Vicki and Pudgie - The Annual Summer Visit

Yes, Pudgie and Vicki, my college friends of 40 years returned to Rochester for the THIRD time for a recent visit. This makes three summers in a row these two have traveled from Cleveland and Middletown, OH to visit Mike and me. Apparently there is some attraction here of which I am completely unaware!

Could it be my cooking? Neither of these two (especially Pudgie) are really into cooking. Vicki has a super retired husband that COOKS AND CLEANS AND GROCERY SHOPS. What the hell is this? Mike has been in the grocery two times in 38 year – when I had the two kids. And then he complained that my list was not aisle by aisle and he managed to run into two food displays and topple them!

Anyway, I tried my best to make Pudgie and Vicki some delicious dinners and a few appetizers that were new. I made a good chicken, tomato and angel hair dish and a sausage appetizer from my favorite Cincinnati cookbook, “When Pigs Fly.”

We did the usual – one afternoon in my neighborhood and one day in Canandaigua at the gigantic TJ Maxx/Homegoods and the casino (Pudgie was the winner). After shopping, we had a very nice lunch at the New York Culinary Institute. On Sunday we shopped locally again and had a great time. I made my favorite brunch dish, Macadamia Nut French Toast, with sausage on the side.

These two are the BEST HOUSEGUESTS! They entertain each other if I am busy cooking or go to bed early. They eat anything I make and they also make me laugh all the time. We always reminisce about our goofy college days (Pudgie was really quite wild) and we call our other old college friends to see what’s going on. I guess it’s no surprise they rarely answer the phone! Anyway, I feel so happy when they come. Having such good friends for such a long time is the best blessing of all! I hope all of you have true friends like these – they like the people you like, they share their real lives and they love you no matter what!

Vicki and Pudgie Come to Town Part II

Another quick note on the Pudgie and Vicki visit. One morning I slept later than Pudge and Vick and they decided to empty my dishwasher. When they visit, I cook every night so the dishwasher is constantly running. Well, it has been 2 weeks and I still cannot find my strainer, my garlic press or my favorite chopping knife. AND yesterday, I found my toaster in the cabinet where I keep cleaning supplies - shows you how often I look in that cabinet! I know those two are trying to be funny or make me crazy or both. I found my best spatula not in the utensil jar but in the FREEZER! They do manage to give me a chuckle each day, and that is a good thing!

Vicki and Pudgie Come to Town

Pudgie and Vicki are two of my dearest long-time friends. We all met as college freshman 40 years ago attending a private, female only religious school – we sure were happy to meet those cute boys at neighboring Xavier U. Pudgie and Vicki were assigned roommates that first year and very quickly became good friends. A lot of people wanted to be friends with Pudge since she had a very cute brother at XU and we figured she could be of great benefit to us. This is way before the phrase “hooking up” ever existed.

I happened to room with a high school friend of Vicki’s and was lucky enough to be included in their group. I lived on a different, and frankly way cooler floor, (yes, there was only one dorm) but spent a lot of time hiding in their closet when the floor supervisor (a tightly wound nun) did her “bed checks.” I wonder what they would call “bed checks” now?

We drank too much beer, laughed way too hard, watched “All My Children” each day (Susan Lucci was 16!!) and had a ton of fun – which we are still having. Pudgie even pierced my ears one night after I was asked to leave French class for laughing too much.

Since I left Cincinnati 4 years ago, Pudgie and Vicki have come to visit me each summer. The first year they came to N. Washington, visited Pike’s Place Market and enjoyed the beauty of the Northwest. For the past 3 summers they have come to Rochester.

Each year, as a good hostess, I try to make a “plan.” Each year I am determined to show them the local highlights. Each year they decline. Once again this year I offered to take them to Niagara Falls. The Canadian side is very cool and there is this great boat tour that goes under the Falls. My sister and I did it last summer, we got soaked but it was fun. Vicki said “do you get wet?” and when the response was “yes” she said “no.”

Next I proposed a tour of the Corning Museum of Glass and they said it was too far (it’s only 1 ½ hours away).

Then I had another great idea - the Mackenzie-Childs Factory and Showroom are not far. No thanks again. They are very polite.

Next, I offered the George Eastman House (the founder of Eastman-Kodak) — remember when Paul McCartney married Linda Eastman and everyone said she was the daughter of the founder of Kodak—ok, not true. In case you were wondering, that idea received a big no too.

My last idea was a walking tour of the Erie Canal given by my husband. I made the mistake of telling them he likes to sing “15 Miles on the Erie Canal” as he gives the tour. Boy, they declined that one in a hurry, even though I threw in ice cream at the end!

So, we did what we always do – sat on my porch and laughed and shared memories in between trips to the local casino, the mall and the discount stores. It was great!

*Becky Knows Everything: We made Becky’s Perfect Pizza one night for dinner and Vicki’s looked so good it was photographed for the blog.