Jay’s birthday was Thursday. Since his birthday is so close to Father’s Day, mid June usually conflates into Jayfest around here. This year, we had the added celebration of Tyler’s family moving back to Minnesota so we threw in a house warming angle.
Jay’s a very difficult guy to buy for because he loves to shop and so usually gets himself whatever he wants. He’d really rather get it himself than be given it.
I told him to buy a smoker for Father’s Day.
He’s very excited.
But his birthday came first and it was a biggie: 60.
Hard to believe it’s been ten years since the party that caused me to place a lifetime moratorium on his tequila drinking.
He’s working basketball camp this summer (and having a blast, btw) so after he left the house on Thursday morning, I thought it would be nice if he came home to a spic and span house.
I’m not one of those women who obsess over, thinks about, notices if the house is clean.
I do, however, notice when the cobwebs get so bad that they’re hanging off the furniture. So while jay was at work on Thursday, I cleaned.
I don’t clean often but when I do, the house cries for mercy.
I start with the ceilings. I have a long handled duster and the top of every wall in the house got scrubbed. Corners really collect crap, you know? Then out came the miracle dust cloths. Every picture frame, window frame and furniture surface upon which dust settles got wiped. The book cases, the photos, you name it; I dusted it off. Leather furniture needs to be dusted. Then I swept the uncarpeted floors. This entails moving furniture away from walls and corners, to get every particle that’s been hiding out under there since Christmas. The broom, the dust mop, the Swiffer and the wet mop were involved. I rolled up the hideous black rubber mats that keep our white kitchen floor cleanish all winter and replaced them with a brightly colored woven indoor/outdoor mat since its summer and what gets tracked in isn’t nearly as bad as mud and snow. Finally, the vacuum got pulled out. I don’t have that much carpet in the house but lampshades and plenty of furniture got vacuumed. I have two couches that the cat likes to sit on; they got vacuumed clean. I also have some furniture that’s covered in velvet. A swipe with the vacuum and they’re looking like new.
By the time I was finished, the house shined like a new penny and I needed a hot tub and a bottle of wine.
Jay wanted to wait until the party on Saturday to celebrate his birthday so we just had a lovely dinner for two here at home. He cooked.
Friday, I went back out to Ty’s house and helped Megan put the finishing touches on moving in; we hung stuff all over the walls; pictures, mirrors, key racks, etc.
Saturday, we woke up to thunder. I ignored it and got to work on desert for the party; I baked a cake, made a batch of chocolate chip cookies, a pan of brownies and a pan of peanut butter rice crispie bars.
I like to make sure desert is well covered.
Long before I finished baking, the skies had cleared and it turned into a gorgeous June day.
Jay got home from work around one, we packed up the car and headed back to Ty’s for the party.
It was great fun!
Not everyone in the family could make it; baseball and soccer tournaments, concerts downtown, work and other commitments kept the gathering to a reasonable number. I think there were around 35 of us.
Ty had made one more run to Lowe’s and bought a very nice set of deck furniture for the huge deck off his new kitchen. When I arrived, Katie was busy putting the table together. We got the last of the screws tightened, flipped it over and Ty popped the festively striped umbrella into the hole in the center. The deck looks great!
As guests began arriving, we took turns giving everyone a tour of the place. Ty had my giant pot full of brats, simmering down in the lower kitchen. Once everyone had seen the whole house, the barns, met the animals, etc. Jay began to cook the brats on the grill set up on the deck. The food was phenomenal, of course, right down to the ribs that Ty had smoked out in the barn.
I told Jay he should buy himself a smoker for his birthday.
Golf was on the big TV in the living room, folks were on the deck, in the yard and on the front porch, everyone had a ton to eat and after dinner, Megan saddled up Sweetie for some pony rides.
Babydoll was the first because she knows how to do it. [i]She was more than happy to show Bananas and Punkin how her boots fit right into the stirrups and that she knows how to get into the saddle.
Megan reminded her to hold the saddle horn with her left hand and keep her right free (for roping). Then Megan led the pony up and down the driveway.
Bananas went next. She looked like she’d been born on horseback.
Punkin seemed a little less sure of herself but I think she enjoyed it.
After all the girls had had a turn, Babalouie, dressed in his boots and hat, was sick and tired of waiting.
I placed him on the saddle and he grabbed the horn with his left hand and threw his right up, as if he were on a bull, ready for the shoot to open. He hadn’t been on the pony before but clearly had been ready for his first ride. Since he’s much too little for his feet to reach the stirrups, I held him in the saddle as his mom walked the horse up and down the drive. He got a bit miffed when he realized I was helping. He didn’t want (or think he needed) any help to stay on the pony, thank you very much.
All in all, the pony was a smash hit.
It couldn’t have been a more gorgeous day and everyone had a great time.
Sunday was Father’s Day.
Talk about overkill.
[i] H