Dressing on Memorial Day

Yesterday was Memorial Day here in the states.  Its a time to honor and think on the sacrifices made for this country.  Its a humble remembrance.  Most folks also think of it as the first day of summer.  Every year that I can remember, it has been a time for grilling out and celebrating with family and having fun. 

This year we did things a bit different.  Two of my bestest best friends, Ginger and Lily, are away on a cruise celebrating Lily's recent graduation.  Ginger's husband, Lily's dad, and  John's buddy, Mike did not go with them. 

Ginger, Lily, and Mike are our regular Sunday lunch buddies.  I have no idea how long this has been going on, but it is a rare occasion that we are not together for Sunday lunch.  Oh the conversations that have happened over Sunday lunch!  Over the years we have built a very tight relationship.  Mike is like the irritating brother I never had.  I love my brother from another mother dearly, but don't tell him.  Ginger and Lily "get me" like few do.  They are both only children and so we understand the quirks that come from being an "only".  Lily has battled Severe Aplastic Anemia twice and is my medical rock star.  Ginger teaches high school students so she is a miracle worker. 

Back to Memorial Day...

Since Ginger and Lily are out of town, we invited Mike over to have supper.  In the recent past, Mike and I discussed our shared bafflement over the fact that few serve cornbread dressing except for Thanksgiving and Christmas months.  Mike is like me and my Daddy.  We all love cornbread dressing.  At my folks house, my Daddy and I fight over who gets the left over dressing. 

During our dressing conversation, Mike told us about his love for cooked cabbage and squash casserole.  (You see where this going.) 

With all this in mind, yesterday for our out of the norm Memorial Day gathering, we served my sausage and cornbread dressing, squash casserole, cooked cabbage, mac and cheese, purple hull peas, cranberry sauce and marinated cucumbers. 

It was awesome!  Mike, my mom-in-law Hazel, my folks David and Wanda, John, John  David, Adam, Bekah and I gathered to celebrate summer with a Thanksgiving feast.  Oh and we had Guinness chocolate cake swimming in a pool of Bailey's Irish Cream Chocolate Icing. 

If you read this Mike, I love your stinkin' guts.