OT: Best.60th.Birthday.Party.Ever
Last night was my husband's 60th birthday. I decided that with holiday parties scheduled starting this weekend, and my husband's daughter and 7 month old granddaughter visiting from VA, that we would have his party on his birthday, which was a Wednesday night. With a tequila theme, since that is is current "sipping" favorite. (No, he's not a big drinker, but likes the occasional sip.)
My daughter suggested that we get a bartender for the party to host and do tastings of different tequilas, and recommended a friend of hers who co-owns a bar. He suggested a variety of tequilas he thought would be good (I know nothing about them), which I bought. My daughter and son-in-law also recommended that rather than cooking, I buy the food take-out from a Mexican market/caterer, and do a buffet. Works for me!
Because our house has been under reconstruction for a LOOOONG time (over 2 years now), we haven't been very sociable - in fact, the back half of the house is currently stripped down to studs, and the rewiring was just finished yesterday. But the front, in particular the kitchen, living and dining rooms are done, so it works for a party - never mind that a temporary "door" (sheet of plywood) forms the break between the front and back of the house (the bathrooms are of course in the back). So I invited friends from all around the Bay area we hadn't seen in a long time, hoping they would come. And almost everyone did (the only no-show was a friend with bronchitis, and with our granddaughter here, that was probably for the best).
My husband and I have different attitudes about friends. I have them, and he doesn't get close to people easily. But he had talked wistfully about his best friend from college, who was the best man at his first wedding, and who he lost touch with years ago. So, being the Googling fool that I am, several years ago I found the guy and contacted him and tried to get him to come for a surprise visit for one of my husband's birthdays. It didn't happen - he is a professional sports trainer, and his weekends are usually not his own, especially this time of year. For the last several years, he has worked for a major east coast university that always plays in bowl games, as well as for a local high school that is always a state championship contender, so the end of November is not possible for him. Early on, he bought tickets to come, and then he got sick. I had put him and my husband in touch via email, but they didn't converse much - just not how their friendship worked.
For the last 3 or 4 years, I have sent him emails inviting him to come out every year, but he didn't respond. So when I created the Evite for my husband's 60th birthday party, I put his email address on the Evite just to be annoying (I know, you would NEVER think I would do something like that!). I noticed that he opened the Evite several times, without responding, which I thought was a little strange - I even went to check out how his university was doing, but as usual, they are going to a bowl game again. Whatever - maybe I made him feel a little guilty. My job as a noodge was done.
So that party was in full swing last night, the tequila was flowing and suddenly the front door opened and in walked some guy I didn't know - I thought maybe he was the plus-one of our friend who was sick and that she had decided to come after all - but I looked over at my husband and saw his face - and almost burst into tears. The guy had decided to come to San Jose for the party after all - from FL! - without telling me.
Here are the friends just a moment after he arrived (I didn't have the camera handy when he first got there), my husband introducing his granddaughter to his friend:
And the obligatory posed pic - DH is on the right, in case you can't tell from the "I'm 60" badge I made him wear:
They hadn't seen each other in nearly 30 years. He hadn't seen my husband's older daughter since she was 2, and had never met his younger daughter (who is 27). But within minutes, it was like no time had passed at all.
He is coming over this morning to spend the day before he has to fly back tonight to work this weekend - turns out, holding the party midweek was the best decision I could have made for getting him to attend.
Persistent pestering sometimes pays off! And it was a great party.
My daughter suggested that we get a bartender for the party to host and do tastings of different tequilas, and recommended a friend of hers who co-owns a bar. He suggested a variety of tequilas he thought would be good (I know nothing about them), which I bought. My daughter and son-in-law also recommended that rather than cooking, I buy the food take-out from a Mexican market/caterer, and do a buffet. Works for me!
Because our house has been under reconstruction for a LOOOONG time (over 2 years now), we haven't been very sociable - in fact, the back half of the house is currently stripped down to studs, and the rewiring was just finished yesterday. But the front, in particular the kitchen, living and dining rooms are done, so it works for a party - never mind that a temporary "door" (sheet of plywood) forms the break between the front and back of the house (the bathrooms are of course in the back). So I invited friends from all around the Bay area we hadn't seen in a long time, hoping they would come. And almost everyone did (the only no-show was a friend with bronchitis, and with our granddaughter here, that was probably for the best).
My husband and I have different attitudes about friends. I have them, and he doesn't get close to people easily. But he had talked wistfully about his best friend from college, who was the best man at his first wedding, and who he lost touch with years ago. So, being the Googling fool that I am, several years ago I found the guy and contacted him and tried to get him to come for a surprise visit for one of my husband's birthdays. It didn't happen - he is a professional sports trainer, and his weekends are usually not his own, especially this time of year. For the last several years, he has worked for a major east coast university that always plays in bowl games, as well as for a local high school that is always a state championship contender, so the end of November is not possible for him. Early on, he bought tickets to come, and then he got sick. I had put him and my husband in touch via email, but they didn't converse much - just not how their friendship worked.
For the last 3 or 4 years, I have sent him emails inviting him to come out every year, but he didn't respond. So when I created the Evite for my husband's 60th birthday party, I put his email address on the Evite just to be annoying (I know, you would NEVER think I would do something like that!). I noticed that he opened the Evite several times, without responding, which I thought was a little strange - I even went to check out how his university was doing, but as usual, they are going to a bowl game again. Whatever - maybe I made him feel a little guilty. My job as a noodge was done.
So that party was in full swing last night, the tequila was flowing and suddenly the front door opened and in walked some guy I didn't know - I thought maybe he was the plus-one of our friend who was sick and that she had decided to come after all - but I looked over at my husband and saw his face - and almost burst into tears. The guy had decided to come to San Jose for the party after all - from FL! - without telling me.
Here are the friends just a moment after he arrived (I didn't have the camera handy when he first got there), my husband introducing his granddaughter to his friend:
And the obligatory posed pic - DH is on the right, in case you can't tell from the "I'm 60" badge I made him wear:
They hadn't seen each other in nearly 30 years. He hadn't seen my husband's older daughter since she was 2, and had never met his younger daughter (who is 27). But within minutes, it was like no time had passed at all.
He is coming over this morning to spend the day before he has to fly back tonight to work this weekend - turns out, holding the party midweek was the best decision I could have made for getting him to attend.
Persistent pestering sometimes pays off! And it was a great party.
What an AWESOME surprise ... the best gift and best party ever indeed... I love the huge room and the decor... Everything is so bright and beautiful ... ... the people, the layout, smiles and happiness all around but more than all how your persistence DID pay off and because of it you did indeed have the BEST b-day party ever.... CONGRATULATIONS!
RNY 2/5/07 no regain having implemented lifestyle changes....
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