Party By The Pond

(Yesterday’s sunset.)

Yesterday we had our big Party By The Pond. We normally have it around the time of the summer solstice, but had to have it early this year for a variety of reasons, too numerous and complicated to list.

We were worried about the weather as there was a cold front getting ready to move through about the same time our party started (3:00pm). The day started out hot, but very windy (so that Breezy Acres more than lived up to its name). We set up the tent in case of rain. The wind gusts did their best to try to knock over or carry away the tent. That plan was foiled by careful and good staking. The tent held in spite of everything the wind threw at it.

Around 4:00pm, just after the majority of people arrived, a small rain cloud quickly moved in from the west. It rained for a couple of minutes, just enough to cool things off, and then moved just as quickly on where it may or may not have rained on someone else’s party.

A good time was had by all. There were lots of boat rides in the pond, a couple of good games of volley ball, and a lot of eating and drinking going on. (You wouldn’t believe the number of soft drinks consumed!)

(For those that have asked, this was not my birthday bash. My birthday is in December. I’m not sure I’ll have a birthday bash, although I’m seriously considering it since I’ll be half a century old this year.)

One of the best parts of the party for me was sitting in the tent with M after everyone had gone home and the initial clean-up was finished. We sat and looked at the stars, listened to the frogs and the owls, talked and relaxed, knowing it had been a very good day.

Now that the big bash is past, it’s time for me to get back on track with exercise. I’ll sit down and get my Move 2008 numbers updated and post them tomorrow. The past two weeks have not been good, numbers-wise. Or exercise-wise. Or healthy eating-wise if I’m going to be honest about it all. But all excuses are now behind me and it’s time to get this almost 50-year-old body back into the groove.

I received the email about the theme for NaBloPoMo for June.  I like it, and was thinking I’d participate just to breathe some life back into the old blog.  But we’re heading out of town on Wednesday and I don’t think I’ll have access to the internet for at least a few of the days we’ll be gone.  That pretty much puts me out of the running for June.  And away from home (which happens to be the theme).  Perhaps I’ll use the theme anyway, and write when I can.  Photos from the pond throughout the month are a good way of expressing part of what home means to me.

Right now, though, home means finishing the party clean-up.  It’s not too bad.  Mostly a matter of putting things away at this point.  We might have to invite an entire town over for dinner in order to get rid of all the food that was left behind.  We have Carolina-style pulled pork with two different barbecue sauces, beef sloppy joes, vegetarian sloppy joes, a variety of salads with a variety of vegetables, pastas, dressings, and even a few with tofu.  There are baked beans, brownies, cakes, and homemade chocolate candies.  I believe there’s a whole pie and a couple of gallons of ice cream.  We also have three watermelons, a big bag of cherries, and a bunch of raw veggies for dipping.  Chips, salsa, 7-layer dips, and the mysterious flour tortillas.  They’re mysterious because we can’t figure out who brought them and what they brought them to be used with or for as there doesn’t seem to be anything to go with them.

So, come on over.  Bring your friends, family, neighbors, acquaintances, and anyone you happen to meet along the way.  We’ll have a feast.