Monday, June 24, 2013

Saying Good-bye With Love



Last weekend we had an epic going away party for one of The Transporter's friends, The Boy From Spain. (I wrote about him in “A Day in theLife”.)  We started at 2 pm with outdoor games set up. There were a few snags in this endeavor as the volleyball net was missing the bottom half of the poles, so it was more of a tennis net, a foot off the ground. No matter, the party was full of soccer players, so they played volley-soccer, which is volleyball, using your feet and a soccer ball. Looked like fun.



The croquet set of undetermined age and origin had only two wickets, but all the mallets, and both poles. I had OYT and SMK's two middle kids (SMK and I co-hosted this impromptu, as in planned three days in advance, event.) They used some sticks they found and set up sort of an obstacle course in the former garden, now seeded, and growing an amazing crop of bindweed.

It was fun having new teenagers around whom I hadn't met before, especially GIRL teenagers. They were nice kids and mostly sat in a circle chatting and laughing while the younger kids played the weird games. At one point though, the older soccer players couldn't resist the “tennis” court and joined that game.

Lots of food was consumed, people just stayed here, and I'm glad we had the main course in a crock-pot because some had lunch and later dinner. Dessert was a hit. Don't laugh (because they already did) but I have a Pampered Chef ice-cream sandwich maker. Basically, it holds the cookies and ice-cream in place while you smush it down into a size that will sorta fit in your mouth. They had a blast playing with it, and several kids said to me, “Good call on the dessert. Much better than the cakes with greasy frosting.” Win! So I was vindicated in my kitchen gadget choices. I get made fun of because I have an entire closet full of unusual kitchen toys that don't fit in my kitchen. I'm the cooking show addict, remember? Need lots of toys.







As it got dusk, the kids wanted to have a bonfire. We do have a legal, fire department approved pit. (Yeah, a former “well-meaning” neighbor called the fire department on us. They said we were, “Well on our way to a legal fire pit. Just put down one more layer of bricks and you're good.”) The kids were even willing to pull all the weeds out from in and around it. SMK ran to the store for s'mores supplies. So the party went on. I love it when that happens.





(none of the teens involved cared to be identified...though I think you're pretty much going to be able to figure it out being as how I'm a Scandinavian chick, fair skinned and blond...my kids are easily distinguished from SMK's, and The Boy From Spain looks...Spanish...)


By now it's time for SMK's little ones to go to bed, all sugared up and soaked. (As you saw in the pictures, OYT got out his arsenal of Super Soaker Nerf weapons and there was a massive battle...)  The Boy From Spain, SoccerBoy, SMK, and I continued to sit by the fire, along with the guest of honor's host dad. (Who had talked about leaving around 5 pm, but was still there at 11:00.) I can sit by a fire for hours upon hours, and I think we would have done so if it hadn't have been for me needing to take The Transporter to the ER. He'd gotten something in his eye, and even the professional eye-wash kit couldn't get it out. Not exactly my choice of ways to end the party, and if you're keeping count, my second Saturday night going to the ER...

So good bye, dear friend.  Travel well, good luck with your life, and if you're ever in the neighborhood, you know you don't need to knock.


P.S Turns out The Transporter had a hair in his eye and it had scratched the heck out of his cornea. He can see again, and has finished all his antibiotics.

13 comments:

Lucy said...

Nothing like a fun backyard party but ouch to that hair in the eye.

Lucy from Lucy's Reality

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Nothing like an all-day party. The volleyball net is funny. Sorry you had to do another trip to the ER. Scratch that off your list for next weekend, all right?

shelly said...

Wow! Looked like fun, except for the ER. YIKES!

Hugs and chocolate,
Shelly

Hilary Melton-Butcher said...

Hi Tina .. the party sounds so much fun for all concerned - and well done on that fire pit meeting the grade after a quick bit of bricking ..

Food sounds good - the gadgets - well I'd like to see the pampered Chef Ice Cream Maker ... not having kids I'm obviously missing out ...

... oh oh perhaps not - a visit to ER thoroughly irritating at the end of an evening .. and only for a hair??!!! Yeah I know it was a serious hair cut damage ..

However on a serious note - so pleased to hear all is well now ..

Cheers Hilary

L. Diane Wolfe said...

What a fun party. Your kitchen gadgets should get together with mine.

Brian Miller said...

oh i want one of the ice cream sandwiches...now that is a cool gadget...volley-soccer sounds a bit hard, just saying...ha...sounds like a fun see you soon party tina...

Jeremy [Retro] said...

you must like the pain... snoopy, you've got to stay on the top of the dog house.

Andrew Leon said...

Now, I want an ice cream sandwich maker! Not that we ever eat that kind of stuff, but I used to just make them by hand, and, now, DARN YOU!, I want one!

JoJo said...

Sounds like a great day!! Glad the weather was so beautiful for it too. Sorry about ending in the ER though! Eye scratches hurt.

klahanie said...

Hey Tina,

A mostly fun day. A gathering of caring and sharing. Eye, eye, that wasn't good. At least it be just a hair in the eye.

Let me know when you have another outdoor party. I can dress up in my clown suit!

Be well and take it easy. Okay.

Gary :)

Jo said...

Glad the ER trip was nothing too serious, what a way to end your day. Otherwise it sounded like a great day, looked like a nice young man and I hope you do get to see him again.

Annalisa Crawford said...

Saying goodbye to friends is never easy, but it looks like he had a great send-off.

Carol Kilgore said...

Such fun! Except, of course, the Eye Incident. Glad your son is OK :)