10 - Happy 80th Birthday, Pop !! - The Party

Well now finally the part we all have been waiting for.  Here there will just be a bunch of random photos. Most likely more photos than text on this one. It is a long one so don't expect to read this entire story in one sitting.   Remember to give your eyes and butt a break.

My sister Jay did a fantastic job planning this party.  Unfortunately, she forgot to confirm with the weatherman.  One of the hottest Septembers ever.  Jay had planned for this party to take place in her front yard for games and appetizers and then move into the back yard for the main meal and cake.  She either ordered or bought 2 of everything.  Double tents, double set of chairs, double set of tables, double set of tablecloths, and decorations, etc., etc., etc.  We moved half of everything into the back yard, set it all up and we realized that the cement and wall of the house was just soaking up too much sunlight and reflecting it as added heat.  So, there was a major change of plans for the party setup.  Not that anybody would know.   For example, this was the backyard - which never happened.

The above didn't work out at all.  Way too hot in this corner of the yard.  

Bellow - Getting things set up.

The above table was outside until everything on it blew off.  Jay and I quickly and manically set it up inside of the house just minutes before the guest arrived.

OK so the party supply company arrives and delivers the tent, tables and chairs and sandbags.  Jay says to me, I didn't order the sandbags. They wanted another X amount of dollars for them.  I don't think we are going to need sandbags.  It's not like the tent is going to blow away or anything.  Well thank goodness the guy messed up the order to our favor and left us the sandbags.  That tent easily could have blown over.

So when the guys drop off the stuff, Jay asks: is that tent hard to put up?  The guys say: no, between the 2 of you, it should be pretty easy.  Well, we had a major hell of a time.  We couldn't do it.  You just have to push up in the middle, the guy said to us.  Well, we pushed and pushed and pushed.  It was impossible.  We kept pushing and bang - there went my upper back.  Next thing I know, I am hanging from Jay's exercise equipment in her baking hot garage trying to stretch everything out in my shoulder blade.  I was sweating like a pig.  Like I have never sweat before.  Jay had to grab a rag and wipe my face while I was pushing and pushing. Eventually we gave up and carefully turned that dang thing upside down and tried to pull the legs up and out.  It was extremely difficult.  I could see that it was built like it should just pop open like an umbrella.  But nothing wanted to give....... except for my back.   

We flipped it back over and finally get it up according to the way Jay had planned it.  But I could see the rectangle was in the wrong position to the sun.  So, we turned it 45 degrees and that was a major job just in itself.  But we extended the shade area just by turning it and adding a few parasols.

So, one of the most odd things I remember about setting up for the party, was the day before.  We had to go out and get some last-minute things from the market - ice and flowers for example.  Then we had to pick up the cake from the baker.  The temps were so hot, we quickly had to get the cake home and stick it in the fridge so the frosting wouldn't melt. Then our last stop was the balloon shop.  We were melting.  Jay kept mentioning how she was regretting not booking a spot at a local restaurant. Jay kept praying for a breeze.  Ja, right.  We parked the car under a tiny, skinny tree that could barely cast a shadow.  Freaking hot outside.  We walked in, ordered a number of balloons and we found out that if you order X amount, you could get them delivered to your door for free.  We just needed one more balloon and I found a great one in black and gold.  It was a perfect match with all the other black and gold decorations and theme.  Of course, Jay was regretting getting black as it absorbed the heat.  But how could she know it would be over 100 degrees?  That one balloon was 12 bucks.  Crazy!  But it was either that or pay for the delivery.  When we walked into the balloon shop, it was unbearably hot outside.  And now the odd part:  just 30 minutes later when we walked out of the shop, the sky was getting dark, and there was icky sticky moisture in the air.  Jay opened her phone and read: severe thunderstorms on the way.  WTF!?  A few rain drops actually did fall but stopped pretty quickly.  The sky however, continued to darken and threw a few lightning bolts every now and then across the horizon.  

So, we get most of everything set up the day before the party.  The plan was to get all the details finished by 1 hour before the guest were to arrive.  We really had to move as things just took so much longer than expected.  But we did it.  We patted each other on the back because we managed to do it all and we were right on schedule.  Now it was time to shower and take it easy.  While I was in the shower, I could hear Jay talking to somebody.  Some neighbors popped by to see what was going on.  Then more commotions.  I looked out of the bathroom window, and I could see it was the balloon delivery.  The woman handed Jay a big, beautiful bundle of balloons.  Now it was time to tie them down to the chairs. But now I could see that the balloons were not behaving.  What the heck !!!  The wind was picking up.  Before we knew it.  The balloons were blowing up against the walls of the house and fence.  Bang!  Bang!  Oh my gosh!  The stupid shop pumped too much helium into the balloon in an air-condition shop and in the heat of the outside, the helium expanded and several of the balloons popped before the guest even arrived.  That big $12 balloon was one of the first to go.  Then suddenly another big bang.  One of the parasols blew over, the table clothes blew off of the tables and with all the decorations on them.  We panicked.  What else was going to blow over.  The big banners blew off of the walls.  It was a disaster.  We had to grab sandbags, dirt and rocks and make weights to hold the parasols in place.  It was now less than an hour before the guest would arrive.  It was nuts!  It was crazy!  Later when it was all over, we laughed but it was not funny at the time.  But I must say, because Jay had every detail so well planned, it made last minute adjustments do-able.  I'm my humble opinion, it turned out to be a great party and I think my Pop was pleasantly surprised.

