Surprise Party is a Success: Are You Surpised?

Last time we talked, it was Sunday afternoon, just hours before the surprise party was to get started and Bill was lounging around the house.  I had not baked the cake, made the appetizers nor had I started the famous punch (Andrew Jackson's Inaugural Punch) I make for the neighbors quite often.  I was not really panicked....more defeated.  Bill suggests we head over to the gym to workout.  When I start to say "no thanks", he does this thing he does.....he quickly glances at my bulging tummy and then looks back into my eyes.  I think he learned this move in Catholic school.  And it works every time.  I agree and ask if he'll be going to work for awhile afterwards...thankfully, he says "yes!"

I devise plan C while running on the tread-master......

I race to the store, buy some sliced ham and biscuits and some Dijon mustard: boom! appetizers; I pick up a Cannoli Cake and some 50th birthday candles: boom! birthday cake; and then I pick up all the ingredients for the punch. While waiting in line and read a very nice comment on yesterday's blog but when I go to hit the option "Publish" on my iPhone, I hit "Delete" instead.  Darn it!  I want every comment.  (Thanks Lori....I really appreciate your words!). I race home thinking I just might make it.......

I suggest you never try to rush making punch.  I had freshly-squeezed orange and lemon juice everywhere.  Some dark rum spilled to the floor only to be licked up by my helpful golden retriever (which might explain his terrible behavior at the party....).  And in the end, the whole kitchen was a sticky mess!

With no time left to shower, I quickly place a few curls in my hair with the curling iron, throw on a black outfit and head over with all my goodies.  I place a call to Bill and say, "I think you need to come home and head over to Leslie's quickly.  Leslie has an important announcement and she really wants all of us there.  With emphasis, I say, "I really hope everything is okay at Leslie's house.....".

If our little sign about entering the Old Zone seems blurry, I think you should get your eyes checked.....'cause it is definitely NOT due to my special camera skills! 

The neighbors were arriving with their own set of goodies (and their dogs); it can get pretty crazy with a dozen dogs running around.  But none of us care....we know they love the party as much as the humans do.  

My Bill arrives wearing a sweatshirt from a school I attended in my junior year of college and the school where I met my first husband (Bill #1).  It's just weird and he wears it ALL.THE.TIME! We give him the big 50th Necklace to wear.  He hates it, I know.  I know that expression very well.  But there's nothing he can do about it.....we are out in the public now!

My (drunk?) dog has countered-surfed twice for ham biscuits and delicious ahi tuna appetizers and was eying the cake all night.  He can be quite awful when he knows Mommy is into the punch (I call it 'punch drunk') and not paying attention.......

Everyone had a great time.  I should have taken more pictures, though, because I missed about half of the party attendees and their dogs, too!  Did I mention that I have the best neighbors you can have?!

And, I have the best husband  a girl could have, too. Happy 49th Birthday, Bill (#2)!!!

Being A Conniving Wife is Hard Sometimes

This is Day 9 of the Ultimate Blog Challenge and is anybody else counting?!

If you came by here yesterday, you know I am having a neighborhood surprise party for my husband tonight.  A 50th celebration for someone turning 49......

So what do you suppose is happening here at the Southworth house?  You guessed it....nothing.  Bill has decided to work from the home computer and maybe not even go into the office today!  Keep in mind, for the past 4 years (since the housing/banking industry and the economy tanked), Bill has gone into work 7 days a week.  His company struggled through a Chapter 11 bankruptcy, and now is trying to make a go of this land banking business even with this sluggish economy.  Usually, on Saturday and Sundays, he only works about 5-6 hours.....except today!

Conversation:

Me: "Hey, are you going into work soon?  I need the computer to write my daily blog post".
Bill: "Your what?"

Me, trying a different angle:

Me: "I think I will go shopping at the mall, since I cannot get on the home computer today....."
Bill: "No, no, no.......I can finish what I am working on at the office if that would be helpful".

Then, Bill throws me a curveball:

Bill: "Say, I've got a great idea.....let's take Wrigley and head out for an all-day hike....."
Beth: (Looking out the window at what seems to be the perfect Fall-like day for Phoenix) "It's too hot for a hike.  Maybe some other time."

Bill turns on the television to a football game, puts his feet up on the coffee table and starts to relax.  Now, I have been asking for him to stop working so hard and hang around the house for 4 years straight.  But today?  I have to come up with a plan B:

Only every plan B I think of has a flawed component:

a) I could go to the store, get all the ingredients, take them to Leslie's house, make everything there, then come home complaining how busy the grocery store was today...."That took forever"!

b) Buy a bunch of ready made appetizers, cake and drinks and take them over to Leslie's house.  The timing at the store would seem right, but it doesn't seem like I put in any effort.

c) Tell him that we are having surprise party for him and that I need to make some things for the affair and that he needs to act surprised when the party begins.  Hate to spoil the surprise.  Plus, that gives him hours to think up a fake headache or some project at work that really has to get done before tomorrow's meeting! 

URGH!  What's a conniving wife to do?!  The saga continues.......

Surprise Birthday Parties and Husbands

Does your partner/husband read your blog?  Are you sure, really sure?! It's pretty clear to me that Bill has never ever checked out by blog and he has no idea what I write about.....or even why I choose to have a blog.  Sometimes, people will stop us when we are out and say, "I love your post today, that was so hysterical"...... or "Your story about Laura made me cry!" and once they have walked past us, Bill never inquires about the posts.  It's odd really.  Personally, I thinks he's scared to find out.  Ignorance is bliss, you know. So knowing that Bill isn't lurking around reading my post, I thought I would tell you about his surprise birthday we have planned for him, tomorrow night.  (If you are reading this...you dog.....then you better act surprised as heck!) 

First, let me tell you a little bit about us.  Bill is my second husband....named Bill.  He happens to be 5 years, 5 days, 5 hours, 5 minutes and 5 seconds younger than me.  Isn't that amazing?  Okay, it's actually only 5 years and 5 days younger, but I prefer the dramatics of my first statement.  When we first dating, it really kind of bugged me that he was younger.  We would double date with his friends and the women they were dating were often much younger that the guys, making the age gap seem ridiculously large!  Plus, he's really young looking.  No grey hair, no wrinkles, and in great physical shape (just in case he's reading this.....). But over time, we seem to have melded into being the exact same age.....he's a little older than his chronological years and I seem about 2.5 years younger than I actually am.  Lucky me!

Another quirky thing about Bill is that he really does not like to talk about his age, growing older or even retirement.  He's turning 49 on the 10th.  When people ask how old he's going to be he mumbles "40-er-something".  So, naturally, his surprise birthday is going to be a "Happy 50th Birthday" party.  The way I look at it, it's going to be miserable for him, so we might as well get it over early!    We have a RIP tombstone, some old gag decorations and everything is set in black.  It's going to be a kick.  Actually, this is a party with our neighbor friends and their dogs.  We will meet in the backyard or a friend who backs up to the golf course, so the dogs can run and play with each other.  We do this sort of impromptu cocktail/appetizer/cake party fairly often.  And we will have have a laugh at Bill's expense.....almost every single person attending is older...some much older.  And everyone loves my Bill, so it's all in good spirits. (That's him in the picture with the blue sweatshirt, playing with Wrigley)

Now, I have to figure out how to make my very special punch and a few appetizers and the cake without Bill figuring out my devious plans........I'll take pictures for a later blog post!

Remember, mum's the word!