I hope you have fun plans for the weekend. In the USA we celebrate Memorial Day on Monday to honor the men and women who died serving our country. Americans usually celebrate this solemn day with backyard BBQs or beach picnics. We will be spending the afternoon at a friend's house for a potluck and we are so grateful to be going, firstly because we are excited to see our friends and secondly, we are so glad we are healthy enough to go!

Several weeks ago we went on a beautiful Regent cruise to Alaska, our first Regent cruise, and were blown away with how posh it was. Alaska is a favorite destination and Regent Cruise Line is top notch and now I think I'm spoiled for good. The bad news is this--we both came home sick, my husband with pneumonia and me with covid. We stayed in separate parts of the house (I didn't want him to get covid on top of pneumonia) and I wore a mask when I went into the kitchen.  We both felt terrible and it was a week of hell, but thankfully it's behind us and we are going to a party tomorrow!

I started these little patriotic dolls before I left and finished them just yesterday in time for Memorial Day and July 4th. I love making peg dolls and they always make me smile. I made plenty because I figure I need 20. I'll pass them out to the girls at my first Monday knitting, then the birthday clubbers and next to the girls in our dinner group. Then I'll save one for me and one for Carter. Actually he doesn't want them anymore but I am going to ask him if he wouldn't want to give one to his friend Tanya. He often talks about his friends and one of the names I hear often is Tanya. Recently I asked him "What's the name of your girlfriend again?" He almost went white and sputtered out how he did not have a girlfriend because he was too young. I offered a heartfelt apology because I hate to get things wrong and be all meddlely and nosy and agreed with him completely and explained that my using "girlfriend" simply meant that he had a friend who was a girl. He then softened up and volunteered a larger part of the story: He and his best friend do like these two girls and the two girls like them, but the four have agree that they are too young to be girlfriend/boyfriend but they will be when they are older. And so I had to ask, "when will that be"? He said 23. I said excellent, that's a nice age and you guys are so smart. He beamed at me. But poor Tanya. If I ever meet her I'll tell her he's worth the wait.

After being so sick we've been craving healthy food. This morning I had the urge to make fennel soup. I had to thin the fennel anyway, so I chopped up the stems of 5 young plants, added half an onion and some garlic and sautéd in butter until soft. Next I added chicken stock, sour cream and the chopped fronds and whirled it with my stick blender. It tasted so good and healthy. I served it for lunch and it gave us an instant boost, like a Popeye spinach boost! My husband said he'd like to have this at least once a week!