Four wonderful friends joined me for a cosy supper party tonight. I got to do something I’ve always wanted to do – buy an Advent wreath and light the candles. Last week I had a friend over for lunch, and we lit the first candle. Tonight we lit the second and read Mark 1:1-8.

Then we settled in for supper. Menu: Salad with black bread croutons, sun-dried tomatoes, almonds and balsamic vinaigrette, deviled eggs, Chicken Divan, Parker House rolls and caramel cake for dessert.

It was a relaxing contrast to last week. Last Saturday I realized I’d lost my can’t miss chili recipe and had to find something else. Sunday morning I opened the cover of the crock pot to find a disgusting burnt mess.  What to do? I had no other food in the house; I HAD to go to church to sing in the choir – and my friend was coming over for lunch. So after church I skipped Sunday School, raced to the Publix and bought their deli-made soup. With 15 or so minutes to spare I got that on the stove to heat up and dished it up in the bread bowls originally meant for the chili.