Party Time!

For well over a week I have been caught up in family activities.  The last weekend of August was spent on the sidelines of soccer games.  Seven games and a portion on an eighth in two days.  Thank goodness the weather had cooled off some making it much easier to be outside.  Sunday evening I did take time to visit the local garden center to get a few goodies to add color to my little part of the world.  As with when we had a yard I worked potting the few plants in the late evening.

Hubby left just after lunch on Sunday for a trip to visit his relatives while my sisters spent most of the week with me.  Of course the apartment needed straightening before they arrived Monday afternoon.  Beds had to be prepared as well as extra space made for 3 sets of suitcases.  As I was worrying about how we would possibly manage living in the one bedroom/one bath apartment a thought occurred to me.  We are sisters.  We lived together, bathed together and even went to the outhouse together.  This would be a breeze.  After all the outhouse was indoors and flushed.  And there was more than just a Sears catalog for cleanup.

In order to minimize cooking Sisters stopped at The Village Bakery for kolaches. They visited The Czech Cafe in West, TX for lunch. Interestingly they discovered Youngest's SIL and her sister having lunch at the same small cafe.  The SIL lives in Houston about 150 miles from this little cafe.  Guess it really is sister week.

Sisters arrived at my home a couple of hours later, just as I finished the preps and had myself dressed.  Bags were brought in and the spaces provided for clothing were quickly filled.  A short rest and it was time for us to dress for our first night on the town.  To help you appreciate this, please, realize we are celebrating Oldest's 80th birthday.  We spent the first evening at the Highball Club in downtown Austin.

Dinner was an assortment of appetizers with a beverage apiece for good measure.  We had ringside seats as the evening progressed with swing dance instructions.  We were content to just chair dance as the youngest of us begins Social Security this year.  BTW chair dancing is patting feet, moving shoulders and an occasional hand clapping with the music.

Around 9 PM a splendid band began playing Motown music.  There were smiles and lots of clapping and even singing along with the lyrics.  What fun!  Youngest had let the folks know we were celebrating and 80th birthday.  After a break, the band opened the second set by bringing Oldest up front and singing happy birthday.  Everyone joined in and could hardly believe she was 80.  By 11 PM the age was telling so we called it a night and headed back home.

Sister enjoying my view from the patio

I'll spare you the details of three bladders aged 70, 76 and 80 sharing one potty.  But as predicted it worked fine.  Jammies replaced the evening clothes as bras were happily flung away.  Phones placed on chargers, walker placed as needed for mid-night loo runs, extra pillows for extra back and knee support and it was lights out.  Oops, back up cause I needed to have the coffee pot ready for a push button start for the two older sisters.  They are early risers while us 'younger' two sleep a little later.  Ok, now lights out.

We were a little weary the next day so options 1 and 2 for activities were nixed.  We opted for sitting around in our jammies while going through the last of our Mother's boxes of photos.  I was at the scanner while the other three sat and went through hundreds of photos.  Many, many photos of unknown scenes or people were tossed.   Many more were divided between the four of us for our personal collections. Pizza delivery kept the kitchen duty to a true minimum.

What fun to relive the trips, family gatherings, births, Christmas and other celebrations.  There was sadness as we held photos of loved ones no longer alive.  And laughter at so many silly photos from many, many years ago.  Photos with Daddy's handwriting surprised us.  That seemed a little out of character.  "Do you know who this is?" could frequently be answered by one of us.  It was more emotional than anticipated.  Left us tired and ready for a break.

Dinner with my son and his boys was just the pick me up.  The oldest grandson was a real chatterbox.  While middle and youngest grandsons were viewing their phones playing a game.  Until something was mentioned about the TCU Texas game this Thanksgiving.  Then the trash talk began.  Youngest sis said to youngest grandson, "You have not spoken 3 words tonight till you started talking trash about the Longhorns.  You little turd!"  Youngest snapped to saying did you call me a turd?  Then he was a live wire from then until we left the restaurant.

Back at the apartment it was the rotating bathroom use.  Pictures were cleared from the sofa and the bed in the living room.   I did remember to prepare the coffee pot.  A brief amount of visiting then it was off to bed.  The next day would be pedicures and massages.

The last of the photos were sorted the Wednesday morning after kolaches and coffee.  Dressed, off for pedis.  Next was a late lunch at Jack Allen's Kitchen.  Twenty minutes later we arrived at the Massage Sway.

We returned to the apartment around 7 PM and were ready for not much of anything.  Feet up, some birthday cake with coffee or tea and the Rangers game on TV.

Thursday would be our last full day together.  We drove out to Marble falls for lunch at the Bluebonnet Cafe.  Downhome fried food was the order of the day.   Too much food again was brought home in boxes.  By the time we returned from Marble Falls it was time to dress for another evening of fun.

We dined at Chez Nous along with my sister's son, my son and part of his family.  Older sisters could not walk the block to the next venue.  A ride in a pedicab was the perfect solution.  Our final adventure was spending the evening at Ester's Follies.  There we enjoyed magic, political mocking : ) of all candidates and one last salute to my sis for her 80th.

The show ended, hugs to the kids and it was back to the apartment.  It was late to jammers were quickly on and lights out.  Darn, I forgot the coffee again so lights back on and coffee prepped.

Friday was party over day.  Sisters were up and bags were back in the car.  One last photo of my last doll with her namesakes.  Her name is Elizabeth Suzanne.  That is a portion of each sister's name.  Hugs, kisses and they were on the road by 9:30 AM.  Did I mention we four sisters get along better than most siblings we know?  We have never had disagreements that resulted in not speaking.  Well not since we were just kids.  Now we are just glad to have each other in our lives.  To have the opportunity to set a new standard in how to celebrate an 80th birthday.

My blue eyed sisters.