And a Good Time Was Had by All
Yesterday P and I returned from our vacation at my sister's. We arrived at my sister's on a Saturday afternoon. We drove most of the 6-hour trip through heavy rains and strong winds so we spent most of Sunday resting. My younger brother and wife came to my sister's for dinner. We had brought beef brisket along, so after dinner, my brother and I made up the brine we used on one of the beef briskets and the dry rub we used on the other. We saved two other briskets for making Beef Jerky later in the week.
Monday was a holiday so we all gathered at my Sister's in the afternoon. Younger brother C cooked the briskets on the grill. I know that some who read this don't eat meat and I don't mean to offend anyone. I do want to relate how we enjoyed sibling time together. I have never had brisket so this was a new experience for me. I learned a lot about preparing it and enjoyed it. However, it is rather fatty and I doubt that it is the best for a heart healthy diet.
Tuesday everyone had to return to his or her work. So P and I were home alone. We spent the time reading, did a little shopping, P made some chocolate covered bar type cookies. She made two 9 x 13 inch pans full. I must tell you that they didn't last long. That evening we all went out for supper at a local restaurant. What a time of laughter we had. We even managed to eat some between bouts of laughing and story telling.
P and I were by ourselves on Wednesday also. P made the evening meal for my sister giving her a break from having to rush home from work and think about food. P spent the afternoon with M my sister in-law. I spent the entire day being lazy. After all I was on vacation. Later Wednesday evening my brother C came over and showed my how to prepare the rest of the brisket and thinly slicing it. Once again we prepared it two different ways. Half in a teriyaki and half in a dry pepper rub. C told me that we had to let the brisket marinade over night.
Early Thursday morning C shows up before I finished with my morning coffee and cleaned up. However, he didn't need my help placing the thin slices of marinated brisket on the grill where he let them smoke at a low temperature for a couple of hours, hours where two brothers visited. After a couple of hours smoking on the grill he removed the brisket and I placed them in his food dehydrator. While I did that he put the second batch of brisket strips on the grill to smoke. Of course this meant a couple more hours of visiting.
After C and I had all the brisket removed from the grill and place in the dehydrator we went to his office. He has a new office, which I wanted to see. I also wanted to talk to his office staff because in the past, I have enlisted their help to play practical jokes on him. We returned home, packed the brisket now beef jerky into plastic storage bags that we hid in my sister's refrigerator.
Friday my sister M took the day off. P, M and I spent a nice day visiting and getting the house ready for the weekend invasion. Just before noon my sister N and her family arrived from Wisconsin. They would be staying at my older brother D who also lives there. Mid afternoon my two other sisters G and F arrived. They were having such a good time talking and laughing that they ended up getting lost and having to call for directions. I will place a gentle hint here about the importance of taking a map along.
Saturday was a lot of fun. My sister F's husband and family arrived so now everyone was there. In the morning some of the women went to a large parking lot where there were tables and tables of used items for sale. Sister's M, G, and I went grocery shopping.
After lunch brothers D, C, and I went for a walking talk or a talking walk along the local river. They have nice paved paths so I was able to go along in my wheelchair. When I returned my sister G was making Calzones. My brother C and brother in-law K were at C's house making more Calzones. It takes a lot of food to feed this group. My youngest niece wanted to help make Calzones, so she and I made them on one side of the table and sister/aunt G made them on the other half of the table. There my young niece was patting out the dough, adding the spinach filling, folding over the top, and crimping the edges. We all laughed, talked, took photos, snacked on beef jerky, and just had a wonderful time. After a supper that turned out to have more food then we could eat, it was time for the adults to sample some of brother in-law K's home brewed beers. He is a great brewer so we were all eager to try the many varieties he had brought along.
Sunday morning everyone except my sister F, her husband R, and I went to church. The three of us were in charge of feeding everyone dinner. While F prepared the fajita filling brother in-law R and I made the guacamole dip to go with them. What a fun time the three of us had in a strange kitchen trying to find everything we needed.
After another noisy meal everyone started heading home. By 3 PM it was just my sister, brother in-law, P, and myself.
On Monday we were packed and on the road by 9 AM. We stopped at a small town in western IL to visit some friends of ours. We also stopped at my aunts to say hello. I must have been tired because I kept falling asleep on the drive home. We arrived home late that afternoon. Like all vacations it was good to be back home. However, as I write this I am almost ready to go on another vacation. Maybe next year we will see how my health is.
Monday was a holiday so we all gathered at my Sister's in the afternoon. Younger brother C cooked the briskets on the grill. I know that some who read this don't eat meat and I don't mean to offend anyone. I do want to relate how we enjoyed sibling time together. I have never had brisket so this was a new experience for me. I learned a lot about preparing it and enjoyed it. However, it is rather fatty and I doubt that it is the best for a heart healthy diet.
