Calvin's Weblog

Summer Blog 2006 - Day 67

Temp: 30 degrees

BBQ Day, and what a scorcher! Could the weather be better? Well, maybe a breeze would've made the afternoon more tollerable, but by time the BBQ was in full swing, the evening was IDEAL.

I made a double batch of my famous potato salad on Carole's behest, but boiling 16 large potatoes in a single pot proved to be a little more challenging than first blush would dictate. Of course, that was nothing compared to the quandry that arose when contemplating how to mix three more pounds of chopped veggies and sauce into those potatoes. Without divulging the gory details, suffice to say the solution involved an extra large (and very clean) flower pot, and a very large plastic bag.

The first guests arrived right at 4pm, the next at 4:45, and between 5 and 5:30, another half dozen showed up. After sending out a total of 76 invites, we were a little leery of the possibility that we may have over-estimated a tad when buying supplies ... by about 400%... of course, the 10 of us that were there at 5:30 were having a grande time, but I still did wonder where everyone else was.

I didn't have to wonder for long! Over the next 45 minutes, our backyard population doubled - at by 8PM we had a total of 32 guests! From 6 to 8 was a blur for me, as I scrambled to answer the door, cook the burgers and hotdogs, and mingle with friends I hadn't seen in years.

At one point there were EIGHT kids in the backyard playing, running, screaming, well, basically being kids. I'll bet that's the most kids that have ever been in this house in one day - it was a bit of a shock to the system, but something I suppose we'll have to get used to someday...

So many people brought side dishes (which I had indicated in the invitation were totally optional) that the kitchen counters were completely packed with food... thankfully too, since I was so busy cooking for everyone, that I never took a breather to have dinner myself - instead, just nibbling on all the side dishes throughout the night.

Then the unthinkable happened - the propane ran dry! I had to think fast ... be a terrible host, or be a terrible son... I know, I know, I'm going to hell, but I chose the latter. I asked my Dad, who I had invited to the BBQ to have a relaxing good time, to go to the gas station at the bottom of the mountain and fill my propane tank for me. I feel so ashamed, asking a guest to run an errand - especially my Dad, who I know would do anything for me, and because of that, I try desperately hard not to abuse the priveledge... but in a moment of weakness I faltered. Of course, he was happy to do it, and he saved the day - someone had just slapped 10 drumsticks onto the BBQ, and they all turned out wonderfully thanks to Pappy's Gas (LOL)! He's got his 60th birthday coming up in exactly 1 month - I am DEFINITELY going to have to do something spectacular for him this year... the BBQ rescue was above and beyond.

-by the way, please forgive all the typos - I'm typing on my laptop, and I hate this keyboard - The keys are so shallow, I have a hard time telling if they've depressed or not - especiall since it's dark now that Carole has turned off all the lights and left me in the living room to finidh this entry by the light of the monitor - I can't find the backspace key right now, so, you've been warned.

Well, people started heading out after 8, and I guess that by 10 or 11 it was just the musician crowd left. Mamsy and Pappy headed upstairs to bed, and the rest of us meandered between the deck conversation, and the basement, where video games were being played on the big screen.

It was a relatively tame and early night with everyone except for the ol' Typhus boys heading off shortly after midnight. The rest of us watched Ali G and old Typhus videos for another hour, then hit the hay.

Lots of great conversation was had today. Lots of old friends I haven't seen forever, and even some new friends. I think this was one of our best "Fairwell to summer" BBQ's yet... and summer's nowhere near done with us yet - it's suposed to be just as hot out tomorrow.

Posted by Calvin at August 26, 2006 07:41 PM