My father is coming East for a visit this coming weekend!  A Friday-to-Monday hit-and-run visit, but since he’s pushing 84, I’ll cut him some slack!  He’s been back east before – my parents did a lot of travelling back in the day – but it’s his first visit here since we moved from San Francisco back in 2001.

My sister Eileen and her best friend Renee are flying back with him, and  Renee’s daughter Samantha will be driving up from Maryland where she’s a nurse at Johns Hopkins.  A dual family reunion!  It’s going to be one big slumber party weekend!

Saturday afternoon we’re going to have a BBQ, inviting Victor’s family and a few friends.  About 20 folks.  A small, intimate gathering! 🙂

I’m working on the menu…  I’ve already made homemade chicken chipotle sausages, and will pick up a couple of chickens Wednesday at the Farmers Market to start soaking in buttermilk.  Cold fried buttermilk chicken is definitely on the menu, too – along with a couple of London Broils in a Pumpkin Butter and Steak Sauce marinade… Simple, yet tasty!

And, of course, lots of homemade potato salad, pasta salad, and whatever else I can dream up between now and Saturday afternoon. (I always panic about not having enough food – as if…..)  And we’re going to have Pineapple Cream Pies for dessert.  My mom made the best pies and this was a favorite of my dads (and me!!!)

So…  I’ll keep ya posted on what’s what – and I’ll post some pictures after everyone leaves!