Bistro Newsletter

Last weekend was my 5th or 6th (who’s counting) annual trip rafting down the Pine River near Cadillac. A winter river trip is a unique experience, but for anyone who enjoys nature’s beauty it is well worth the effort and the chill in the air. The Pine is a swift river and very rarely ices over completely. This year the river was quite low so there were some small areas where our guide had previously chain sawed through the ice to keep things moving. We have rented our craft with Pine River Paddle Sports Center for over 20 years and Jake, the owner, paddles with us in the winter. He drives all the gear back to our starting point and we hike the 2 miles back to the cars. We were lucky to get a sunny day, with temps in the high 20’s, it was a perfect winter day in the woods.

The hot tub and campfire back at the house were a warm welcome after our active day. As you know I love a good cold plunge and I jumped in the snow after a long soak in the tub. I however am not as crazy as my beloved friends who did a full dive and roll. They are insane.

Dusty’s delicious Split Pea Soup, our Charcuterie and my Build-Your-Own Mediterranean Chicken Tacos kept us satiated throughout the weekend. We barely watched the Super Bowl, it was a real sleeper, and my group had mixed reviews on the halftime show. As a Gen X’r I was surprised and delighted to see Ricky Martin. He looked and sounded amazing. I wish my Spanish was better as I love Latin music, and the imagery told a beautiful story, but I would have liked to understand all the words. I certainly appreciated Bad Bunny’s positive message of unity. I’ve always considered knowing multiple languages as a sign of intelligence and education and my kitchen “Spanglish” is not cutting it for full conversation. Time to break out the Duolingo and step up on my Spanish.

Happy Valentine’s Day to everyone! I hope you spend the weekend with someone you love, whether it be your significant other or your own group of Hens, doing the things you love the most.​

Cheers,
Sharon
 

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