Tuesday everyone had to return to his or her work. So P and I were home alone. We spent the time reading, did a little shopping, P made some chocolate covered bar type cookies. She made two 9 x 13 inch pans full. I must tell you that they didn't last long. That evening we all went out for supper at a local restaurant. What a time of laughter we had. We even managed to eat some between bouts of laughing and story telling.
P and I were by ourselves on Wednesday also. P made the evening meal for my sister giving her a break from having to rush home from work and think about food. P spent the afternoon with M my sister in-law. I spent the entire day being lazy. After all I was on vacation. Later Wednesday evening my brother C came over and showed my how to prepare the rest of the brisket and thinly slicing it. Once again we prepared it two different ways. Half in a teriyaki and half in a dry pepper rub. C told me that we had to let the brisket marinade over night.
Early Thursday morning C shows up before I finished with my morning coffee and cleaned up. However, he didn't need my help placing the thin slices of marinated brisket on the grill where he let them smoke at a low temperature for a couple of hours, hours where two brothers visited. After a couple of hours smoking on the grill he removed the brisket and I placed them in his food dehydrator. While I did that he put the second batch of brisket strips on the grill to smoke. Of course this meant a couple more hours of visiting.
After C and I had all the brisket removed from the grill and place in the dehydrator we went to his office. He has a new office, which I wanted to see. I also wanted to talk to his office staff because in the past, I have enlisted their help to play practical jokes on him. We returned home, packed the brisket now beef jerky into plastic storage bags that we hid in my sister's refrigerator.
Friday my sister M took the day off. P, M and I spent a nice day visiting and getting the house ready for the weekend invasion. Just before noon my sister N and her family arrived from Wisconsin. They would be staying at my older brother D who also lives there. Mid afternoon my two other sisters G and F arrived. They were having such a good time talking and laughing that they ended up getting lost and having to call for directions. I will place a gentle hint here about the importance of taking a map along.
Saturday was a lot of fun. My sister F's husband and family arrived so now everyone was there. In the morning some of the women went to a large parking lot where there were tables and tables of used items for sale. Sister's M, G, and I went grocery shopping.
After lunch brothers D, C, and I went for a walking talk or a talking walk along the local river. They have nice paved paths so I was able to go along in my wheelchair. When I returned my sister G was making Calzones. My brother C and brother in-law K were at C's house making more Calzones. It takes a lot of food to feed this group. My youngest niece wanted to help make Calzones, so she and I made them on one side of the table and sister/aunt G made them on the other half of the table. There my young niece was patting out the dough, adding the spinach filling, folding over the top, and crimping the edges. We all laughed, talked, took photos, snacked on beef jerky, and just had a wonderful time. After a supper that turned out to have more food then we could eat, it was time for the adults to sample some of brother in-law K's home brewed beers. He is a great brewer so we were all eager to try the many varieties he had brought along.
Sunday morning everyone except my sister F, her husband R, and I went to church. The three of us were in charge of feeding everyone dinner. While F prepared the fajita filling brother in-law R and I made the guacamole dip to go with them. What a fun time the three of us had in a strange kitchen trying to find everything we needed.
After another noisy meal everyone started heading home. By 3 PM it was just my sister, brother in-law, P, and myself.
On Monday we were packed and on the road by 9 AM. We stopped at a small town in western IL to visit some friends of ours. We also stopped at my aunts to say hello. I must have been tired because I kept falling asleep on the drive home. We arrived home late that afternoon. Like all vacations it was good to be back home. However, as I write this I am almost ready to go on another vacation. Maybe next year we will see how my health is.
posted by UP at 2:19 PM
5 Comments:
"And a Good Time Was Had by All" I'm glad. It doesn't get much better than this!!!
Mari-Nanci
No it doesn't get much better than this. I have always been thankful that my siblings and families get along with each other. I know of families where siblings won't talk to each other.
I know Mom and Dad had fun. I wish I could have been there - but I forgot my in-laws were coming...
Tim and his sister don't talk much.
Thank you so much for taking time to pass along those sites to me!You know I never think that others read comments we leave to the host of a blogsite.I can certainly understand all about how our hips when hurting can change our lifestyle. I have had recurrant problems all year and go in and out of pain.Sure prevents me from enjoying my daily walks!!It's not the stooping down in the garden that is hard ..it's the stooping up! Have a great day! :)NG
Its sounds You had a wonderful time away catching up with all the family, its even better when everyone gets along so well.Take care get plenty of rest.
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