The emails and phone calls were flying back and forth.  Yes, after the concerts we would attend in Vienna, Maastricht and New York, we would all get together for a weekend of Friends, Food & Fun.  Andre Rieu music would be featured and the backdrop would be the beautiful Lake Tahoe.  Incline Village, Here We Come!

John & Bobbie de Jong arrived on August 25 along with Joanne Larson. I would arrive the following day, leaving early in the morning for the 3 hour drive to Jim & Ruth Morgan's house nestled in the village with the Sierra Foothills and Lake Tahoe as it's backyard.

I arrived on the morning of the 26th, not 10 minutes before Dora & Gene Senn.  We took a fast ride and walk out on the beach of Tahoe. Zerne, Ruth's brother in law arrived to greet Dora & Gene, and we were all together having a grand time within moments. Hugs & Kisses all around.

Stories of the Vienna & Maastricht concerts were told and heard.  Photographs shared. Tales of New York with photos appeared and after much visiting it was time for lunch.

Chef Jim prepared filet mignon on the grill, Ruth had ready her famous potato salad, Dorli brought her special beans, Bobbie treated us with her Dutch Apple Taart, Joanne brought her in-demand Carmellitas and I brought a doll cake from Rosanna's. (I took a photo of Suzan Erens at the Vienna Concert, dressed up as Sisi, and asked for the cake to look like her.  I think the baker did a good job, e tu?)

We ate lunch outside on the upper deck, as Andre Rieu serenaded us via the house-wide speaker system.  Lunching, chatting, sharing and an occasional wave to neighbors walking through the trees behind the house.

We went online via Ruth's laptop, checking in on this site and the blog and wished we could bring our Andre Friends to our weekend.  We thought of all of you and how much fun it would be if we were all together.
 

The best was yet to come.  Unbeknownst to the rest of us, John & Bobbie had brought the DVD of Andre Rieu in Vienna with them.  As we prepared to watch a movie in Jim & Ruth's Media Room, John went downstairs first, and slid the DVD into the projector.  We all clapped with glee as the first scenes appeared on the 106" screen.  We saw John & Bobbie waltzing and noticed other fans we know in audience.  I'll not spoil the DVD for those who have not yet watched it, but Fantastic is too small a word. 

 A trip to see the Tyrolean Village and all too soon it was over, we'd watched 3 Andre Rieu DVDs, talked and talked and talked some more, and shared stories of our lives with one another. Smiles & Miles, for me the weekend had come to an end.

Breakfast was at The Biltmore, a Casino. We had a good time visiting, eating our breakfast specials and looking around.  Then it was time to go. I drove home Sunday, after saying my goodbyes, leaving John, Bobbie & Joanne to stay with Ruth & Jim and enjoy the next day touring Lake Tahoe in the Morgan's boat. (Joanne, can you add a paragraph or two about the boat trip? You went to Vikingsholm?)

Good News.  Joanne has sent photos of the Chat n Chomp, and the boat ride around Lake Tahoe.  Enjoy:::::::::