i had a party

I’m in the exhausted-tears phase as the final week-or-so of getting this house on the market explodes around me. I’m deeply grateful for the help my brother and sister provided this month, and now am deeply regretful about … well, pretty much everything. I can’t write about this house right now. I’m going to go see Kool and the Gang at the county fair tonight and drink some beer and try not to think about the spiraling budget/shit left to do/where are I going swirl in the brainpan.

So yeah, I had a party a few weeks ago. This is big, in that I love to have parties, am good at having parties, and have not had one party in a decade. I have had small get-togethers, off-site bar meetups, and have hosted parties for others. But I was not allowed to have parties in my last place, and my role as a caregiver stopped me from having one here.

After I moved my Elderly Relative to his new place, I took advantage of the brief window opportunity before this house turned into a Giant Pile of Crap. It was time! Finally, a party! I was made for parties. I have a vintage invitation collection, for heaven’s sake.

come to a luau

It's Cocktail Time

Cocktails

And it went well, even though my appeal to “come early and stay late” in the invite was interpreted as “come half an hour early” … so three guests arrived just as wet-haired towel-clad me was in the garage getting clean chonies out of the dryer. Lord!

And there was some overindulgence on the part of a few people. And there was no sun, which meant no one drank the beer … which actually worked out great, because I had beverages for my siblings for weeks. And I could have provided a touch more protein in the snacks.

But apart from that, it was great! I had a Bloody Mary bar, with these insane skewers to stick in the drinks:

Untitled

sangreeable

A killer sangria. Look at that mod punch bowl I found in the family archives! It’s mine now.

delicious tomato/basic/mozz niblets

Ripped this idea off from my dear friend Linda. Cube of mozzarella, one basil leaf and a small tomato on a toothpick, drizzle with balsamic, boom. Ideal for this time of summer when peoples’ gardens are freaking out with tomatoes.

Party

My realtor made lemon jello shots in real lemon slices! Perhaps I’ve found the reason for the overindulgence.

Party

Thrifty brand rainbow sherbet in cake cones.

Party

Party

All served on whatever disposable plates I could find — with the family silver as the cutlery.

We had quilters, improvisers, old-school SF friends, wildcard guests (courtesy of the boyf), kids even (I managed not to pop a vein as they SHOVELED hors d’oevres into their mouths), bosses, and two magicians (who thankfully kept their tricks to themselves).

More, more, more! Next one will be a housewarming, Party Gods willing.

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