Getting Ready for the Par-Tay

     I've been pulled in four directions lately:

*Keeping the house clean and tidy for showings

*Ditto for the trailer (easier - only takes an hour for a full clean)

*Getting my regular work done (starting to catch up again, thankfully) -- and --

*Setting up for the house-leaving party, with few or none of our usual accoutrements.

      The Brick made a second visit to the emergency room this week.  But with 40 or so people coming to the party, we couldn't cancel easily, either. So how can we do this the easiest way? (It's pretty much on me -- the Brick is still not feeling that great.)

Here's what I'm going to do:

*Buy as much ready-made as possible

*Serve on the kitchen counters -- right out of the bags/boxes

*Use something else for cooking -- in this case, the grill
                             (keeping the kitchen appliances clean)

*Take advantage of kind friends' offers of help


      The house is already clean. If we ask people to take off their shoes, and limit food to the kitchen area, it shouldn't be that hard to tidy up afterwards, for Monday's showings. (Same for the bathrooms.) We'll ask everyone to eat outside on the deck -- a quick hose-down will take care of that after the party's over.

I found a bunch of loose paper napkins and paper plates in all sorts of patterns -- plus some leftover silverware. (I didn't come up with this idea -- The Mama cleared out her napkin inventory during a family reunion. People thought it was hilarious to use all the seasons and occasions at the same time.) A trip to the dollar store produced a few more packs of silverware. Hey, people will be amused. And we'll clean out paper goods I would have had to discard, anyways.

The menu:

Rotisserie chicken  (Sam's Club)

Grilled pork loin  (from the freezer, sliced thin and marinated)

Tortillas, sprinkled with cheese (heated til crispy on the grill)

Salsa & chips*  (plus Sam's)

Variety of salads*

Baked beans*

Chcolate/caramel sundaes OR root beer floats  (already collected)

Cookies*

lemonade, beer (Sam's)

/Chocolate chip's always good with ice cream

*contributed by friends -- thanks, dears!


    I rinsed out several storage containers, to protect the counters and contain messes. (They won't look fancy -- but hey, these are good friends. They will understand.) I'll leave everything in their containers, and set out knives for cutting off meat for make-your-own tacos. (This worked great for the Brick's 60th birthday; we used roast chicken, tortillas and salsa then, too.)
     This approach includes the tubs of ice cream and root beer bottles, which will sit in their own storage container, surrounded by ice. The lemonade (in pitchers) and beer will be in the kitchen sink, on a bed of ice.

I'll set out several garbage cans, use paper or plastic for everything -- and people can enjoy themselves, with minimum fuss for us. Which is good.

Some will want tours of our new home, including the "basement." (3700 Collins is already being referred to as the 'other place.') We're lucky to have many friends who not only enjoy music -- they play it. They've been requested to bring instruments with, for an impromptu jam after lunch.

Yes, banjo too

It's a chance to thank these people for their love over the years, yet reassure them that we'll be around for good times to come.