Lunch With Boguska and Leslaw my Polish Friends

Potato cakes.  

I had a delightful visit with my friend Boguska and her husband Leslaw for lunch today.  Boguska is one of my "surrogate daughters", and she is a wonderful cook.  She is always bringing me goodies to eat---Polish dishes from her home country.  But today I was treated to lunch at her house.

I knew the lunch would be special because not only do I love her cooking I enjoy her and Leslaw's company.  Her table was beautifully decorated with these lovely flowers that complemet her walls perfectly.  And look at that homemade bread on the table.

Pretty arrangement on table.  

Homemade bread.  Yum!

The first course consisted of homemade mushroom soup.  I particuarly enjoy Boguska's soups.

Mushroom soup.

And then I watched as she prepared potato cakes. She says they are only good if eaten when freshly made (but I'm not sure if that's true, because I brought home those that were left and I'm looking forward to those for lunch tomorrow.)  She used frozen hash brown which she turned into mashed potatoes in her blender, and then added an egg, onions, and a spoonful or two of flour to hold the cakes together as they were fried.

The potato cakes are garnished with sour cream.  

Of course, I should have known that she would have a wonderful dessert (she and I both like our sweets). Today it was a homemade cherry layered cake with whipped cream.

After lunch I enjoyed a long visit on her screened porch looking out over her beautiful backyard. What a relaxing day.  Thank you Boguska.

Enjoying the backyard from the screened porch.  

Our Red Hat Party

Ready to party.  L to R: Ann, me, Gail, Pat W., Peggy, Sally

After spending most of Tuesday visiting Museums, the Capitol, and the Legislative Building, my friends and I topped off the day with a limo drive to Relish Café for dinner as we donned our red hats and wore purple. 


To begin the evening, we "posed" for pictures in our red hats. 


L to R: Peggy, Gail, Pat W, me, Ann, Sally

As we were posing out on the front porch, our limo arrived.  I had arranged with Dwight of Smith Luxury Limosines in Raleigh to pick us up.  It was a surprise to my friends and it was the first limo ride anyone of us had taken.  (Back when we got married limos for the bride and groom were not usual.).
We found it was a little difficult for us "seniors" to get in and out of the limo.  Lots of laughs with that. 


Mark helping us get into the limo.  

Mark our limo driver first took us on a tour of downtown Raleigh and then over to Relish Café where we had dinner. 

Selfie of Peggy and me in limo. 

Dressed a bit casual for a ride in a limo.

Dinner at Relish Café.

A trip to Local Fresh on Glenwood Avenue after dinner for ice cream was a must, even though it was a bit chilly.  The ice cream was as good as always. 

Gail and Sally in line for ice cream.

Getting back in limo after ice cream at Local Fresh.

But all good things come to an end.  My friends went back to their homes in Shelby on Wednesday morning. 

Boarding AMTRAK for trip back to Charlotte and Shelby. 

We had FUN, and we are already planning an adventure for next year!!!

A Visit From Shelby Friends

AMTRAK  arriving from Charlotte with my friends on board.

On Monday three of my long time friends (since first grade) Ann, Pat W. and Peggy along with two new friends (I met them last year while visiting Peggy) Gail and Sally boarded AMTRAK in Charlotte and came for a visit. 

Pat W. is first off the train. 

I met them at the Cary Station and Ann's son, Andy, who works in Cary surprised Ann by being there to greet the group too. 


Ann surprised by her son Andy as Sally and Peggy on left look on. 

After a brief rest at my house, we set off for an afternoon at the Raleigh Arboretum.  The weather was perfect and there were lots of pretty fall flowers in bloom there. 

At the Arboretum.  L to R: Gail, Pat W, Peggy, Ann, me, Sally

Ann admires "sculpture" at the Arboretum.

Pretty fall asters. 

We had a light and late lunch at the Neomonde Bakery where they were introduced to Mediterranean cuisine. 

Back home for a short rest, and then we took off for a short visit to Crabtree Valley Mall.  We were all pretty tired by then.








Supper of chili at my house finished off a fun day with these friends.  I had made a cranberry, apple cake for dessert. 

Cramberry Apple  cake for dessert. 

After much catching up and reliving old times we were "plum tuckered out" and ready for bed and rest to be ready for a full day of adventures on Tuesday.