Dinner back at the Lodge ;)

When we go back, Joe and I set about getting a fire going in the big den fireplace, and Pam and Elizabeth got started prepping dinner. One of the neighbors stopped by and chatted it up for a while. Later, Joe turned on a radio in the den. Pam and I chatted and danced a bit in front of the fire. Eventually we all sat down to dinner. Elizabeth had made a fabulous low fat, healthy lasagna, toasted up some french bread with garlic and butter, salad, wine, roaring fire, classical music. Pretty idyllic.

After dinner, we cleared and cleaned up the table. I switched the music back to the rock station it was on earlier. We sat in front of the fire and enjoyed the warmth, and being full, and a bit more wine. At around 10 or so, Joe changed into shorts and a T-Shirt. We joked with him, and so then I went and changed into shorts and T-Shirt as well. Added the touch of keeping my gray socks on with my flip flops. Pam was mortified, HeHe! At 11:30, we broke out the special cheesecake Pam had made for the evening -Mmmmm YUM. Shortly after, Joe started dozing off, so he turned in. Elizabeth and I set out prepping some chestnuts for the fire. She had picked them up at the road-side store earlier. We nipped off the ends (to keep them from exploding, as directed by the guy at the store), and put them into a heavy iron skillet. Then we stuck the skillet directly on the fire embers.

Unfortunately, none of us had ever done this before, and nobody had any idea how long to leave them on. Of course, we left it on too long, and when we finally took it off the fire, all the chestnuts were scorched. Oh well, it was fun to try :). We dumped the burnt chestnuts on the patio outside, and I stomped on them to make sure they weren't still glowing red and a fire hazard. Shortly after, Pam and I turned in. I'd have probably been willing to stay up a bit longer, but I had a small headache, which I managed to keep from getting any worse. But I was therefore tired, and an earlier night was a good idea.