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The Event

Yesterday was a very long day of effort, but I believe it was a fruitful effort.

Yesterday was the day I put together the plan for a surprise birthday party for my wife after having planned, purchased, and plotted this event for several weeks.

This birthday was a special birthday where the second digit in her age was "O". Therefore, the day and the event needed to be special. I invited all the relatives from both sides of the family, swore them to secrecy. My wife had decided to take the afternoon off and scheduled a facial, manicure and a pedicure (three hours of some stranger touching and massaging all matter of parts of your body... not my idea of a good time, but she likes that sort of thing). T

his gave me the opportunity to enact my plan. Immediately after my afternoon class eneded, I scooted out the door (instead of eating lunch or doing research or reading), hopped into my trusty steed (my truck), and cavorted all over the town getting the various items I had pre-ordered.... roses, a specially decorated cake, ice cream, a platter of sub sandwiches, and bags of ice. I then raced home. I ran the platter into the refrigerator, the cake onto the counter, the ice cream into the freezer, and dropped the bags of ice several times each to shatter the cubes and then poured them into a waiting cooler I had hidden in a corner of the garage that was filled a variety of pop and beer.

I then ran into the basement where I had hidden all sorts of decorations and doo-dads and then I raced back upstairs and began to decorate the kitchen with festive banners, signs, ornaments, napkins, plates etc all in a festive range of hues of orange, yellow, and pink.

After I decorated, I ran to my den and carried out the numerous presents I had wrapped late last night. These two were wrapped in a range of hues of yellow, orange, and pink and I placed them all around the room.

I opened the windows to let in the extremely surprising and unexpected warm temperatures (we had a high of 70 today, and it was actually sunny!). I went back down in the basement to check out the seating (a table with chairs, a sofa, and a few smaller chairs). I ran back upstairs to check seating options there.... seats around the kitchen table, several more seats in the family room, and still several more seats in the living room. I then ran out into the back yard and (happily) assessed that the outdoor seating would also be perfectly usable even at this late time of the year due to the extreme warmth. This added 5-6 seats on the deck and another 4-5 in the cobble-pavered area I had erected a gazebo upon this past spring. Everything looked good.

I then ran back in and did a quick vacume and then put the vacume cleaner away. During this time, my mother kept getting antsy, but luckily she did not get overly aggitated or stressed.

Next, I jumped back into my truck and raced to pick up five pizzas and three dozen pieces of chicken and brought them back and placed them into the oven on low to stay warm. It was roughly 15 minutes to the start of the party.

My wife walked in and was pleased about the party.

Guests started arriving and a conjovial carcophony of sound began to permeate every nook and crany of our home. We ate and drank and talked and mused. People seemed relaxed and happy.

When the meal time had just about concluded (people continued to munch on odds and ends of salads and pizza and other things all night long), we had my wife begin to open gifts. All manner of very nice gifts were given by members of our family. When the time came for my wife to open the gifts from me, she started by opening several sets of clothes (with jewlery) I had picked for her. She seemed pleased. She also opened a gift containing a work of religious art work she wanted for her contemplation space. Again, she was pleased. Finally, she opened the final package I had and found a folder in it. When she opened it she saw my major gift for her to cherish and remember her "0" birthday... a romantic ride on a hot-air balloon for the two of us. We can plan a particular day for our ride and it should be very, very nice indeed. I think she was surprised, but I also think she liked the thought of the gift.

We then ate cake and ice cream, and people began to filter out to go home.

All and all, it seems like it was a successful effort on my part... and the party seemed to be enjoyed by all.

PipeTobacco