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June 20, 2005
Birthday Party, Post-Mortem
There is absolutely no drankin' goin on around here, nosir. Slur. Slosh.
So, the birthday party. Which by the way was not on the date of my actual birthday, because that is coming up on Wednesday (and ya'll still have days of birthday carrying on to look forward to here, mostly me whining about getting on up in years etc., etc.), but The Party was on Saturday and let me tell you, when it comes to the partying, this group is not dillydallying around.
Also, me? With the party preparation? All I can say is that the key to party success is to invite Ellen and Audrey because the amazing grown-up food they brought SAVED the party. There was salad and ambrosia and grilled eggplant and cheese platters and grapes -- none of which was provided by me, the hostess. Love ya'll! Want to come by for dinner? Every night?
(click for bigger images)
Larry and Jeff show off the food; Audrey shoots; Ellen and some red-faced girl.
Top ten party comicality:
1) At 3 p.m., one hour before the party officially begins, I have to make an emergency run to the grocery store -- not even the 7-11, the REAL grocery store -- for dip, ice and last-minute supplies.
2) Apparently some dumbass at the store forgot to put the bag containing the dip and salsa in my buggy and I left the store with no chip accoutrements whatsoever.
3) No one realized this fact until 4:15.
4) When my first guests arrived, I was still in the shower. Hi Carrie! Hi Gwen! I have to go get dressed now!
5) Carrie graciously offered to go run up to the store and re-purchase the dip and salsa I HAD ALREADY PURCHASED that somehow never made it home with me. Thank you, Carrie. Also, sorry about the stricken look of panic and the cussing that ensued once I discovered the missing dip. Whoops!
6) At some point, very late in the evening, a little group of merry makers and I were circled around on the patio and I shouted, in my most country rodeo queen of voices, "I declare! Let the ugly drunkenness begin!" Then I said it two more times for good measure, because apparently the ugly drunkenness had already begun.
7) As the evening wore on, there was a moment when we all sat around talking about how bad smoking is for you and how glad we'd all quit ... and we toasted to this by SMOKING. Everyone. I kid you not.
8) Oh the things people say. Karman: "This wine is INCREDIBLE. Apparently I have only had bad wine up until THIS VERY MOMENT. I love THIS WINE." Sara: "I knew we were at the right place when I saw the crackhouse!" Ellen: "I can't get him to leave ... you would think Larry is the Jewish one!" Me: "Faith is allergic to cats, so she and I can never make out." A very large potted plant got knocked over and someone shouted, "No more water for the plant! The plant is cut off!" Me: "Ya'll are all invited to my divorce!"
9) As people were leaving, I insisted that Karman and Carrie each take a bag of key limes, which I had purchased for the party and had no use for whatsoever.
10) I am not a singer. Some people have great singing voices. I am not one of those people. Did this stop me? What do ya'll think? All I can say is some inebriated blonde, red-cheeked girl stood up and sang, "The only two things in life that make it worth livin' are guitars tuned good and firm-feelin women! I don't need my name in the marquee lights... got my song, got you with me tonight!"
I'm just saying is all.
Amber, so pretty! Amy, here I go with the camera again; Amy turns the other cheek.
Audrey, photojournalist; Rebecca smile pretty! Carrie the dip-saviour.
Jennifer made me a cake! Regina brought cake! Sara made brownies! mmmmmm.
Ellen and I simul-shoot; chitchatting; Audrey's Jeff is so nice!
More chitchatting, Jen will hate me for this; meeting Mr. Ellen, a.k.a. Larry, was such a treat! He's a valley guy!
Jen brings Drew to the party; the merry band of party friends; Smile!
I love my patio! Regina and her mom, who I loved meeting; Regina's shoes.
I hope everyone had a good time. I was so anxious about the hostessing early on that I didn't break out my camera right away, and so I missed Sara and her husband, Gwen and Faith on camera. I also forgot that my home printer is out of ink and so no pictures of ya'll got printed out and flung around the party (with the ugly drunkenness, perhaps that's a good thing!) I only tried to hide from the party once. Ok, maybe twice.
The food was great and the gifts were amazing and the conversation was hilarious and I had a party! My very first birthday party since the 7th Grade! I'm not kidding, I have not had a big birthday party of people (other than family) since I was 13 years old. And we weren't allowed to get rowdy intoxicated or smoke or cuss back then, so this was a definite improvement over junior high.
