party postmortem

I invited some friends over to share Ernie’s birthday cake with us last night. The party was a great success (although I’m really glad I didn’t try to keep it a surprise from the birthday boy)!

First everyone got acquainted by telling how they’d met Ernie (I had invited friends from various segments of his life – his highschool buddy, a friend from when he was single, his long-time prayer partner, our next-door neighbors and new friends from our cell group - though sadly his high school buddy never showed up).

Next Marilyn (wife of Joe, the friend from bachelor days), who had brought her guitar and nimble fingers, trotted out her Newfoundland repertoire - "Aunt Martha’s Sheep" "The Unicorn Song, " "Alouette" - sung in Russian style and a great hit because she is such a natural entertainer. Then the twelve of us joined in by picking our favorites from a sheet of camp songs and adding percussion with a bagful of noisemakers – lots of rattley seedpod-looking thingys, maracas, a tambourine, and a kids’ set of cymbals which, thankfully, no one used! Randy (the prayer partner) and Val had brought along grandkids whom they were babysitting (2 and 6 years). They sure added to the fun. Little Jayden, the 2-year-old, helped later by gathering all the disposable punch glasses for the garbage. When there was a little punch left in one, it was bottoms up into his own mouth!

We ended our singalong with "Happy Birthday" and generous helpings of carrot cake and ice-cream, and a nice buzz of conversation throughout the house.

When I was telling everyone of the night Sonia got engaged, Pam from next door burst out, Oh, that’s what that was! She’d seen, from her kitchen window, Matt’s friends set up the gazebo tent and white twinkle lights in the park where Matt later popped the question. At one point she’d even wondered whether she should call the cops. (I’m glad she didn’t see Matt’s friend hop over our back fence in the process - or she would have for sure!)

So, another birthday celebrated. I always find it’s worth all the preparation (and stress – for though I love having a houseful of people, my introverted side puts up a lot of arguments why this is not a good idea...) .