Iron Range Lunch: Baby Shower

The Iron Range Luncheon turned out to be one of the best days of my life.

First of all -- Thank God I have a cleaning lady!! Carrie came on Monday and helped me get everything whipped into shape. While she was working in the house, I finally got the porch all put together. Ross had his old mattress out there, and everything is covered with that layer of spring pollen. We've had so much rain, I hadn't brought the cushions up from storage until now (they live under the basement stairs in the winter). Fingers crossed, I even laid out my zebra area rug.

Tuesday morning, I got out of bed at 6:00 to get things out of the freezer. John had boned the fresh pork roast the day before, added the spices, rolled it and wrapped it.

I had two porkettas, so I put one in a heavy dutch oven.

The second roast was put into my graniteware roaster.

And I preferred the Dutch Oven. In the same amount of time (4 hours) -- that roast got up to 210 degrees…and was very soft. The other one was at 190…and not nearly as soft.

Most of the other food just had to come out of the freezer and/or refrigerator...

It was only 7:30 -- so I decided to GO TO SWIMFIT. I met my cousin Jackie (visiting from North Carolina) at the YMCA, and we spent an hour in the pool, visiting and doing a round of exercises. I’ve been going every day, and I find I don’t need the actual class so much any more. I get more done when I’m the only one in the pool (that happens a lot).

Because the luncheon was also a surprise grand-baby shower for Jackie, I’d invited a few extra guests. Our high school friend, Sue, was coming. And so was my sister Ronda. Sue and Ronda got here about 11:30, so they helped me get out Aunt Rozella's silver, and set the table. 

We decided to hide the baby gifts until after everybody else arrived.

The attendees were: Linda P. and Linda K, Jackie, Sandy, Sharalan, Ronda and Sue.  By Noon, everybody was on the porch. The pasties (in the oven for 30 minutes) were still frozen…so we started with the BABY SHOWER element of the event.

Another special Guest, Frankie -- was thrilled to have so much company!

Jackie just welcomed her FIRST GRANDCHILD -- so we thought a surprise Baby Shower was a great idea!

My sister Ronda actually MADE the blanket, of course!!  (it's her job to make the rest of us look bad)

Sandy, our official camp photographer, took these pictures -- THANK GOD!!  (my camera ran out of battery power).

Linda P. and Jackie -- who was COMPLETELY SHOCKED.  We got her good!!

Sharalan got her snowbird self back to Iowa just in time for the Iron Range Luncheon!!