Sure, I'm a little more OCD now than when I was 13, like perhaps maybe I refused to put birthday candles on the cake because when you blow out candles you could possibly get spit on the cake, and ya'll know, that's gross, so anyway, I improvised and blew out a voodoo candle instead. All in all a great day and good start to a whole new year. Happy Birthday Party!
---edited to add ----
P.S. Thanks Ellen for sending me your pictures! I didn't really have any good images of the food, thank you!!
Posted by laurie at June 20, 2005 11:28 AM
Comments
It looks and sounds like you had a great time!
Oh and you watch that plant closely. If it's falling over from normal tap water, I don't think it should step up to the heavy stuff like Perrier or Pellegrino! I've heard that tap water is like a gate-way for seltzer water for those young plants. Yup. *nodnod* Gotta keep them off the fizzy stuff!
*snort!*
How did the kitties fare with all those people running around?
Posted by: Lisa P at June 20, 2005 11:38 AM
Yay, I'm first!
Happy Birthday Laurie! I would have SO loved to have been there!!
Posted by: Eileen at June 20, 2005 11:41 AM
*Correction*
I THOUGHT I was first, LOL.
Posted by: Eileen at June 20, 2005 11:41 AM
Sure wish I could have joined you in the "ugly drunkeness!"
What a riot!!!
You give the best parties!
Posted by: Mary in Boston at June 20, 2005 11:46 AM
The kitties stayed behind the safely closed door of the office. I knew it would be too stressful for them. I checkedon them midwaythrough the party and Bob was hiding under the throw rug. Poor guy! He's not big on parties ;)
Posted by: laurie at June 20, 2005 11:58 AM
I missed ugly drunkeness? I'm so disappointed. Next time, Rich & I will stay late and participate in more drunken behavior. But in the short 1 1/2 hours we were there, we had a fabulous time! Thank you for having a birthday and hosting a great party!
Posted by: Sara at June 20, 2005 12:00 PM
I'm so glad I could be there... and I like my new blog. Very cool. ;)
Posted by: ~drew emborsky~ at June 20, 2005 12:10 PM
What a great hostess you are!!!! The fact that you brought together many people who didn't know each other, but became friends after a few hours is amazing. You made all of us feel welcome and entertained!!! Thanks for the great party.
I'll be expecting my Tupperware returned on Thursday, Missy!
e
Posted by: L.A. Ell at June 20, 2005 12:12 PM
hahahahah DREW. Um, me? with the internets? still learning. Yup.
Posted by: laurie at June 20, 2005 12:12 PM
I am holding the Tupperware hostage for crochet lessons.
Posted by: laurie at June 20, 2005 12:13 PM
Looks like everyone had a great time!
Posted by: ShelbyD at June 20, 2005 12:19 PM
I dropped a hot dog on the porch of the cabin where we spent the weekend & thought of you. My friend's boyfriend said, "Don't you just want to wash it off?" But it broke in half from the fall, so it was dirty *and* damaged.
Glad your party went so well, despite bad grocery checker forgetfulness. HB, CAP!
I hope Ellen remembered to write her name on masking tape on the bottom of her Tupperware (in true potluck/picnic/Lutheran church women's social protocol). :D
Posted by: cant_talk_knitting at June 20, 2005 12:24 PM
oh my goodness you are SO BRAVE!!!??!?! having a party!???!! you GO, well done oh my god i can't imagine.
and, happy birthday, early, in case i dont tell you on the day.
Posted by: anna at June 20, 2005 12:27 PM
Hi! I found your blog via a link on Julia's Blog (http://zootknit.blogspot.com/). I really enjoy you're writing. And it sounds like you had a great Birthday Party. Happy belated Birthday!
~ Christina
Posted by: Christina at June 20, 2005 12:29 PM
Woah--glad to find I'm not the only crazy one out here. Happy birthday--looks like you had a wonderful party.
Posted by: Crazy Lanea at June 20, 2005 12:31 PM
throwing your very own growed-up birthday party is fun! i did the same thing for my 25th, when my family decided that a vacation was more important than making me miserable on my birthday. it was, quite possibly, the best birthday to date. and your food? waaaaay more impressive than what i threw together.
Posted by: jenn at June 20, 2005 12:36 PM
Happy birthday from another having her birthday this week (Tuesday!). Looks like a great party. Hope your BD is just as fun!
Posted by: Leslie at June 20, 2005 12:38 PM
It looks like the party was a lot of fun. So hating that I couldn't be there. Everyone looks like they were having a good time.
