Amy's stove, so that she could learn how it was done.  

But I'm getting ahead of myself here.   On Saturday, the kiddies arrived:  cousins who hadn't seen each other for well over a year.  And that's when the REAL excitement started.

Rocket launching (how could that NOT be a fun time?)

A cute bunny

Rock chalking,

The idea was to "color" the rocks so that they looked like eggs...then hide them.

All were on board for that!

Dinner from BRGR....ordered in.

Dying eggs

which, as you can see, resulted in an array of brilliant colors!

And, we closed off the day with magnatile structures.

which we somehow managed to keep away from Parker long enough to get a photo.  He's sort of like Godzilla when it comes to finished structures like these. He takes pleasure in knocking them down.

But it's all in good fun.

Easter morning began with the excitement of hunting down baskets.  Here are some happy smiles of success.

Gramma was put in charge of kiddo control

which always adds to the fun!

Then, the cousins arrived for the outdoor Easter Egg hunt.

Oops!  Looks like one was missed.

Perhaps someone should tell the bunny?

And someone decided that more eggs would be fun! So, she set out to coloring! Nothing like keeping the fun going.

In the meantime, these two were obviously enjoying quite a laugh...

and then, Great Grandpa showed up!   

Actually, Marty played chauffeur for the day, driving up to get both of my parents and bringing them to Amy's for this special day out.  Just look at how happy my Dad is!

We didn't miss the opportunity of getting a photo of the great grandparents with 5 of their great-grandchildren.  

And thanks to Apple watch technology, we were able to get a photo of the entire group!

As you can see, it was a lovely, sunny day, and we certainly the summer rays outside. 

Then, it was time to move inside for dinner.  

We lit the candle, and sat down to enjoy a scrumptious meal.

with some special after dinner moments as well.

I couldn't help but remember how many photos I had seen of people sitting around that same table, with the cabinet in the background, over the years, at different locations, of course.  My great Uncle Paul made that furniture for he and my Aunt Winnie, and and it has been lovingly cared for all these years.  So many happy memories, and now the traditions continue.  In fact, when Amy bought her house, she told her realtor that she needed a dining room that would fit this furniture. How lucky that she found a house that satisfied the need! 

Stacey got some special shots with each of her children with their Great Grandpa before Marty loaded he and mom into the car for the ride home.

I'd say he looks pretty happy.  Wouldn't you?

And, now you can see just why I felt the need to share the moments from the weekend.  My gallivanting days might be limited, but, luckily, I don't have to travel too far to continue the adventures!

Hope you enjoyed this one!

The Perfect Tea Partea

Well, today was certainly a treat as my daughters delighted me with a lovely cream tea in honor of my birthday!

A couple of weeks ago, I received this invitation:

Well....who couldn't use some excitement like this?  Following the instructions on the invite, I dressed for the occasion, and when I arrived, I was greeted by a couple of enthusiastic cuties. 

Both were modeling some elegant dresses, and it seemed that gloves were part of the occasion.  Let's just say that it takes some finesse to get those little fingers into just the right spot!

Success!

The house was decorated to a "tea"

and the treats were elegantly presented.

It's okay if you find yourself drooling, because these tea sandwiches and desserts were all mouthwatering delights!

The tea was poured

and thoroughly enjoyed.  (just for the record, the girls had juice as their beverage, while the adults enjoyed two different flavors of brewed tea.)

And how about that tea sandwich form!  She's got that pinky hold nearly perfected.

Here's a shot of us enjoying our treats.

A group photo of the "girls"

And one of me with the hostesses.

And, as if that wasn't enough excitement for one day, we enjoyed a delicious lasagna dinner, with a birthday cake for dessert. It was decorated by these two who did an awesome job in adding flowers to the top. 

It was a white almond cake, with chocolate mousse filling and a home made buttercream frosting.

Absolutely delicious!

I'd say that I was treated to the perfect day.  But, before I sign off, let me just add one more photo.  He wasn't included in the girls afternoon tea, but he certainly did add a lot of entertainment to the day!

It really doesn't get much better than this, does it? 

Grateful for Camaraderie

I recently read a post that stated  "2020 has been a year that has brought many things unexpectedly.  Tell me one good thing that happened to you in 2020." 

That post really made me think about how we can tend to get dragged down by negativity, missing all of the little things in our lives for which we should be grateful.  So, I wanted to write about the "little" things that made such a difference these last few days.  I will admit, though, that  I almost passed on doing just that because I felt a bit guilty sharing happy moments when so many people are living in fear and upheaval.   But those who truly know me, realize that I am an empathetic individual who feels for those who are suffering, and I would never downplay their turmoil.  

Last evening, I realized that I really do need to focus on the positive joys in my life, as a reminder of just how blessed I am.  And writing this blog lets me keep a memory alive that might otherwise be forgotten amid the stay-at-home blues.  So, here goes....

On Thursday, Marty and I headed west on the Turnpike for the first time since mid-February.  The first thing that I noticed was that all of the toll plazas are now automated.  Large signs flashed information pertaining to the change, prior to every exit along the way.   Now, we have an easy pass, so we wouldn't have been affected either way, but I really was surprised to see that all of the toll collectors have ceased.  I recalled when one of my children, at a young age, stated that she wanted to grow up to be a Turnpike Toll Collector.  Guess we can all be grateful that she decided to pursue a different avenue for her future.

