The Spendloves and the Poles

 Jonny and his family were our special guests for Sunday dinner on May 24, 2020.  The whole gang was there--Mike and his family, Camille and the Eberts, and Lisa's children who are attending BYU.

The theme was Poland.  Polish food and culture particularly appeal to our grandchildren who have served LDS missions in Eastern Europe--Grant in Slovakia and Czech Republic, Emily in Moldova, Hungary, and Rumania, and Naomi in Bulgaria.

The entree was Polish-style beef goulash with potato pancakes.  I also made piroghis as an appetizer, and we had a very light, fluffy Polish cheesecake with berries for dessert.

 "Thank you, Grandma, for gettting the cousins together so often," Emily tells me.  I am delighted that Camille's children and Lisa's children enjoy each other so much.  The college age children from both families are planning a weekend together at our St. George house.

 I am also delighted for Jonny's boys, like Sam, who live in Iowa, to spend time with their Utah cousins.

 Carol Garza, from across the street, is a frequent and prized guest.

 Our grandson, Grant Flindt, often brings his cute girlfriend, Meg Owens.

Jono brought a cute date, Grace Pugsley, who was an LDS missionary with Jono in the Fukuoka Japan mission.  Grace and Jono sat next to each other on the plane home from Japan.

 Naomi Flindt is expecting a little girl in September.  We are so excited!

Jenny, who lives in Iowa, will spend much of the summer in Salt Lake with her boys, while Jonny returns to work..

 Sophia and her family have been "sheltering" at our St. George house for several weeks.  Sophia is now back at home with her friends.

 Ezra is a good student and a good athlete, as well.

 After dinner, our guests moved from tables in the garden back inside.  Camille is the Young Women's president in her ward, and she showed us a video of the teenagers in her ward singing and playing instruments.  The video was made from cell phone photos taken at the young people's homes and spliced together so they appeared to be singing in unison.

We then watched the video of Jono giving his homecoming speech, after returning from his mission to Japan.  The Salt Lake City wards are still meeting electronically, rather than in person.

 We finished the evening by sharing facts we knew about Poland.  Family members called out that Marie Curie was Polish.

 Chopin was Polish, too.

And, on a darker note, Poland's large Jewish population was exterminated, during WWII, at the Nazi prison, Auschwitz, located in Poland.