THE ETHNIC DINNER AT ANN'S!!!

I made mention of her when I told about the night our first daughter was born. We had walked to Ann & Lee's home yet that evening. They had a baby born 2 months prior to our first born.
She was the one that recommended my OB doctor. Our daughter was born the very next morning.

She and Lee shaped our lives in so many ways. He taught our Sunday School class for many years and now is on the staff as a minister to Seniors. Ann passed away about twelve years ago.
She was a priceless person and I enjoyed both their friendship. Lee has since remarried to a lady that I know Ann would appreciate, also.

One time Ann was having her sewing club over for their monthly meeting. She worked at the hospital and knew this lady that cooked ethnic food from her country. She asked her if she would be willing to cook an authentic dinner for this sewing club and pull all stops out to make it really "special". She would pay for it all. Of course, who could refuse a sweet person like Ann.

Lucile and I did not belong to this sewing club, but were really good friends to Ann. So Ann invited us, also. Lucile and I stayed in the kitchen watching the lady cook this ethnic dinner. We thought we would learn a lot more than joining the others in the living room. We knew all of them in the living room, however.

Things were progressing quite well and it was time to serve. The lady had purchased these bottles of drinks and had them refrigerated. Ann had put out her beautiful goblets and the lady started pouring this into the water glasses. I took a sniff of this drink, and I told Lucile, "This kinda smells like the stuff my dad made in the basement so many years ago". Now I wondered how Ann would handle this sticky situation. Everyone in the living room was teetotalers!

Ann was such a diplomat that she would no way want to offend the cook or her guests, so she proceeded into the living room with a platter with this drink. She said to them, "I don't know what this is, but it is an authentic practice before a very special occasion to serve it in their country." Lucile and I were looking around the corner to see just how Ann was handling this, knowing all the gals in the living room personally.

The dinner was a raving success and enjoyed by all and even her special guests (Lucile and I).
Did the teetotalers drink the wine, you asked? All of them except one, took the drink to their table and left it, without drinking a sip. One lady drank the contents.

It was funny to us because of who she was serving and Ann's special talent of not offending anyone in the process. My opinion on the subject I wrote about in the article "A small keg of wine".

We raised our kids together and had many a "fun" time down through the years. Christmas candies were made at either my house or her house yearly. Ann was a perfectionist and everything she did, it had to be done to the letter. How different I was, I would look at the time that I had, and then proceed. Sometimes, I didn't have enough time to make it to perfection.
She, however, made sure she had sufficient time, or didn't try to do it.

Wisdom--One thing I think I will always remember about Ann, is that she stressed "attitude" was so important in our Christian Walk! She truly was one to emulate. Whoa! I am losing too many of my very good friends!! I know that I will see them again in heaven and we will have even greater times together.