Posted by: NolaPete at June 20, 2005 01:07 PM
OMG we have the same birthday! Happy birthday fellow cancer. (PS you recently gave me the courage to make a hat. Hah no more scarves for me! Well maybe a few. The even better news is that I didn't make a fool of myself and it came out pretty well.)
Posted by: omly at June 20, 2005 01:10 PM
You were great! Your place looked great! Everyone had a brilliant time!
You're the bestest Laurie...
Posted by: Regina aka LadyLinoleum at June 20, 2005 01:14 PM
Early happy birthday lady! It looks like you had an amazing time.
Posted by: Amy at June 20, 2005 01:24 PM
It looks like you had a blast. Ugly drunkenness is fun!
Posted by: vanessa at June 20, 2005 01:52 PM
Happy Birthday Laurie... even if it isn't on the exact day of your actual birthday. You entertain beautifully!
Posted by: suzanna danna at June 20, 2005 02:57 PM
Oh my god, that table! Is it a bear?!? Is it yours or a "left over"? So tacky/cute. I hope you aren't offended by that.
Posted by: Susan at June 20, 2005 04:15 PM
Oh, that is my bear table! I am not offended at all, Susan, I bought it expressly for its tackiness and wackiness!!!
Posted by: laurie at June 20, 2005 04:19 PM
Congrats on the wonderful party! Wish I could have been there.
Anytime you get a little down, just pour yourself one of those bucket-sized glasses of wine and remember how AWESOME you are, which I am sure you know by now, what with all the huge outpouring of support from CAP fans around the globe!
P.S. I am heading back to the South after a 5 year exile in Phoenix...lordy, I can't wait to hear my mother tongue again, Y'ALL!
Posted by: aileen at June 20, 2005 05:50 PM
Hello Laurie!
I have spent the last few days reading your blog from beginning to end and just wanted to tell you that not only are you funny, but wise, insightful and just plain fun to read! Oh and Mr. X? He would be a total asshat!
I'm just learning to knit myself and loving it, so you have inspired me to start a blog, but I'm having an issue trying to get my blog to show up in the directory. Is there a trick to this?
Thank you for making me laugh constantly!
Posted by: Kim at June 20, 2005 08:17 PM
Happy Birthday Laurie!
Posted by: Nancy France at June 20, 2005 10:02 PM
Laurie,
I read your blog every day and totally LOVE it. HAPPY BIRTHDAY!! It's about time you had a big party to celebrate your birthday!! It's time you made it a yearly tradition!!! When it comes time for my birthday I tend to remind people weekly for a month and a half before. NO ONE has an excuse not to remember my special day. :) Celabrate your fabulousness girl!!!
Take care and be Happy!! You're AMAZING!!!
Simone
Posted by: Simone at June 21, 2005 07:06 AM
what a fabulous party! i've been reading your blog obsessively for weeks now, i can't make it through my work day without it :-) i'm bummed i don't live out in sf where it seems all the cool bloggers live. and knit. i really should finish that scarf i started, oh, last summer. maybe this time i'll get it done in time for cold weather? um. tangent. WELL DONE ON THE PARTY! that's what i meant. ignore the rest :-)
Posted by: Alice at June 21, 2005 07:55 AM
Happy Birthday! Good friends and alcohol make for the best parties.
Posted by: Kara at June 21, 2005 08:59 AM
Where did you find that bear table???
Posted by: Karyn at June 21, 2005 09:39 AM
Happy Bday Laurie!
I have a lot of the same issues/fears about mentally aging. That's why this year I just didn't have a bday. Nothing of note was accomplished in the past year, so why should I have to get older? April 17th was just the 17th of April and I did not get older. Did I mention that...I did not get older! And no one knows anyhow.
I'm also one of "those people" who've never enjoyed wine. (I know, gasp!) But I think that's because I've never had good wine! What are your recommnedations, oh Wise Aunt Purl?
Posted by: mollysusie at June 21, 2005 10:52 AM
Wow! Looks like you had a great party. I love the bear table, and that eggplant looks super yummy. Happy birthday! Sorry about your lost vacation day :(
Posted by: shanaigans at June 21, 2005 02:25 PM
where was my invite! you want to come over for kangaroo steaks...but i don't even get a heads up for the big bash!! looks like you had a great day though.
Posted by: jacqueline at June 22, 2005 04:46 AM
