Porch Surprise

Charlie left about noon on Thursday.  He had been here a week — one of the longest visits in many years — and, from the old folks’ point of view, one of the very best!  We visited, played games, re-created some family recipes and, in general, got up to some semblance of speed.  Under normal circumstances, even with weekly phone calls, that’s hard to accomplish.  Nyel and I tried to stay up late (for us) and Charlie, ever the night owl, used his ‘alone time’ to finish any kitchen clean-up (usually a lot!) that I’d left for morning!  Fabulous!  It definitely earned him the moniker “Charlie-The-House-Elf” in my mind.

The Packages Within

That afternoon, Nyel had a long-postponed visit to the dentist.  We returned home to find a large “care package” on the table near the front door.  Michael and Lynn Madigan, Gourmet Food Elves (and not just at Christmastime!) had left us dinner.  Actually, two dinners.  Wow!

The large white bag was full of individual packages, neatly labeled:  “Momma’s Irish Cream,” “Osso Buco,” “Saffron Risotto for Osso Buco,” “Wagyu Prime Rib,” “Garlic Mashed Potatoes,” “Creamed Spinach”. Wow!  Oh, and I forgot to mention the wonderful Goodie Box of cookies, fudge, and other treats!  Wow some more!

Momma’s Irish Cream

I later found instructions sent to my email by Michael:  First meal is osso buco with saffron risotto.  The osso bucco is sealed up; you can reheat it in the bag submerged in a pan of barely simmering water for about an hour to an hour and 15 minutes.  Flip the bag halfway through cooking.  The second meal is prime Wagyu roast beef with creamed spinach and garlic mashed potatoes.  You’ve also got a box of Christmas cookies and fudge.  Try to share!  Finally several drams of Lynn’s homemade Bailey’s type liquer.  It’s delightful on its own, but really shines in coffee.  

From The Cookie Elf

And if those Christmas Elves were not enough, here came Charlotte Killien, Cookie Elf Indescribable!  Her cookies are becoming legendary here on the Long Beach Peninsula and we feel honored, indeed, that she remembers us when she is in town!  “Please, please,” we say to her, “come when you can stay for a visit.”  But we are seldom so fortunate and have to content ourselves with her baked goods.   (Let’s hear it:  “Oooohhhh  Noooo!”)

So… Thanks to the  elves in our lives, the holiday spirit continues at this address in Oysterville!  As I so often say… we are truly blessed!