I am having quite a time!

It has been years since my family has had a get together. Sometime last year I suggested one and everyone agreed. We decided on the Oregon Coast, Lincoln City, and decided on dates that we hoped would work for the majority, September 12-16. One was hoping to have their house sold by then, one was hoping to have their business sold. With so many people,  life always gets in the way and there are complications.

Somewhere along the way I sent invitations to all the next generation, hoping at least a few could make it. We hail from Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Minnesota, Wisconsin and of course Costa Rica. The youngest in that generation is 40 so there are still 2 more generations after that.

Some are camping in motor homes, some have rentals. We have a house on the coast that sleeps 9 that we plan to use for a gathering place.

So for most of the last year I knew my siblings and any spouses were coming. That is a total of 12. I knew of some maybes but it wasn’t until recently that I knew that at least part of the weekend we would be up around 40. This could get mighty interesting!

Being raised Catholic, we didn’t eat meat on Friday and we had our favorite dinners. We called them white dinners. The more we exchanged messages the more we decided to do a white dinner. Fried eggs, fried potatoes, French pancakes and creamed salmon on toast.  French pancakes (crepes) are the only kind any of us had growing up.. a couple of us had Mom’s recipe. There were other things she made that we all remember but don’t have any recipes so that is what I have been working on.

Date bars, brownies, chocolate chip cookies, cinnamon rolls, dough gods. Today I did brownies and dough gods. I have done the French pancakes a couple times recently.  Now we were a big family so things had to stretch. A double batch of chocolate chip cookies but only one bag of chips. Date bars and brownies meant for small pans but baked in a cookie sheet. Dough gods were dough left over from making bread, fried in oil and sprinkled with sugar or butter and syrup. I think I liked them dipped in dark Karo syrup but I could be making that up. My challenge here is I am in a tropical country and at a high altitude so things bake differently. Also, ingredients are different. Brown sugar doesn’t pack, soda and baking powder seem to act differently. Sugar doesn’t seem to be as sweet. Butter doesn’t melt. It has been an interesting adventure. The idea is to create food that brings back memories and gets conversations going. There are all the pies she used to make but I am not a pie maker.

So after a white dinner on Friday, Saturday is Thanksgiving. Ham and turkey (if they can find some), dressing, baked sweet and regular potatoes and toppings, big salad, vegetable and fruit trays, rolls and everyone’s favorite desserts. This meal will be about 40.

Sunday we will have a brunch - probably leftovers from all the other meals. We will have food available for breakfast and lunch every day but these are the 3 meals I am overseeing. The others will be help yourself.

This is the French pancake recipe I worked from. Mom wasn’t much for recipes. I must admit I added a little sugar and a little vanilla.

Here was my first plate full.

The recipe is on the back of the Toll House chocolate chip bag. Double the

Recipe but 1 bag of chips. I use the high altitude version.

 First attempt at dough gods. Fried bread dough. 

Hopefully these will work because you mix all the dry together in a bag 

and when you get ready to bake it you add the wet. I can bring a bag of this with me in my suitcase in case we need more.

Volunteer hat model position available

I am not sure if I have mentioned how the Chicas Buenas group has grown. In Orosi we have Ligia and Jeannette and Zoila. They all work together at the Senior Center.  In Cervantes there is Rosita and Jazmin. They have both gone to the hospital in Cartago with me. Jazmin’s brother died of cancer and it was difficult for her to visit the chemo room. I think  also Rosita’s son. There is so so much cancer here.

In Paraiso there are Laura and Johanna, mother and daughter. Johanna was in the other craft group I joined in Paraiso but they no longer meet. Laura’s friend, Patricia,  and another friend whose name I keep forgetting. Marta, who lives across the street from Laura and Johanna and now Ileana too. She was in the other group also and arranged my 70th birthday party. Also Adriana who crochets very fast and does beautiful work. It wasn’t that long ago we were only 3.

We agreed to meet yesterday because the ladies had hats for me. In Orosi we meet most weeks but that is not the case in Paraiso. We meet when they have hats for me or they need yarn. Both were true this time and Ligia was there to give a lesson on making the squares for the blanket we are working on. It turned out there were going to be 10 of us.

Directions in Costa Rica can be a little strange. The message said we would meet in Marta’s house in front of Laura’s house. Laura has a lovely house but none of the rooms are especially large for a big group. I didn’t look forward to wandering around looking for the house with a big heavy suitcase, a carry on and a bag of succulents. At least I did have Ligia with me.

Because of everything I was bringing I knew I would need to do taxi. We made arrangements with Luis to pick me up at 1:15 then go to Orosi to pick up Zoila (she ended up cancelling) and Ligia and go to Paraiso. He arrived right on time, got me all loaded and explained his mother had just died. She had been very ill. He was taking me to Orosi to switch to another taxi for the rest of the trip. I did and we got Ligia and unloaded in front of Laura’s house. Ligia looked around and figured out which house and it was across the street. The gate was unlocked and up a flight of concrete steps - long flight. Before you enter the house there is a large area/room with a very large table and chairs. It was perfect. There were 10 of us and there could have been 20.

Ligia asked what order we planned to do things and I said first the hats and then the project. We began with a prayer and then each lady brought out their hats and I tried each one on and they took pictures of everyone. All 45. Ileana brought a baby hat so we had 46 altogether. These ladies are amazing with their hard work and dedication. Now I am definitely not photogenic, thus the request for a new model.

Next was the project. We had sample squares we had done. Well, I did one and Ligia did 5. We also had the patterns with colored pictures. I had 6 skeins of yarn, each a different color, for anyone who wanted to try making them. 3 ladies did - Rosita, Laura and Patricia. Ligia spent a lot of time explaining the pattern. Because the patterns are in English they have to go by the pictures and sample.

We had coffee which included 4 breads or cake. I did chocolate chip muffins and then we did the succulent exchange. We had each brought some and did a lottery type drawing. I got a cute little one and Ligia got mine.

The taxi driver returned about 4:45 and home we came. All in all a wonderful day. A possible new contact. Ileana put me in touch with the founder of a group in San Jose, Tejedoras, who do hats and also octopus for premies and other items they donate. It might give us connections for hospitals for
our hats. I have told her I would be interested in attending one of their meetings. At this point I have
a  full suitcase of hats and the ladies are all working on kids and baby hats.

What else? I have been working on my family gathering on the Oregon Coast in September. Looks like we are around 30 for at least part of the 4 days. Coffee and jelly and cookies from here. From there I go to Wisconsin and then on to Minnesota for a couple days. I have Roz’s dresser scarf to deliver and show her the blanket squares we have done.

My gardens look great. José and Oscar were here Wednesday to clean them up and do some trimming. Maybe I should try practicing with a machete.

Today’s haul 

See what I mean 

  

Great spot and a wonderful group of ladies 

First 6. They will all have the white edging with the brown or navy ribbon.

I have been practicing French pancakes for the family gathering. I still need to work on round.