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For the Food on Fridays carnival, any post remotely related to food is welcome—though we love to try new dishes, your post doesn’t have to be a recipe. We’re pretty relaxed over here, and stories and photos are as welcome as menus and recipes.
When your Food on Fridays contribution is ready, just grab the broccoli button (My daughter doesn’t quite have the new one ready, and now a second daughter wants to battle it out by offering her own version! Until they’re ready, grab the big one above or smaller option at the bottom) to paste at the top of your post. It ties us together visually.
Then fill in the boxes of this linky tool to join the fun!
Food on Fridays with Ann
I stepped out of the waiting room to take a phone call from my eldest daughter, who was driving home from cross country practice. She asked if she could stop by the grocery on the way home to pick up eggs, because her little sister had a plan for dinner.
“Of course! Do whatever you want, because I’m going to be here for a while.” I texted afterwards how glad I was that they were independent and capable. I expected they would scramble some eggs to eat with toast.
After I hung up with my daughter, I turned and noticed the nun statue. My parents said that nuns wearing those gigantic headpieces were swishing down the hallway in the hospital where I was born.
I snapped a picture, and headed back to wait.
I was waiting while a friend had surgery.
Waiting with her mom and her aunt.
Waiting for word that all was well.
Eventually her mom and aunt were summoned back, and all was well.
We waited some more while they prepared her room, and then finally, finally we could see her—such sweet relief to set eyes on her, sewn back together and able to chat. After lingering and making sure she had what she needed within reach, I excused myself to head home. She needed to rest.
I climbed into my car and phoned home.
“Are you hungry?” my husband asked.
Suddenly I realized how famished I was after all that waiting. “Yes!”
“Well, you will arrive to a fine dining establishment known as The Garden Cafe, complete with menus and a nice selection of items to choose from.”
“Mmmm….sounds intriguing.”
“There’s a secret dessert.”
“Sounds surprising!”
“You’ll be served from the moment you walk in the door.”
“Perfect.”
“It’s quite a place.”
Indeed.
Apparently, my kids did not settle for scrambled eggs with toast; rather, they rolled up silverware in napkins, lit candles, designed menus, and then planned and prepared a full meal.
They took my order, served with a professional air, and cleaned up afterwards.
The Garden Café
Despite limited seating, limited hours and a limited menu, this small establishment offers a satisfying selection of food prepared with creativity, initiative, pride…and love.
It was so worth the wait.
:::
Photos by S. Kroeker.
21 Responses to Food on Fridays: The Garden Café
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About
Blogger: Pursuing a Christ-centered, creative, curious, slightly quirky, slow-down life and sharing it with you, post after post. (Home of Food on Fridays).
Author: Not So Fast: Slow-Down Solutions for Frenzied Families
Content Editor: The High Calling (Family/Parenting)
ann kroeker. curator. (read it, liked it)- I Do: Doing | The High Calling February 22, 2012
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Such wonderful children and you have trained them well. They are so thoughtful to do the napkins, menu and the whole bit! Even your husband was in on the surprise. The dinner looks delicious too!
Also happy your “friend” is doing fine.
Thank you, Hazel. You might know my friend from online–Charity Singleton. http://charitysingleton.blogspot.com/
I guessed as much. You are a true friend and a beloved one I am certain!
nice! what a wonderful treat at the end of an anxious time. what great kids you have!
I was so surprised, but my 13yo daughter is definitely a motivated, creative girl who gets inspired like this from time to time. The others caught the vision and supported the whole idea.
The meal was satisfying on so many levels–the treat after an anxious time, as you said, and also a treat to see that the kids are still willing to put together a creative evening…all on their own.
I love it when my kids do this kind of stuff. Oh, the “restaurants” I’ve been to. Yours looks divine
I’ll bet you’ve been to some gourmet restaurants at your place!
It was so sweet to have the kids hover over me like a good waitress might do, eager to provide my every request.
What a lovely family you have! It must have been so nice to relax after a worrying day, and what a delicious selection of foods were on offer. And I love the dessert – it’s creative, pretty and I can just imagine how yummy it was. Thank you for sharing this heartwarming post, and for hosting.
It was so unexpected–I actually felt spoiled! Little do they know, however, that I now know the extent of their abilities. I may not wait for their inspiration to hit–I may demand that The Garden Cafe open on a semi-regular basis!
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I’d like to make a reservation!
As people like to brag, “the chef is a friend of mine”…
Table for two? Or eight?
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Such a lovely story, well-photographed, well-told. And thoroughly enjoyed and appreciated, I am sure. Thanks for this evening brightener!
You are blessed to have such special, thoughtful children. Just preparing a dinner would have been delightful, but they went the extra step. I’m sure they’ve learned from watching their Mom.
Hope Charity is doing well.
Blessings,
Janis
Ann,
That dinner looks like a main course of love, with delicious food on the side. What a blessing!
And I’m strangely relieved to hear an independent post-op report on Charity from someone who’s laid eyes on her. Thank you for that!
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