When Andy was scheduled to have his second COVID vaccine on Easter Sunday, the family graciously moved our socially-distanced garage gathering to the next week, and then we moved it up a day to catch the most gorgeous April weather of yesterday, and avoid the rain of today. Being flexible worked – a lesson learned the rough way through most of 2020, when plans were pulled out from us at the last minute.
This marks the first garage get-together since last Thanksgiving, and for the occasion I switched out the hanging ladder of fall florals with this poppy-festooned circular mobile and some dangling paper flowers. Soon enough the weather will be fine for outside terrace dining, and our family dinners will commence.
This delayed Easter celebration was a delicious gathering of dishes and recipes that have sustained us through four decades of holiday dinners. I brought ambrosia, candied yams, and Key lime bars. There was sweet and sour fish, sliced ham, rice, mashed potatoes, green beans exotic, asado, spanakopita and starters of shrimp, deviled eggs, and mushroom knishes. It was a parade of holiday hits. The only thing missing was the jello salad. Aspects of spring threaded their way through it, and as we wandered through the desserts, everyone was happily full.
Desserts were the aforementioned Key lime bars, a homemade applesauce cake, and Gram’s old-fashioned profiteroles filled with ice cream. But better than any dining spread was the company, assembled again at our childhood home, as the sun spilled through the garage and the gardens slowly awakened from their winter slumber.
I didn’t get the blue memo, but I got the pastels.
Andy got the blue memo.
It’s been way too long since I’ve seen these cherubs – and in just a few weeks they seem to grow a few more inches. Soon we will be setting up a day visit as we did in late fall. Now that the weather is finer, we can resume more regular meet-ups.
Don’t forget that your family is gold.
