109 Small group gathering on Friday Night

There is a slight odor of wallpaper paste wafting through the house, mingled with cooking chicken and frying bacon. I'm in high gear for the party Friday night. When people who visit shut-ins get together for soup, is it called a party?

This is our homebound ministry group from church managed so capably by my new friend Sue. God didn’t give me the gift of hospitality (mentioned in one of Paul’s letters), but I’ve found it isn’t that hard to get a group together for soup and dessert, both homemade. At large church pot-lucks, you only chat with the people next to you. At a table eating family style in a home, it is much easier getting acquainted and this will only be our second meeting.

I've got the tables set up for 10--6 at the dining room table, and 4 in the living room. We brought up the round (fold down sides) from the family room, and I covered it with my one round table cloth, which fortunately, has a Spring floral pattern, close by in the living room near the door to the deck. Then I'm using a matching napkin for the center of the other table to tie it together. I'm using dishes in the dining room, and yellow acrylic plates and bowls in the living room (round table)--a step up from paper, but they go with the table cloth. I'll have to assign seats--smaller people at the round table--using Great-Grandmother Susan's ca. 1850 dining room chairs. 19th century people must have been smaller.

The menu is broccoli soup, vegetable plate (carrots, celery, olives, pickles), rhubarb pie and apple pie (sugar free) and cool-whip. The side of corn chips with taco spread, and crackers with a bacon, egg, cheddar, chicken mix (held together I hope) with a little mayo. So the chicken is cooking to make the broth and I'll cool that to skim tomorrow and make the soup then. The bacon is simmering. One pie is in the freezer and I'll probably make the apple today. On the deck I'll probably serve iced tea and apple cider, with some snacking chips, if there are any left by then, since I've already opened the package. My husband has hidden them from me at my instructions.

The house is a bit torn up. Not only is the bathroom under construction with naked walls and puncture wounds from removed pictures, but the electric yellow guest room is all a clutter with Martha Stewart's spreads and drapes sitting around in bags, and the estimate from the painter still not forthcoming.