A week ago my husband and I took the trip to Stratford to meet my sister-in-law, step-niece and others at a popular diner called Madelyn's for their famous Sunday menu. For about $7.oo you get 2 eggs, sausage or bacon, the best home fries I've ever tasted, two pancakes, two pieces of toast, coffee and juice. We don't drink coffee so got large size juices. And it is all very good.

This is the place where we used to meet Ross so often and, although he has been gone for two and a half years, the waitress asked for him and was shocked to learn of his passing. I guess he made an impact.

Oh, and they have banana cream pie which is wonderful according to my husband. Here is the pie. I made him wait until I got my camera out, focused it, and snapped the pie.

I was challenged not to eat too much food as it was all so good, but I left one egg, most of the homefries, 3/4 of the toast all on my plate. I did eat all the meat and the two pancakes before I realized that I wasn't paying attention. I was just eating as I socialized with the others. And that's a bad thing.

From Madelyn's we went to Cozyn's (pronounced co-sign, like the trig term) which is a delightful garden gift shop. It was all decked out for Christmas and at least one of the beautiful trees called my name. "Pick me, Elaine. Pick me." But I didn't succumb, knowing I had my own lovely tree all finished and waiting at home. In fact, we walked out of there without buying anything, a real feat of self-restraint, I must say.

We left the others still pondering their purchases and drove home together. For at least one of us, however, one picture still remains the highlight of the day.

Kind of like kids' visions of sugar plums dancing in their dreams! BTW he ate every last bite, but refrained from licking the plate. We were out in public, after all!