Day 47 with company and then more company from Germany!

What started as a quiet morning became more interesting when Trudy's friend Bethany came over for a visit. She stayed for lunch, and then, while I was off to the tax preparer's place, they decided to make cookies. By the time I got home, the house smelled great.


Later in the day we spoke with our former twin exchange students from Germany, Janet and Vanessa, who have flown into town for their spring break (which is a two week vacation in German schools).

They stopped by just as I was about to prepare dinner, so I changed my supper plans to dinner plans, and figured out a new menu on the spot.  We added two plates to the table, and then as we began to eat, another special friend arrived, so we added another plate. What a fun surprise! And what stories as we ate!

I had been feeling bad that dinner was so tardy tonight, but God knew why dinner needed to be delayed...so we could have such a nice visit, over dinner, with our friends, and get re-acquainted.

Vanessa gives Noah a hug.

Vanessa with Christiana and Emily

Three Boothies and two Chukukelus

Our three dinner guests, Vanessa, Onyx, and Janet

A no-flash picture of the girls, with Noah sneaking in under the radar

Here is how my plans morphed from pancake supper into company dinner:

On the stove sat some garbanzo beans which had been simmering all day, so as Rodger diced up some onions and Sarah grabbed a can of tomato sauce, I diced up a large potato and got out the spices to make a curry. Trudy mixed up a batch of tortilla dough to make some chapatis, and I whipped up a curry while Rodger and Sarah prepared and roasted the chapatis.  Meanwhile the rest of the family entertained the German twins with their chicks downstairs.

To complete the curry meal we added a green salad for color and texture (and to get our leafy greens...) and some canned peaches, the very same batch that the German girls had helped us can while they lived with us! That brought back some memories.

We dressed up our dinner with a tablecloth, nice china, and stemmed glassware for our orange juice. Now, why did I not get a picture of such a picture-perfect meal? I even had my camera out to get pictures of the Germans. But sorry, we ate up all the food before I thought about pictures of curry and Germans eating it with us. 

The curry was a success.  Everybody ate up, and although there wasn't enough for seconds, there was a sufficiency.  Somehow, it is just pleasant and natural to visit while eating a nice dinner.  It was a special evening, and the young children went straight to bed afterwards.  The older girls are out to coffee with more friends, as well as the German girls.

breakfast menu:  frosted mini-wheats and milk

Cost:  $1.68

9 servings cold cereal:  .90

9 2/3 cup servings milk:  .78

lunch menu:  fried eggs and toast with peaches, orange juice

Cost:  $3.18

18 eggs:  1.00

toast from 1 loaf of bread:  free, courtesy of Albertsons

1/2 cube butter:  .13

2 quarts peaches:  1.00

half gallon orange juice:  .99

2 tbsp oil for frying:  .06

snack:  cookies

Cost:  $1.08

2 cups flour:  .20

1 cup butter:  .50

1 tsp salt:  .01

soda:  .01

1 1/2 cup sugar:  .34

vanilla:  .02

dinner menu:  garbanzo bean curry, chapatis, peaches, salad, orange juice

Cost:  $5.37

2 cups(dried) garbanzo beans:  1.00

onion:  .10

8 oz tomato sauce:  .25

curry spices:  .25

salt:  .01

romaine, 2 hearts:  .84

5 oz carrots:  .10

2 quarts peaches, home canned:  1.00

half gallon orange juice:  .99

1 batch tortilla/chapatis (about 30):  .80

1 oz ranch dressing:  .03

Today's total, with 4 guests:  $11.31

I'm not sure exactly how to calculate this one on our budget...but I will say that tonight was a beautiful vegetarian meal for 11 people for only $5.37!