Van Horn Family Dinner

I have been adopted by a family named the Van Horns. Hugh and Jeni are a fabulous couple with three kids: the ever-efflourescent Ryan, the mysterious Regann, and the not even a year old charmer Lincoln. They are the kind of friends that I always enjoy seeing all-together, especially at the tail end of long weekends spent coordinating parties or fundraising events that I am too busy mingling to eat at. On Sundays, hungry, I sometimes tend to just show up at their home, tired and spent, no make-up and crazy-haired looking for some time rolling around on the floor with the kids while some sports game plays on the t.v. Usually, Hugh pours me a glass of wine and fires up the outdoor grill while Lincoln teethes on my IPhone and Ryan begs me to chase her around and play "tickle monster." But today I am spent having thrown a Halloween party the night before, so I tell my faux-fam that I am only around for a few minutes to get a dose of the sweet innocence and pure joyousness of their household which is like Vitamin B to my soul.

Hugh manages to prolong me long enough by saying that it's these moments in life when you just pop in with friends that are the best, long enough to finish cooking up a fine tri-tip and to send me off with my own Van Horn plate of meat, corn on the cob and a buttery potato. Nothing like walking into my home on a Sunday evening to veg on the couch with a ready made meal crafted with love by members of my adopted tribe. If only we all made a plate on Sunday for someone we loved, the world might be a better place!