Once there was a house.
![](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/c9e986_b540a50323014a12b23d7a212bc7e43a~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_980,h_388,al_c,q_85,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_auto/c9e986_b540a50323014a12b23d7a212bc7e43a~mv2.jpg)
It was a beautiful house.
![](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/c9e986_ec9bc8c6374148348feeb25efcd31767~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_768,h_576,al_c,q_85,enc_auto/c9e986_ec9bc8c6374148348feeb25efcd31767~mv2.jpg)
It was a big house.
![](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/c9e986_3417a0e8de5b4f72831bac253932c0c0~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_384,h_288,al_c,q_80,enc_auto/c9e986_3417a0e8de5b4f72831bac253932c0c0~mv2.jpg)
It had a big backyard.
![](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/c9e986_952a9dbe066e48a0b52d2e76599d88d1~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_384,h_288,al_c,q_80,enc_auto/c9e986_952a9dbe066e48a0b52d2e76599d88d1~mv2.jpg)
With a pool.
![](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/c9e986_92ecef28f5d94e5f8e33abd69f6bc063~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_384,h_288,al_c,q_80,enc_auto/c9e986_92ecef28f5d94e5f8e33abd69f6bc063~mv2.jpg)
The Lady of the House loved to host gatherings.
![](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/c9e986_5c595a8ad9e54a9083035e37b6cb7624~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_980,h_471,al_c,q_85,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_auto/c9e986_5c595a8ad9e54a9083035e37b6cb7624~mv2.jpg)
There were parties in the living room.
![](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/c9e986_b154f12f3b2c4054ad11a700c4f27e25~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_980,h_653,al_c,q_85,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_auto/c9e986_b154f12f3b2c4054ad11a700c4f27e25~mv2.jpg)
Parties in the family room.
![](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/c9e986_b6fbbe1581ba413da45d2c23219ef248~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_980,h_735,al_c,q_85,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_auto/c9e986_b6fbbe1581ba413da45d2c23219ef248~mv2.jpg)
Parties by the pool.
![](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/c9e986_32ff49125c9542fbb7fb5950230d2aaa~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_980,h_2017,al_c,q_90,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_auto/c9e986_32ff49125c9542fbb7fb5950230d2aaa~mv2.jpg)
One day, the Lady of the House announced that she was to be married several months hence.
![](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/c9e986_ee6568b3d44b4e88b1f071825107c2a7~mv2.jpeg/v1/fill/w_384,h_384,al_c,q_80,enc_auto/c9e986_ee6568b3d44b4e88b1f071825107c2a7~mv2.jpeg)
Friends of the happy couple were each invited to bring a dish for the reception, much like a potluck.
![](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/c9e986_8f884014cace4c019c12b480fd547994~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_600,h_350,al_c,q_80,enc_auto/c9e986_8f884014cace4c019c12b480fd547994~mv2.jpg)
Immediately, many culinary ideas were proposed, so many that the Lady of the House offered to host a pre-wedding potluck for all involved to present their dishes and determine which would be served at the reception.
![](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/c9e986_1b1328d820bb4ab9a45514a0ab5fc719~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_626,h_500,al_c,q_80,enc_auto/c9e986_1b1328d820bb4ab9a45514a0ab5fc719~mv2.jpg)
That first potluck went well, though the results regarding whose creations would make the cut were inconclusive.
![](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/c9e986_25cbca0eb73a436497a36a669ef4310d~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_980,h_654,al_c,q_85,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_auto/c9e986_25cbca0eb73a436497a36a669ef4310d~mv2.jpg)
The second potluck a week later went even better, but further deliberation was still needed.
![](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/c9e986_02354d4ba85145e09db6b48e912151c6~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_640,h_600,al_c,q_85,enc_auto/c9e986_02354d4ba85145e09db6b48e912151c6~mv2.jpg)
By the third gathering, a regular weekly potluck had taken hold and the catering of the wedding reception was happily turned over to the handful of true foodies in the group.
![](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/c9e986_296f150d36e44b998ea8e6850628ff1a~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_732,h_549,al_c,q_85,enc_auto/c9e986_296f150d36e44b998ea8e6850628ff1a~mv2.jpg)
Of course, the wedding took place in the big backyard.
![](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/c9e986_891a92c88c04438a80190e9e2e20c45d~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_980,h_653,al_c,q_85,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_auto/c9e986_891a92c88c04438a80190e9e2e20c45d~mv2.jpg)
And the potlucks continued.
![](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/c9e986_f1b7c84040d64d20b4fbe51cb53334ee~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_780,h_439,al_c,q_80,enc_auto/c9e986_f1b7c84040d64d20b4fbe51cb53334ee~mv2.jpg)
There were potlucks in the living room.
![](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/c9e986_c94aa57ed68d48dd8846a380348058d5~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_980,h_653,al_c,q_85,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_auto/c9e986_c94aa57ed68d48dd8846a380348058d5~mv2.jpg)
Potlucks in the family room.
![](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/c9e986_6038fd4d35d74a5699cc75df154e4e88~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_980,h_1307,al_c,q_85,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_auto/c9e986_6038fd4d35d74a5699cc75df154e4e88~mv2.jpg)
Potlucks by the pool.
![](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/c9e986_19e35143f7d941fd944e5b10bc82bf27~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_980,h_476,al_c,q_85,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_auto/c9e986_19e35143f7d941fd944e5b10bc82bf27~mv2.jpg)
Contentment reigned.
![](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/c9e986_a27a650faa5d49349acb012b5c3a950b~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_980,h_980,al_c,q_85,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_auto/c9e986_a27a650faa5d49349acb012b5c3a950b~mv2.jpg)
Then came a malady.
![](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/c9e986_04946e2641024ead99075a917e7d2123~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_976,h_549,al_c,q_85,enc_auto/c9e986_04946e2641024ead99075a917e7d2123~mv2.jpg)
Suddenly it was unsafe for people to gather.
![](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/c9e986_1d02792fdc20494b9e7c45f4163b3e47~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_768,h_492,al_c,q_85,enc_auto/c9e986_1d02792fdc20494b9e7c45f4163b3e47~mv2.jpg)
The Lady of the House consulted her friends and made the heartbreaking decision to end the potlucks.
![](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/c9e986_eec064fa91984b4ebfe0a98fd7bfc517~mv2.png/v1/fill/w_980,h_751,al_c,q_90,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_auto/c9e986_eec064fa91984b4ebfe0a98fd7bfc517~mv2.png)
I was blessed to be a member of that group.
![](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/c9e986_3a26096694fc4fd9bcac86e299be85e6~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_480,h_565,al_c,q_80,enc_auto/c9e986_3a26096694fc4fd9bcac86e299be85e6~mv2.jpg)
I miss that house, which now belongs to new people.
![](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/c9e986_b8ca06e7d8934402b0191f5d8658eea0~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_273,h_169,al_c,q_80,enc_auto/c9e986_b8ca06e7d8934402b0191f5d8658eea0~mv2.jpg)
Hmm, I wonder if they like potlucks ...
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