Monday, September 23 – the evening before Jere’s forty-fourth birthday.

We went to The Loft (Jere’s choice) in downtown Lancaster where our children took us for our anniversary dinner last week.

This time our table was positioned along a wall where I had a good view of the attractive raftered ceiling where there is beautiful, healthy-looking greenery.

   I love spending individual time with our children and their spouses at a local restaurant. It gives us time to share joys and concerns – away from phones and the responsibilities at home.

One of the good things about being with individual children (or grandchildren) is that they have our full attention and we have theirs.

When everyone is together they seem to take their place in birth order or personality. Some are noisy and talkative while others are quiet listeners.

On a night like this Jere is not our second son and third child, but an adult son who has time to tell us about his life. And Kristen does not have to fit in with all the other women and girls – as a daughter-in-law. She has time to talk about her responsibilities and delights.

I must share a funny thing that happened. On the way to the restaurant Jere told us that it was a very stressful day at work and he joked that the only thing he needed was beer soup – and he doesn’t drink any kind of alcohol! 🙂 When we got our menus, we laughed when we saw that one of the Oktoberfest specials was Cheese & Beer Soup with Cracked Pretzels!

We had the same waiter as the previous week (who recognized us), and when we told him why we were laughing, he brought Jere a sample (a few tablespoons) of the soup. It tasted pretty much like a cheese soup.

Since the Duck Dynasty guys have been eating frog legs – and we were in a bit of a adventurous mood – we got an order of frog legs for an appetizer.

Jere and Kristen had one frog leg and Cerwin and I had the other. It tasted pretty much like chicken.

The bread basket contained marbled bread.

Jere’s Mixed Greens & Goat Cheese Fritters

Kristen and I usually order some kind of seafood, and both of us were attracted to the Giant Cocktail Shrimp that you ordered by the piece.

We both ordered two.

This was Kristen’s entrée. I think it was scallop and shrimp linguine.

Cerwin and I each ordered Baked French Onion Soup.

Cerwin also ordered hamburger sliders.

The waiter surprised Jere by putting a candle in his cheese cake.

Cerwin had the same dessert (without a candle).

My DELICIOUS berry cake.

Kristen’s Chocolate Crème Brulee.

It was a delightful evening.