Leah's Journal

07 APRIL 2005

I had such a great time in Kansas this past weekend! Patrick kindly picked me up at the airport and entertained me with various Dr. Hook selections on our trip to the farm. Margaret and Mother arrived several hours later. Cynthia, ever the perfect hostest, as she is guest, ensured that we wanted for nothing. I don't know which was better - the stuffed chicken breasts or the beef tenderloin. I do know that the fresh, home-grown spices made a memorable difference. As a special treat, we had Slum Gum on the first evening of the visit. While not exactly as Mother always made it, it tasted like childhood and was ever one of my favorite dishes that Mother made with dependable regularity. Patrick informed that Slum Gum is a gaelic word for "stew" and thought it interesting that Mother got the recipe from our totally German, Aunt Dell. Patrick surprised us with some great red wine that was a bit on the dear side. Of course, Mother brags about the four liters of wine that she gets for $8.50. It will be interesting to see if, after a month on the farm, her palate for wine will be more discriminating. We had fun playing bocci/boccie. Margaret and Cynthia were the competitors of Patrick and me.........and we won! It was a wonder. I've always been dreadful at physical games and was ALWAYS the last one chosen for Red Rover, Red Rover. My confidence now soars. The weather, sometimes chilly and breezy, was brilliantly perfect over the weekend. Serenity and laughter - that is what I will best remember about the weekend. Thank you Cynthia, Patrick, Margaret and Mother for the memories!