The good life

I'm certain there would be as many descriptions of the good life as there are people in this world. My own opinion could easily change given time of year and circumstances. For instance, in the heat and humidity of August, I may think the good life has something to do with cold lemonade and memories of a Lake Michigan breeze.

Given the same question in October, the good life will have a lot to do with anything "pumpkin", colored leaves, hot chocolate on a cold night, and throws over one as they snuggle to read a good book in a soft chair.

However, the good life right now has a lot to do with family. I am thoroughly enjoying the grandchildren and their parents. They are all adorable... well, the children even more than the grown ups. :)

Stephanie and I have stayed up late to watch the BBC version of Persuasion and two of the three parts of the BBC Sense & Sensibility. She brought some other British type flicks I haven't seen... looks like more late nights with the DVD player turned on after the children are asleep.

They... being the grownups... have been spoiling us rotten with dinners out and pizza "in". They also bought us a grill for the deck. It will soon be assembled (hopefully) and ready to use this weekend.

So far, however, my favorite was last night's surprise. Stephanie whisked me away for a mother and daughter dinner. We ended up "Downtown" at a restaurant I've only thought about entering. The price of their coffee would pay for my entire meal elsewhere. How does one describe an evening with the most amazing French food and surroundings shared with one of my favorite people on earth. :)

We talked about good food and how much fun it is to try something new and then the attempt to make it again at home. She had salmon with the most incredible citrus sauce over it. Hubby hates salmon but I think even he would enjoy that. I had a yummy pasta dish mixed with veggies and just a little "heat" and mussels on top. I'm not much of a seafood person (what can I say, I grew up far from the sea) but those mussels were delicious.

I've always found it interesting how the very nice restaurants spend just a little more time in making surroundings beautiful and the food special. They make eating out an entire experience rather than just... eating.

Our next family outing is a trip to an amusement park, all of us... including the toddler and the granddad. This particular amusement park is one my parents took me to as a child, we spent many a happy (and hot) summer day there with our children, and now we return as grandparents.

Tempus is fugiting... it seems not that long ago we were walking along the boardwalk with two year old Christopher on a leash (really, it was not child abuse... it was a kiddie leash). If you knew him at age two, you would have purchased a leash to use near the water, too.