June 25, 2026 Breakfast - Man on a Raft and Smoked Pork Chop. Lunch - Book Club Snack

June 25, 2026 Breakfast - Man on a Raft and Smoked Pork Chop. Lunch -  Book Club    Snack 

I woke up at 4:00 and went back to bed at 5:30 and slept until 6:30 when I spread goat cheese on toasted thin rounds of baguette. Then I sliced Gravad Lax and placed a piece on each baguette. Then I garnished each canapé with either thin slices of red onion or thinly sliced chives and put several capers on each.

The result was quite satisfying. A newly created appetizer I really liked.

Then we put out wine glasses and plates and plastic silverware for the book club party. 

At 8:30 I made three men on a raft, which is a slice of whole wheat bread toasted in butter in a skillet and then turn over and an egg placed on the toasted side while the other side is toasted in butter. Then it is flipped again to cook the egg to over easy, if the bread is large enough I tear a round hole in the middle so the yolk can be held in place. Today the yolks slid off the toast and burst because there was no hole.

I also sautéed a smoked Pork chop with the eggs and Suzette and I shared the chop.

Regardless of the good breakfast I started losing energy around 10:00, after we set up tables on the patio for drinks and fetched beers, apple cider, and four bottles of  wine and set up a table and chairs next to the raised bed and pulled couches in the living room back as far as I could. so chairs could be placed in front of them.

At 11:00 Keith came and I opened a 2019 De Ponte Estate Pinot Noir. It was a very pleasant wine, very smooth, yet with good tannins. Keith brought a bottle of 2023 Smith Kelly from Oregon.  I put a bottle of Toure French white from Cotes du Cascogne, A Faustino … Ulcea Albariño from Spain, a bottle of Trader Joe’s Bandol, and a bottle of Kirkland Pinot Grigio on ice outside with several Dos Equis, Negra Modelo, Angry Orchard Apple Ciders, and Carlsberg Greens.

Then at 11:15 Jeff arrived with Rebecca and they set up chairs in a semi circle around the coffee table.

As Keith and I sipped Pinot members and their wives began to arrive.

Susan and Charlie brought a cheese cake. Karl and Joanne brought Magic bars with crushed pistachios.Paul and wife brought Penne Pasta Salad. Pradip and wife brought Cantaloupe melon balls and prosciutto on skewers,

There was also a lovely chicken salad. Peter brought amazing crisp pecan cookies and Keith brought a bottle of good Oregon Pinot Noir.

I served the Gravad Lax canapés before Rebecca’s performance and put out the clafoutis on the dessert table.

At noon we all took seats in the living room and Rebecca performed her one woman performance which was a stream of consciousness monologue combined with playing the role of several characters. It was quite impressive.

When it ended we served ourselves food and a drink and went outside to eat at one of the tables under the trees or gazebo..

Suzette went to an appointment at Social Security and then joined us.

We conversed and ate until 3:00 when everyone except Keith left. He and I watched Japan v. Sweden and sipped the Smith Kelly Pinot he brought until After a strong thunder storm subsided around 4:30.

Then Suzette and I got into our pajamas and lay in bed to rest after all the activity. I dozed from 5:00 until 6:00 and then watched the second half of the Japan v. Sweden World Cup matche and then at 8:00 the US v. Turkey and some of Australia v. Paraguay.

We were stuffed and did not eat dinner, but I drank a cup of tea and ate a magic bar and a pecan cookie and an apricot later in the evening.

We went to sleep after Turkey scored a late goal in the last minute of extra time to beat the U.S. 3 to 2. 

It was a lovely party and everyone enjoyed the food and conversation. I suspect there will be more book club social events in the future. Jeff was wonderful in organizing Rebecca’s performance in the Living room. It was a vert pleasant event with great potluck dishes.

Bon Appetit