4/13/08

Something Old, Borrowed and Blue - Dinner Party

No, this post is not about a wedding!

It’s about old friends (of 25 years!), and the enchanting time we had together last night. Our weather last night was in the golden 70’s, creating the most inviting evening in our back yard. As we started the night off with appetizers, I pulled out one of our favorite serving trays, a wedding gift to us from one of the couples 17 years ago. It was fun to reminisce about the length of our friendship.

Something Borrowed
It’s a tradition to eat together with these two couples, usually a couple times per year. We’ve done it for years. But before I continue, as our friends drove up with armfuls of mouth-watering food (I believe in the power of delegation!), I was running out the door!! No, I was not deserting our guests. My oven element went out 2 days prior, so I was running over to my neighbor’s to get my potatoes out of her oven! I was so grateful for Mary letting me BORROW her oven yesterday! Isn’t that what good neighbors are for?

Something Blue
A couple of hours before our guests arrived, I rummaged through my tablecloth closet, looking for a bright, cheery tablecloth with yellow in it, that would go with my previously used daffodils (used for the previous 2 dinner parties, still very fresh looking), already in vases. I love yellow! I pulled out my Sur La Table tablecloth (Goodwill $3.99), and my starched-up yellow linen napkins (garage sale). It was easy putting the table together, adding a touch of BLUE, as I included blue salad plates in the setting. My daughter came in and said, “Mom! This is my favorite table setting!! I just love the BLUE!

The Menu
After a relaxing time on the side patio, we moved over to the outdoor dining area and enjoyed a wonderful meal of salad, bread freshly baked by Roger, oil dip created by Paul (from our garden herbs), and then on to the main course of broiled salmon (my broiler element worked!), gingered snap peas (cooked on stovetop), and Potatoes Anna (made by Abby, baked in our neighbor’s oven). Dessert was a white chocolate mousse that was out of this world delicious, served with brownies.

Something Old
The theme for this dinner party--“something old, borrowed and blue”--just came to me this morning, as I was thinking back to our evening. One friend brought very OLD liqueur glasses that he grew up with, that were given to his parents for their wedding back in 1937! Filled with a yummy banana liqueur, and after he shared the story behind them, we toasted our time together. The highlight of our toast was his wife’s recent accomplishment of stepping foot onto St. Kitts, her 100th country! Her goal for years has been to visit 100 countries, and this recent trip completed it. We also toasted the gift of her added years of life (read Goodness Grows post, here), which really overshadowed anything else.

Yes, our night was enchanting and we discussed again the importance of our multi-generational tradition that we have started quite a few years ago.


The message that I would like to express more than any other is to encourage all of you hostesses to take note of the gift that you can receive, by reaching all generations.

It’s a gift you can give your family, and it’s a gift that you can give your guests! (Read previous posts on this subject, Nothing to Prove, here, and Mix it Up, here.)

Our old, borrowed and blue dinner was exceptional. Or at least my husband and I thought it was.

We were blessed last night. And we all knew it, as we thanked God for friends, health, life, and our tradition, when we bowed our heads before our dinner!

(Stay tuned for my next post as I share a few mouth-watering recipes, and more fun photos!)

21 comments:

OKGardners said...

Sounds like a wonderful evening! Love your tablescape, too. I always look forward to your new posts.

Betty in Oklahoma

Gena said...

Okay, Sandy,

You and Paul are mentoring my husband and me in big ways, and I just want to say thank you for your books and blogs. Just tonight (while on vacation in Hawaii), my husband and I had shared a conversation on this new dance we are learning in relating to one another (he's a reforming CNG). I am also looking forward to becoming a more relaxed and thoughtful hostess as I am not returning to my teaching job next year.
Thanks for speaking into our lives by being willing to share what you are learning and doing.
Blessings to you (and Paul)!

Terri said...

That sounds like a great theme and looked like a lot of fun. I really liked that table cloth as well.
God bless.
Terri

Anonymous said...

Sandy, You are just full of fabulous ideas. Everything seems so simple when you put it together and just beautiful. I also appreciate the fact that you share the fact that it doesn't have to cost a fortune to decorate either!It is wonderful that you have these life-long friends to share you home and evening with.
I look forward to your next great idea.
~Jen

Jen said...

It sounds like another successful night. I wish I lived near you.

Tracy said...

Your table was beautiful!

Meredith said...

So, so lovely!

Barb said...

Wow, luv the colors, and that tablecloth! And Miz Abby's lookin' very grown up all of a sudden!

ellen b. said...

Ahh..my kids in Washington were so excited about the glorious day on Saturday. What a great time to have a meal outdoors. Blessings.

Anonymous said...

What a wonderful evening Sandy!

Anonymous said...

I just found your blog and I love it!

Sounds like such a great tradition and what a wonderful evening!!!!

Anonymous said...

What a wonderful post and what a wonderful evening. For some reason, it brought tears to my eyes thinking about how valuable and treasured these friendships are. You are very blessed to have each other!

Melanie said...

Sounds and looks like a wonderful, beautiful evening!

Deborah said...

I do love that table setting - beautiful! It sounds like a wonderful night! I'm jealous - I would love to entertain, but my husband is not a big entertainer.

Anonymous said...

Hello ~ I just found your journal and am so happy I did. I am looking forward to reading more on how to entertain. Thank you for the wonderful ideas and inspiration.

krysta said...

The table is lovely! I love the yellow and blues.

Mrs. Darling said...

Thre really is nothing like old friends to spend the time with!

I love the blue. I have a few blue pieces but not enough for an entire table setting.

Elizabeth said...

That table setting is my favorite as well! Beautiful!

You are always inspiring...

Chris @ Come to the Table said...

As usual, I loved this post Sandy! You inspire me and provide us with so many wonderful ideas!

Rosie's Whimsy said...

You are an inspiration. You have made this shy rose want to entertain the summer away! :-) Rosie

Andrea@Sgt and Mrs Hub said...

I agree, my favorite table setting yet!

So, my last entertaining of guests was a birthday party for Eve in our GARAGE! Our house was empty (the movers had come the day before) but I got creative and it worked. It was freezing cold, but it worked. Very memorable :)

I hope I will have old friends to have dinners with in the years to come. I worry about that I will miss out on that with us being in the military.

-Andrea