August 30, 2018

Wow.  Doing an outdoor party for 40 people in Texas in August is HOT work.  Hot enough that a plastic candle warped from the heat.  Even though I did not spend long periods of time outside it was still wearing.  The lead up to the party had lasted for almost 2 months.  DIL perused Pinterest for inspiration, ideas and sources of products.  In late June she and I met and began dividing duties.  Of course priorities were invitations and the basic stuff that would be needed for this and future parties.  Things like a tub to ice drinks, beverage dispensers, half pint jars to be used for punch, footed trays, an old suitcase, crates, burlap and the list went on from there.

My beginning assignment was designing, printing and mailing the invitations.  Other design and print duties included wine glass tags, water bottle labels and sayings to be framed.   A few trips to a nearby antique mall yielded two footed trays and the cool old battered train case.  During the sister time in Dallas in early July, I pilfered Youngest Sister's decor stash and brought a back end full of stuff for decor.  Many items were ordered online.  Our stuff would fill a corner of the apartment office mail room some days!  And the pile in our apartment grew and grew!  Repacking and moving into our storage unit HAD to be next on the list.

While all this is going on Hubby and I had the Sister Time trip to Dallas July 7-11.  DIL and Son spent July 13 -17 in Lisbon, Portugal.  We house, granddog and granddaughter sat during that time.  July 27 - Aug 1 another trip for Hubby and I to a wedding in Arkansas then on to Missouri for the St. Louis Card's game.  DIL and Granddaughter left on July 29 - August 3 on a college tour along the east coast from Florida to Virginia.  August 7 - 11 DIL, Son and all 5 grands were at a lake house playing the in the lake and enjoying a little down time before the start of school on August 15.  Whew.  My laptop was always nearby so work progressed.  I even strung the wine glass tags while in the car on the way to the wedding!

Digging out enough frames for all the signs was a bit tricky.  Not enough 8 x 10 's so off to Michael's  for foam board and more decor for outdoor table tops.  Or at least ideas for the table tops.  Amazing what one can do with old canning jars, milk jars and jute twine!  DIL had cakes ordered, arranged rental of tables, chairs, glass ware, more decor items.  Figured out the menu and started two teenagers to school.  She, of course, has a full time job.  On Sunday prior to the Saturday party we met at her house to go through everything one more time to see if there were last minute items needed.  Finalize all print needs from me.  Oh, and there was still liquor and cigars to be purchased.  Oh, smoking requires ashtrays.  Back on Amazon for a couple more orders. And, what about that box spring that is still in the hall from the bed replacement in May?!&*%

Like some sort of extra punishment her back went out and my inner thigh was suddenly too painful to walk without a cane.  So extra doctor visits in an already crazy week.  DIL even had to fly out of town for two different trips withing 7 days of the party.  Stress and more stress.  That is when I called for reinforcements, Youngest Sister.  She was already planning to come to the party so she agreed to help do the actual placement of the decor on Saturday.  What a life saver.

Hubby and I managed to get all but one of the liquor needs purchased correctly.  Son said no problem, he would drink what we had purchased, a regular whiskey bourbon instead of rye whiskey.  Like could tell the difference.  Hubs and I, also, managed to disassemble the box spring unit.  The last signs printed, cut out and glued as needed.  I went a couple of photos with the text message of I think we may have this whooped.  DIL agreed.  She was sitting against an ice pack.  I had a heating pad on the over used, irritated tendons on my inner thigh.

At 4:00 pm on Saturday Sister and her hubby left to get ready for the party.  We loaded our car full of my stuff we did not use and off we went.  That left DIL and Son to finish food items for eats and drinks.  We got home, unloaded the car, showered and dressed.  On the way to Son's place we remembered the cigars!  They needed to stay hydrated and were in our crisper at home.  We made it to the party at about five after 7.  In time to set up the chafing dish with the Jack Daniels meat balls DIL had cooked.

Finally time to party.  Here are some of the follow up photos. 

Cigars anyone? 

Let's drink to Son's birthday!

Punch options for your drinking pleasure.

That is Son taking a sip of his drink.  Visiting with a friend from college days.

A great neighbor cooked all the stuff in those aluminum pans!  That was their birthday gift.  Wow what wonderful folks.

The goodies

Friends and DIL's dad visiting.  Wine and more goodies!

L to R:  Granddaughter, BIL, neighbor, me, Neighbor that cooked all those pans of food!

The party lasted into the wee hours of Sunday morning.  We drug our septuagenarian tired bodies home about 2:30 AM.  We were just about the last to leave, too.  Slept till noon.  Then it was time to go gather things together to return to vendors on Monday.  That is a story for another day!