Last night, we held the 1st Annual Neighborhood Progressive Dinner. It was the first time in the 6 1/2 years we have lived here that we have had a get-together that required no kids! When we moved here, there was the traditional Halloween night craziness that included games, food and lots of kids that just wanted to go trick-or-treating. A couple of years later, the parents gave in and let the kids do what they wanted -- just go get candy! National Night Out was another "bring food to the end of the cul-de-sac and watch the kids go wild" night. However, August 1 in Houston equals a warm, soupy night and that got tossed by the wayside too. We all figured we see each other everyday. We can wave and say our neighborly "hellos" and get back to our lives.
After Hurricane Ike, the neighborly ways came out in full force and in the midst of helping each other, friendships were grown. The days were spent helping neighbors clean up, the kids playing together, gasoline and water and food shared. At night, bar-b-que grills were brought out and we sat and enjoyed the food and company in the dark together. I decided that attempts needed to be made to keep those relationships going.
Everyone seemed to like the idea of the Progressive Dinner. I explained that my parents used to do this when I was growing up. However, they would drive all over town and not be done until the wee hours of the morning. We just walked and were done by 9:30! (We are such partiers!!)
We started at one house and had appetizer's -- yummy pizza dip, olive tapenade, and sticks of mozzarella, basil and tomatoes. I tried to pace myself...On to the soup house, where a new neighbor moved in. Aida is from Russia and made this AMAZING Russian vegetable salad, vegetable soup and a meat pie. Wow!! I was very comfortable at this point; but, we were only halfway done! On to our house for the Main Course and side dishes and dessert -- ugh! -- I could barely leave the table after eating small portions of pork loin, green bean casserole, baked beans, broccoli salad and potato salad! We decided to take a break and do our White Elephant gifts first before having dessert. We had lots of laughs seeing the gifts people chose to give --an old Mr. Mouth game, a set of knives, salt and pepper shakers, and a framed picture of one of our neighbors! Poor Aida will get to look at Spencer's face for a year! We then FORCED ourselves to have a plate of desserts!
Four hours later, the babysitters were taken home, the kitchens were cleaned and we all were snug in our beds dreaming of what Aida will make next year!!
