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We had pumpkin stew and other leftovers for dinner Sunday night.  I had painting  on Monday until 2:30.  However, facing the same leftover stew again was more than i could handle.  I wanted soup.  I pulled all the beef and set it aside from the vegetables in the stew.  I put the vegetables in a large pot and added a qt. of my homemade vegetable broth and left over heavy cream, it was about 1/4 C at most.  I used 3 t salt, 1 t pepper and thyme, sage, rosemary that was drying on the counter.  I also added about 1/2 t pumpkin pie spice. I added the broth in batches and used my immersion blender.  I also added all those herbs and spices and tasted all along.  When it was warm, I added back in the beef that I had cut in smaller pieces.  This was the best pumpkin soup I have ever tasted. 

We went to PA to visit Carole and Dick.  Jim’s birthday is the 27th and Carole’s is Halloween.  We had a joint birthday party on Saturday with friends attending.  We arrived in the afternoon and had quick and salad for lunch.  that night we with to Francisco’ on the River for dinner.  Lovely Italian dinner.  I had clams in white sauce, delicious!  If you are anywhere near Bucks County, you must go there.  

Friday we spent the day in Philly.  We went to the Constitution museum, and the new Revolutionary museum, both extremely interesting.  Then we went to Buddakan for Jim’s birthday dinner.  Buddakan remains my favorite dinner place in Philly.  

Saturday was party day at the Barocca’s.  Carole and Dick throw the greatest parties and this was no exception.  Fillet’s wrapped in phyllo dough and roasted carrots and potatoes.  Cathy made the most delicious cake and beautifully decorated.  We had a great time.  During the day we had an Argentine tango lessen from Julio, their instructor.  Sunday he held a marengo.  Everyone danced the tango and it was a good time.  It was a pot luck dinner after.  Sunday we were going to go to brunch, but we were dead tired and so postponed it to Monday.  I had the best tasting butternut squash soup I have ever tasted.  This was followed by and avocado sandwich.  Unfortunately we forgot to ask for a card, so don’t remember the name.  We did a little shopping and then went home and Dick fixed a delicious salmon dinner.  After dinner we watched TV and Carole, Jim and I watched the movie, Scent of a Woman until 2:30 in the morning.  We flew home on Tuesday, but first we visited the nursing home where our friend Lori is.   It was hard to view her in that environment, but I am glad we went.  We wore masks and seem to entertain the entire home.  That was fun.  We flew home, and believe it or not all the planes were comfortable and on time.  It was a miracle.  Even our luggage made it both ways.  The photo is Jim at Buddakan on his birthday.  Can you believe he is now 74!

So Sunday everyone got up early but me.  They had coffee and when I came to, I served blueberry muffins and fruit on the patio as we were eating brunch at Cheekwood and then touring Fall there.  The muffins were the ones I made from all recipes.com this summer (Best Ever Blueberry Muffins) when blueberries were in season.  I froze half and fruit was from the grocery cut up.  This is the four of us in front of the pumpkin house.  The guy who took the photo cut off the top, so I edited it further.  A good day.  We walked through all the pumpkins, flowers, and scarecrows.  I logged 7000 steps today.  We came back and drank water on the front porch.  Then they had to head to Hendersonville.  I swam for a while and watched Jim sleep as he pretended to read the paper outside.  

I just though my Birthday table setting was pretty for fall so wanted to include it.  

Jim bought dinner at Kroger while I was in the clinic.  He bought me the worst tomato soup on earth.  He also had a roasted chicken and chicken soup for him.  Didn't matter I had no interest in dinner.  

Ok, last writing was the Wednesday before Jim’s birthday.  On his birthday we were going to an Opera Event for Table Hosts, which we are this year.  For some reason I thought it was a dinner, but just a cocktail party.  Fine, Jim wanted to go to Flemings for his birthday dinner. That was fine with me as I was really sick and he had a $40 off coupon. That afternoon, I started on Jim’s birthday cake.  I had planned a birthday weekend with our friends the Bowen’s.  Jim and Bill have birthdays exactly a week apart.  If you look up February 8, 2013 you will find Jim’s favorite flourless Cassis chocolate cake.  Jim wanted chocolate for his birthday.  I had to stop and start holding my mid section as the coughing was so intense.   I got through the cake and was going to ice it after we got home from dinner.  So we went to the party, I warned all to stay away from me and then we went to Flemings.  Jim had a 14 oz. strip steak.  I had a couple lamb chops called a small plate, came home and went straight to bed.  The next day we were to go with friends to an Opera Shopping event at Talbots and then on to dinner at Table 3.  I could not lift my head off the pillow.  You know I am sick if I give off shopping and 10% off!  Jim talked me into going to the Vanderbilt Urgent Care near the house.  I should have done it sooner.  They were sure I had pneumonia.  I said I just had an update of the pneumonia shot.  So I came home with the step-down drug package, an inhaler and codeine cough syrup.  I could have drank the bottle of that.  I will have to say the next morning I felt 50% better and we were able to go on with the birthday weekend.  Friday after we came home from the clinic, I started the main course.  It is the stew in a pumpkin shell that I made December 28, 2014.  It was a special request.  The pumpkin was bigger and it took the full 2 hours on Saturday to cook.  We also had to use a roasting pan as it would not fit in even my biggest widest pot. I did not forget the apricots this time and I used a chuck roast which I cut up in stew like portions and the meat was much better.  It was amazingly warm here we started out swimming in the pool and having appetizers pool side.  Appetizers were simple, grapes, cranberry goat cheese, crackers, nuts, olives, and marinaded mozzarella balls.  With dinner Jim served Hermitabe La Chpelle1999 Vine rouge.  So simple a defination for such a great wien.  That was followd by The Stand.  It is a petite Sirah  from Paso Robles, CA, made by Tooth & Nail.  

Then we had dinner and dessert in the dining room.