PAAAR-DEEE!

The Happy Couple

Drew's Parents and Siblings

Drew and His "Twin" Brother,  Brandon

We are at up at 7:30, despite the party last night, which went on way beyond midnight.  It's after 8:00 now and I am still the only one downstairs drinking coffee, though I took some to Evie, who is still in bed, drinking coffee and on her iPad, no doubt.  It's overcast and warm, a good day I think for a ride home but we will probably run into some rain.  We will be in no hurry, just get home before dark.

Hayden and Halle Admiring the Edible Fruit From Our Son Tom And his Wife, Mary

Yesterday until 5:00 was spent getting ready for Drew's retirement party.  We forgot how much effort and money goes into a big party like this for 75 plus, with food, drinks, appetizers, and a cake.  So early morning, Drew and I got the yard ready, chairs, tables, coolers, a cooler for the keg, tables, garbage cans, everything we could think of for the party.  While we did this, Halle and Evie made signs for everything, from beers, to wine, to 'latrines.'  Halle loved doing it and couldn't wait to hang all the signs.  Around 10:30, we went two different ways, Jill and Evie to Costco to pick up shrimp and a few other goodies, then table clothes and glassware, while Drew and I picked up the keg and eight bags of ice, always an under estimation as we found out.  When we got back, we filled the coolers with beer, others with soda/pop and water, set up the keg of Shock Top with ice, but waited till about 2:00 to crack it open.  Around noon, Drew's sister's came over and helped Evie and Jill decorate the house, the tables, making sure everything looked right.  And Evie and the girls placed small flags up and down their driveway, hung big balloons off their mailbox, a real party scene.  About 3:30, Drew and I drove off again, to the caterers to pick up lots of goodies that I cannot name, then stopped at Chick Filet to pick up some chicken nuggets for the kids, then six more bags of ice.  We were home by 4:00, and Evie and Jill set the table with all the food, and Drew and I filled up the coolers with ice once again as some had melted because of the weather.  Everyone was showering when we got back, so I jumped in just before 5:00, in time to open the wine, fill the ice buckets for the Chardonnay before the first guests arrived.  Whew!  A busy day for all of us.

Evie, with Drew's Buddy Terrence and Wife, Holly

Hanging Out On The Patio

Enjoying the Night

Guests began arriving at 5:00, just as I got out of the shower and was opening the wine.  And then the fun began.  It was an almost perfect night, as it rained lightly a couple of times, forcing people under the trees or umbrellas for ten minutes, but other than that, it was great outside. Drew turned on the lights strung through the trees as it got dark and  even built a fire in the fire pit around 9:30.  We were worried as always about whether we had enough food.  It seemed just right, as a few shells were left but by 10:00, but even those were heated up and eaten late so it's hard to tell.  No one complained, however, so I think it was just right.  And we worried about having enough beer but I think we were right on the nose.  We ran out around 10:30, put the final case on ice for mostly the guys who remained, and that was gone by midnight.  Not deterred by that, the guys starting doing shots of the many bourbons that Drew was given as a gift.  When I came upstairs around 11:30, a group of about ten were standing in the kitchen, they were drinking shots of Fireball, a bourbon that tastes a bit like an atomic fireball, with a spicy cinnamon flavor.  Needless to say, the bottle was gone in a flash, with cheers as Drew drained the final sip.  Jill was out on the porch with some girl friends, sipping Chardonnay while the boys were inside.  Evie and I finally went to be around 12:00 I think, with the party still going for a few, mostly Drew's buddies from the base, and a few neighbors.  I am not sure what time the party broke up, probably around 1:30.  It was a great night for Jill and Drew, with family, neighborhood friends, and Army buddies.  Both Evie and I got to meet a lot of them, which was neat because we had heard so much about many of them.  We both had a restless night, too much to drink I think, but I did sleep in a bit.

Halle, With Her 'Officially Retired' Dad