The Countess is fortunate to have a large and loving family. You don't often read about them in this blog because most have asked that I don't post about them. Not everyone wants to maintain an internet presence. I understand that completely. I have had my share of trolls and even a few threatening emails sent my way. At one point my children asked me to stop posting because there seemed to be one person who was stalking me but I enjoy writing this little diary of my adventures and I like having a journal of my crazy life.

That said, there are many kinds of families. The kind you are born into or marry into, and maybe the best kind....the family that you create. When I came to the Berkshires to reside in the Summer Palace a few years ago, I met a person who has become a wonderful friend. Troy and his partner Andrew have embraced me and called me 'family'. So when we made plans to attend the theater one evening and Andrew invited me to dinner at his home, it certainly felt like I was going to a family dinner.

Andrew's mom, Terry, and his sister, Amy, were visiting. Here is Amy creating delicious iceberg lettuce salads for us. I don't know what she made the salad dressing out of but I ate the whole salad, it was so flavorful!

Andrew and Amy cooked up Chicken Marsala and roasted potatoes. We had wine....and a glass of Glenlivet. A wonderful feast! Their son, Dylan, and I were dressed alike in black and silver. Dylan is getting more and more handsome every day.

Troy baked a cherry pie and carved a ghost into the top crust in honor of the play we were going to see, "GHOSTS" at the Berkshire Theatre Festival.

Here is Troy getting ready to serve the dessert.

After the play, I took a family portrait......

Thanks so much Andrew and Troy for a perfect evening.