my young chef friend was over last night to make sure I had the right pans, and that the oven was big enough for her needs…  this is very exciting as we prepare for the dinner party… there will be 9 of us for the first time, but I am so looking forward to the event…

we have had lots of variety in these annual dinners but this is the first time we’ve been treated to a professional chef in one of our homes… my treat was to have everyone picked up and taken home in a limo…

everyone arrived in the limo…

I woke up in the middle of the night from a dream about the event – although in the dream George was still alive, but the limo was involved… I was freaking out because everyone was on their way in the lovely vehicle and I realized that I hadn’t purchased any food for the dinner, lol…

tidying and setting the table took a good portion of my day, and then the house was ready:  a BSer had dropped off tulips to add to the festivities,  the chef and sous chef (my daughter) arrived and the house smelled divine…  I even had time for a glass of wine…

table ready for dinner…

then the group arrived, and we began our evening with a Pimm’s Cup cocktail which another BSer brought… we moved to the dining room and enjoyed a five course meal which was delicious…  what a treat it was for all of us to be waited on by these young women…

menu for the dinner…

these are very special people in my life and it was good to be together… I had moved the table up to the window so that no one sat in George’s place, but I felt his presence throughout the evening…

lots of conversation…

he would have been the consummate host, making sure everyone was comfortable and had enough to eat and drink… he would have talked with every person who was here and provided laughter throughout…  

beautiful tulips which were at the head of the table…

what a lovely evening…