Today I was invited to join to the meeting of Jonas' brothers and sisters and their families. It was an honour and a pleasure to be with these nice Lithuanians and to be allowed to share their family tradition. About 70 of us met at a small church in a small village, participated in a special sermon for the dead relatives, and went with our 15 cars in a long row to several cemeteries close by to visit the many graves of parents, grandparents and even greatgrandparents. Everybody had brought flowers and candles, and a prayer was said at each of the family graves.
It had been raining all the time, and it still did when we went on to the old family farm for the merrier part of the meeting. So tables and benches were taken from the meadows to a room big enough for family and friends, food and drinks were unpacked and set on the tables, and the feast started. Speeches, toasts, tucking into the mountains of homemade delicacies, cheering with beer, champagne, vodka, brandy (you name it, we had it!), and later singing and dancing!
We feasted on some rather rare specialities you would not find in any restaurant, like blood pudding, intestines stuffed with a spicy potatoe filling, and kugelis, grated potatoe with ham and onions baked in the oven. It was delicious! Of course with all the grease you had to have lots of brandy to wash it down. ;-)
The way to the loo close to the woods was rather far, and I had forgotten to bring my umbrella. So I came back soaking wet and with my curly hair even more curly and dripping - nobody seemed to mind, me either.
We sat rather tight, but enjoyed the food, the drinks and the company. Everybody talked to me, and we all had lots of fun. I didn't understand a word, but so what! ;-)
Thank you, Audrone and Jonas, for your great hospitality!
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