Creekside – September 2020 - #214, Covid #7 (dt)
6.16 – 6.8, 6.5, 6.25, 6.2, 6, 6, 6, 5.5

A Notar pick for take-out found DP8 gathering at the Notar backyard at 5:30, a speck early in recognition of the shorter days.
            Yep, we recognize pandemic times call for caution but seven months of no comments of service and ambiance is somehow becoming too ordinary, too almost comfortable. Still, getting together is reassuring.

Creekside, located, of course, on the Catskill Creek beside Hop-O-Nose Marina, is a local favorite, with a classic American casual menu with a handful of salads (topped with several choices for meat in the $5-7 extra range); a dozen appetizers/starters; a dozen favorites/burgers; a dozen entrées; and a half-dozen desserts (catching my eye was the Orange Popsicle Pie). Most of our world would be comfortable here, and even more so sitting along the Right Bank in non-pandemic times.

Choices

Karnes
a shared shrimp cocktail (so-so)
Deb: crabwich with sweet potato fries
Chay: iceberg wedge salad (mostly romaine), Buffalo wings medium (bland)
beer

Teator
Deb: Harvest salad with grilled chicken; NE clam chowder (ok)
Don: Harvest salad with salmon (hefty side of salmon)
beer and soda

Notar
a shared shrimp cocktail (same comment)
Joyce: salad with balsamic; crabcakes with vegetables and roasted potatoes
Mark: chicken Milanese
beer: some of Chris’ homemade

Monteverd
Kriss: fried shrimp, sweet potato fries
Ken: fish & chips, and a salad
coffee & lemonade


Affecting our judgments of take-out food is both the length of time to get food home and, in this case, the uneven performance of having food ready at the same time. The collectors-of-food (Notars) reported most of our meals were sitting on the table, waiting almost fifteen minutes for the last one to arrive. We are beginning to order food that can stand for 20-30 minutes but tonight was another matter.

Dessert:
Yes, a bright spot of pandemic take-outs is the anticipation of Deb K’s desserts. Of course, she tantalizes us by keeping the four pans out of sight, cradling them until ready to distribute. The realization of Linzer Torte, though, caused an audible inhalation of pleasure. A brief description of making the torte led to the tasting of two generous slices of torte, with a third slice to savor the following morning (or sooner). Deb, thaaaannnkkk you.

The warm and sunlit weather of earlier in the day had turned cloudy and the forecast called for a stray shower but that held off. Just in case, Joyce and Mark had set up the two tables under the porch. And thank you, Notars, for settings of plates and silverware, if needed.

Topics under the porch, and then in a re-shaped circle, included: earlier sunsets affecting dinner times; cooler weather affecting outdoor dining; golfing performances; Ken’s slender look; Kriss’ FB photo of the dress she wore re-used by her granddaughter; biking; Deb K’s jogging; Kalli walks; the Weed Road farm for sale (nearing a million); the first hints of color; day trips; Teator trips to nature preserves; the start of school and relief we are retired; the start of school and what those left behind are experiencing; Notar trip to time share; upcoming Karnes venture to Finger Lakes; Copper Hill House sale (not yet final); Spohler house sale (fell through); Tim and Judy selling both houses to buy one more; tales of our children’s ventures; tales of the Monteverd grandchildren; the Pisano wedding; social distancing; the Quinns babysitting for new grandchild; our comfort levels out in public; setting an October DP8 date; tv/cable/satellite reception; deciding soon about DP8 cold weather half year; motorcycle weekend at Blackthorne; apple-picking; plenteous tomatoes; closing down the pools; driveway re-dos; NYC influx; crazy real estate prices; TV sports returning; school sports; and snippets of a bunch more that wafted through the rafters of the Notar porch.