Some things worked out so well, because I don't even remember how all this food got here.  Which was delicious by the way - Middle Eastern treats.

So here now are guest arriving and enjoying themselves.  The first 2 shots are looking out through the window screen as I was still finishing up my shower as the first guest arrived.  It may sound like it took me a while, but I jumped out of the shower before I was finished to straighten up the parasol, pick up things that blew onto the ground and started fixing things while I was still wet and just in my boxer shorts.  That's how close to arrival time everything went wrong.

A few tapas and refreshments for welcome starters.

And now the birthday boy arrives.

Everyone is checking out the banner.

There were 4 of them - each of them different.

Eventually, after all the hellos, we sit down and visit with small chat, food, games and cake.

After the competition and before the eating, 

Jacob prays over the meal.

I cracked up over Jacobs blue mouth from the frosting.

and from years ago.

Then it was time for the standard family group photos.

The nieces left to right.

Laura - Bernie - Nancy - Shelly 

sister Bernie and brother Mark with Mom and Pop.

Laura's husband Chuck, cousins Mark, Ronnie, Brian, and Nancy's husband Lennie. 

My nephew Jacob.

Cousins Brian, Shelly and their brother Ronnie.

George is my best friend and has been a friend of the family for over 45 years.

In the video:

my sister Jay, me, birthday boy, mom, Jacob.

Nobody was supposed to bring gifts.  But Laura and Chuck brought a garden recliner which I am guessing my dad is still lying in it.  He loves it.  It helps his back quite a bit.  Ronny the baker brought home baked cookies.  They were delicious.  Baked with love.

Jay suggests that Pop gives it a try.

Ronnie lives up to his family name.

Opening group birthday gift.

If I remember correctly, there were still a yellow box and a red box more to go.  In the bottom of the last box was a thumb drive or flash drive.  He had no idea what it was.  Too bad he didn't have 44 million.  He could have been a better choice to run twitter.

Then Jay showed Pop just exactly what a thumb drive is.  We all piled into the living room.  Jay stuck the drive into the tube and there was a wonderful birthday greeting from all the guest at the party as well as from those who were not able to attend.  

mini cake

video start

somewhere in the middle of the video.

cousin Chris and wife Judy

Uncle John, Pop's younger brother

my best friend, Carlos

Pop's friend, Ted

sister Christine and her husband Robert

niece Nicole

nephew Jacob and his rug-rat Greyson

yours truly and my hubby, Jens

damn parkinson's won't let him speak

party planner, Jay

And if you are interested, the entire video can be seen via this link as long as it is on-line

Eventually the party ended.  It seemed like it was just getting started.  It was a lot of fun.  Here is a photo that Carlos snapped of me and Jay saying good-bye to our parents.  (and by the way, many of the photos and videos are from Carlos - Thank you, Carlos)  

The day after the party, Jay and I made a list of all the things that went wrong.  This isn't to put a dampener on the party.  We were just totally cracking up of all the crap that should have turned the party into a disaster.  In spite of everything, we thought it went really well for everything that went absolutely NOT according to plan. In less than 3 or 4 minutes, off the top of our heads, we came up with a 3-page list of things that went wrong.  The 2 things that cracks me up most is the one about Jay having to grab a rag out of the garage and wipe the sweat off of my brow as my eyes were stinging from the salt as I was trying to pop up that damn tent.  The other funny one was about me and Bernie.  Did any of you experience this?  Bernie and I were sitting and chatting under one of the green parasols.  We were both eating the very tasty but also very greasy tapas. And I noticed that Bernie's fingertips were black.  Then I looked at my fingertips and they were black too.  I showed Bernie my fingers and she then looked down at her own fingers.  Our foreheads wrinkled as our eyebrows raised and our mouths dropped as we realized we were practically finger painting with the black dye from the party napkins.  We were grossed out, realizing that we were sticking icky inky fingers into our mouths and on our food.  We weren't so hungry for tapas anymore. 

Happy 80th birthday, Pop.  We are so happy to have celebrated you and your life.  Thanks for being a great dad.  Love you so much.  May you have many happy and even healthier years to come.

Thank-you to all the guest who participated in the party in the garden and/or via the video greeting.