Like most of us for the last 2 years, I haven’t done a lot of socializing or entertaining since the beginning of the Pandemic. Even an introverted hermit like myself was starting to feel the pressure! Although the Pandemic is far from over, I think things are starting to get back to normal just a bit, and it has been really nice to start having people over again.
Normally my motto is “Solitude equals Serenity”, but even I have my limits! I have always enjoyed cooking for people, and while I am far from a professional chef, my guests always seem thrilled with my culinary offerings! Without anyone else to cook for, I never really felt the urge to cook anything special, and I was getting tired of soup and sandwiches.
Now my skills are being put to the test again, especially since lately it seems all of my guests have dietary restrictions. I’m getting pretty good at cooking gluten-free and vegetarian, but vegan is a tough nut to crack (and all the dairy products are even made of nuts, lol)! Having to forgo my usual dairy staples is something I have a hard time with, so when I cook for vegans, I often cook 2 separate meals.
Once the food is put away, it’s time for the “fun” part of the evening, and out come the games! My sister has been bringing a whole new group of friends around, and it has been interesting meeting new people. I can’t count how many people we have introduced to the world of geeky strategy games! It’s not the hobby for everyone, but this new crew seems to really enjoy it, and we’ve been having get-togethers much more frequently than usual, which has been a nice change of pace. Food and Fun has led to new Friendships, and you just can’t beat that, can you?