A weekend of total consumption and gorging

For a weekend that we planned to be quiet and laid back, this weekend has been an absolute whirlwind of activity. Whew! One more evening and then it's back to somewhat of a normal schedule - I hope.

Bob & Carol, Lovely Daughter and Lars, and Ole & I were invited up to Mae's house for supper. I think I told you about her before, but in case I didn't: Mae was born in Turkey. Her mother was Syrian and her father was German. When Mae was 15 her mother arranged her marriage to a weathly Russian who was 20 years her senior, and from what she says, quite an abusive character. She had three children with him and then he decided to move to Florida. When her children were older she divorced him and somehow ended up in North Dakota. Anyway, all that aside, she is the most wonderful cook. So she invited us all to her house so that she could prepare Mediterranean food for us.

She served mousakas (meat and potato pie), shishkebobs, aubergines (battered and fried eggplant), dolmathes (a rice/meat mixture wrapped in grape leaves), a Greek unleavened bread, and of course baklava. If you have never eaten baklava you have missed out on one of the major treats of the entire world. It's made by layering many thin sheets of phyllo pastry with layers of chopped walnuts, butter and cinnamon. When the layers are built up to an adequate thickness you poor a syrup of honey, sugar, lemon juice and warm water over the dough and bake it. It is to die for. Anyway, after finishing that meal we were all sprawled in our chairs, moaning and groaning and consuming sangria. We managed to waddle out of her house and head for home. She is one great cook.

Sunday brought the four of us heading for the Western Minnesota Steam Threshers Reunion, which takes place every year about 20 miles from here. It's quite an event and Lars had never seen anything like it before, so off we went. I've got a ton of pictures I haven't offloaded from my camera yet, so I'll share those later and tell you all about it.

We had to be home by 5 o'clock because Bob & Carol were hosting a potluck and a fire in their firepit last night. It was a beautiful evening for a fire, and one again everyone stuffed themselves. I think I've gained back all those seven pounds I managed to lose on vacation (sniff). I'm too scared to step on the scale to find out. At least I can still get my jeans buttoned!!

I think we all went to bed and slept the sleep of the dead last night. Everyone was exhausted from being out in the hot sun at the threshing grounds, breathing in all the dirt and chaff that came from all the threshing machines, etc.

So we tried to sleep in this morning, are attacking some chores that need to be done today and then we're off to another barbecue this afternoon. A friend of ours is big into smoking meat. He gets up at 2 a.m., starts the smoker and keeps it going through the night and following day. He says it will be ready about 4 o'clock this afternoon. Last time he did a turkey - this time he's doing ribs. They should be wonderful if they're up to his normal standards.

So once again, it's stuff your belly time. AACCKK. I won't have to eat for a week. I'll live on water for the next few days - maybe that will help.