Our travels took us to the home where I grew up, where we were able to visit my parents whom we hadn't seen since early January.  We do get the opportunity to use FaceTime to keep in touch, but it's just not the same as chatting in the same room.  It was fun to be back home with them and to catch up on their everyday lives. I was grateful to have this special time with them. 

After a delightful afternoon, we headed to Amy's,  but not before making a quick stop at Kretchmar's Bakery in Beaver, to pick up this treat for dessert.  

A slice of that Boston Cream Cake was the perfected ending to a delectable meal! 

On Friday, Amy was working from home, so we decided on some outdoor adventures that didn't involve having people around.  At least no living ones.  We headed to the area of Pittsburgh where my ancestors had emigrated:  Munhall and Homestead.  At St. Michael's Slovakian Cemetery, we spruced up the graves for my grandparents

and my great grandparents and family.

Marty came prepared with the appropriate tools (and his Pitt hat) 

and I even asked him to trim up some of the veteran's graves that had obviously been unattended, which he was happy to do.  We were finished relatively quickly, so we headed over to St. Mary's in Munhall, which was in close proximity,  to visit the grave of my other grandparents.  

That was obviously in good condition and required no extra care on our part.  By now it was lunchtime, and conveniently enough, we were only a short distance from Fox's Diner in Munhall, so we decided to call in an order.  (Please excuse my appearance....remember...I was cleaning graves.) 

We were pleasantly surprised to be greeted by our nephew, the owner, upon entering for our pick up.  He apparently had been forewarned when Marty ordered with an out of area phone number, and he was excited to see us, and he even gave us a very quick tour which featured the recently refurbished back room. (No worries.....we maintained social distancing and kept on those masks!)

By the way, the lunch order was quite tasty.  I ordered the fish sandwich, and I can't say when I've had such a tasty piece of fish.  So, if you are in the area....call in an order!  Although I can't guarantee that you'll get the family tour. 

On the way back to Amy's, we stopped in briefly to visit the grave of Marty's parents.   Since this cemetery is part of the Pittsburgh Catholic Cemetery Association, the grounds are well maintained.

and the nearby veteran section was a sea of flags, making quite a dramatic scene.

We were fortunate to have a pleasant day to visit the cemeteries.  And, it might sound odd to some, but we both enjoyed the time together caring for the graves of our loved ones.   In case you might be wondering, it has been a family tradition, stemming from my Slovak background, to care for the graves of deceased family members.  To some, this might seem quite odd or unusual, but to me, it was second nature, and I was grateful for the opportunity to continue this tradition.

The day got far more exciting when we picked up Amy and headed to a Lebanese Food festival (pick up only),  and brought our delights to our son's house to enjoy with his family, as they lived nearby.  The weather was perfect for outside dining creating a comfortable venue for enjoying a meal while being entertained by our two grandchildren who were eager to get us up to speed on life in their household.

Which, by the way, includes the antics of our new grand dog, Wesley.

That photo makes him appear much larger than what he truly is.  But his slight size is quite the opposite of his enthusiasm as we watched him bound and leap around the yard with loads of energy.  

Our visit was short, but I am grateful nonetheless.

On Saturday morning, Amy and Marty headed out for a bike ride along the river.  As you can see, the weather was perfect!

Our home base was with Amy, who lives not far from the trail.  She offers quite a delightful B&B experience.

After our delicious breakfast, we made the drive back home.  It was a short visit, but we certainly didn't want to wear out our welcome!  Plus, we had a lot of outdoor work at hour house calling our names.  We did manage to get a lot done, but not before feeding quite a number of feisty gnats!   For that, I cannot say I am grateful!

Sunday was set aside as a special day for us as I had enrolled in the Anniversary Mass Celebration with the Diocese of Allentown.   This special liturgy is offered annually for those married couples who are celebrating a monumental year.   Generally, it is held at the Cathedral in Allentown, but this year, it was virtual, being said by Bishop Schlert from the confines of his private chapel. 

Upon enrolling, we received a program as well as a document commemorating our 40 years of marriage.

Bishop Schlert mentioned that the number of couples who registered accounted for 16, 439 years of marriage.   Pretty amazing.  At the end of the mass, lists of names were displayed on the screen, and the longest marriage was 73 years.  Imagine that!  I am grateful that this opportunity was made virtual so that Marty and I could be a part of it. 

But, I'm not finished with the excitement here.  You are never going to believe this, but just around Mass time,  look who showed up!

Yep!  It's Sneaky.  I haven't seen him in ages!  He headed out to the end of the pole, then did an abrupt face, and ran back down towards the deck.

Apparently he wasn't thrilled with what was on the menu, which, to be quite frank, is slim pickings.

He brought quite a laugh from me as I recalled all of his crazy antics over the years.  I wondered if we'd ever see him again.  Now I know.....he's lurking somewhere and I'll have to keep my eyes open. I am grateful for the entertainment that he brings.  

Now for the piece de resistance...... Macarons made by a special friend, and mailed to me as a special treat!  Now, I ask, who wouldn't be grateful for this?

She knows who she is and I hope she realizes just how touched Marty and I were by her thoughtfulness.

Not to mention how happy our palates were to savor them!  They were the perfect ending to the day. 

Finally, let me say, I am grateful for all of you who took the time to keep reading this post!  

Here's hoping that it added a bit of joy to your day.