a december breakfast party...

Ever since Lisa joined our family...we have celebrated her birthday with a turkey dinner in mid-December.  Since we have another family turkey dinner on the agenda for this week...we decided to have a 'girls-only-breakfast-party' in honour of her birthday this year.

We had our  favorite little tea shop all to ourselves first thing in the morning...and had a lovely time.  Apeldoorn's was all decked out for the season...and we enjoyed a relaxing child-free time.

 

The grands were all in school...or with their dad...except for Maelyn.  Grandpa volunteered to entertain her during our breakfast party.  They checked out the train at Minter Country Gardens...only to discover it is an evening venue. The Christmas Village at Dicken's Sweets was apparently a big hit!   

When we noticed a pair of very blue eyes peeking through the window...looking for mommy...we realized the excursion with Grandpa was over. And so ended our morning birthday breakfast. 

Happy Birthday, Lisa!

zest

What exactly is zest?

• Spirited enjoyment!
• Gusto!
• The name on the bar of soap in my shower.

 Oh...and one more definition:

• The outermost part of the rind of an orange, lemon, or other citrus fruit, used as flavoring.

 Here's a little 'spirited enjoyment' for your reading pleasure today.  Armed with a recipe which called for orange zest...my friend went to the supermarket to buy the ingredients.  When she was unable to find orange zest...she decided to ask for help.  Orange zest?  No...they did not carry that product.  But they suggested she might just buy the orange...and make her own.  She was not aware that  grated orange peel was called 'orange zest'?  They all had a good laugh at the grocery store.  And then we all had a good laugh when she shared the story with us.

My friend...who is always full of zest and zing...won't mind that I shared her story with you today.  She thinks a day without laughter is a wasted day...she gave me the tile that reminds me daily of that fact. So laugh a little...and if you need some added zest...buy a lemon...and a zester.

the merits of Merritt...

We live in a province of valleys and mountain ranges.  It just so happens that we have family living in the Okanagan Valley...some three or four hours from here across the mountains.  In the summer we don't think twice about crossing the mountains.  In the winter...we think twice...but still make the trek just to meet for Christmas dinner.  For some years now...we have been meeting at the halfway point...the city of Merritt. 

Merritt lies in the middle of ranching country...and is the hub of the Coquihalla Highway system.  For us...it is usually the pit stop (Tim Horton's coffee) on our way down the highway.

Yesterday it was the destination!  Seven of us met for lunch at a most accommodating restaurant...where they never seemed to care that we stayed all afternoon.  

Each cup of coffee arrived in a new mug...

and so I had many lined up by the time the meal came to an end!

And since it was our 'Christmas' dinner...we had an appropriate dessert before parting ways.

By the time our lunch was over...darkness was settling in.  

Merritt...it has it's merits!  I'm sure we will be back for our Christmas get-together next year.