Lunch with Bears

If I'm not gallivanting all over North America, T'liese and I usually get together on Thursdays for a "Play Day." It doesn't mean our kids gather together at the park while we chat on a bench nearby...probably because I don't have any kids. This playing refers to us adults, and we are just nice enough to let Evan tag along. T'liese thinks he's still too young to leave at home alone, even though he is turning one next week.

Today's Play Day meant we grabbed lunch together. We tried a place that has rave reviews called the Black Bear Diner. It was an old-school wilderness diner complete with log wallpaper and servers dressed up as lumberjacks. As soon as I walked through the door, I felt under dressed and thought about going home to put on more flannel. Goodness knows it was cold enough to warrant such clothing! Cold enough, too, for me to order a hot chocolate. What a total treat, considering I never get anything to drink besides water. I sat at our booth and waited for my play mates to arrive, sipping what ended up being a little hot chocolate and lots of whipped cream (just the way I like it!). Soon, T'liese and Evan also came through the log door. I immediately felt more comfortable because they hadn't worn enough flannel to fit in with the crowd, either.

The menu was displayed on an old newspaper. It was really tough picking what to eat, but I decided to go with my first inclination and got the Chicken Avocado Club. With french fries. Oops! T'liese got a lunch portion of their Hot Turkey Sandwich but wished it would lived up to its name by being more hot. We waited about half an hour for our food, too. When a starving one year-old is present, the situation was just begging to turn ugly.

Just kidding...Evan was the patient one. It was my sister and I who kept craning our necks towards the kitchen in hopes that our plates would be on their way next. My sandwich was great, and I even saved half of it for my husband to munch on later. The fries didn't quite make the trip home.

For dessert, we split a Bear Claw. We decided against a fruit-filled variety and just went with what turned out to be a giant pastry with cinnamon roll guts. It was hot and came with extra butter, which only made the entire thing more heavenly. This was definitely the highlight of lunch. Oh so good! We even shared a few pieces with Evan. He thoroughly enjoyed what little he got into his mouth and not onto the floor.

Soon it was time to pack up, bundle Evan in his coat, and head to T'liese's house. We played a game of cribbage, looked at some funny home videos online, played the "Which One" game from a home furnishings catalog, and enjoyed a nice visit. Have I ever mentioned how nice it is to have my sister so close? It's a treat being able to spend time with my best friend any time I choose.

Even if that cute little Evan tags along from time to time, too.