Debbie felt badly that I was up and didn’t say anything to her. I didn’t mind. I enjoyed the silence! We decided to go to breakfast and talk. It was just her and I and it was a wonderful time together.
After breakfast, she took me over to the drug store so I could buy my mom’s and my daughter’s birthday cards. I had wanted to get them on base but kept forgetting with all that was going on in our lives at this time!
We rented the club house in my mom’s condo development for my mom’s 80th Surprise birthday party. My sister-in-law said that we had to go move some furniture around and set up the tables and chairs as well as set the tables and wash the dishes before the party. We were scheduled to do this at 1pm. We hoped my mother would not notice the cars parked in the parking lot. We were sweating it because she was not leaving to go get her hair done and we needed to get over there to get things done.
The cake had been picked up and was stored in my sister-in-law’s refrigerator next door.
My mom thought we were going to dinner. My brother put together this elaborate scheme to keep her from knowing what we were doing. She had been complaining all day that she didn’t know where we were going. I didn’t want to say anything because I had NO idea what my brother had told her. I would have to find out to keep the story straight.
My mother is as sharp as a tack and she can smell a rat at a hundred paces so I knew we would have to keep on our toes to keep her from finding out.
At one pm, my daughters and I drove over to the club house and started working on the room. There were some moans and groans about washing the dishes, flatware and glasses but we managed to work on it until my sister-in-law and my two nieces showed up and helped put the finishing touches on the room. I folded all of the napkins and with my daughter’s help, moved the furniture and set up the tables and chairs. My niece, Laura, did all of the floral arrangements and my niece Paula helped set the tables along with my daughter and myself. Ailene and my sister-in-law worked on getting the dishes washed so we could set the tables.
It was all done and time to go back to the condo to get ready for “dinner”. My mother kept complaining that she didn’t know why she had to “stop at the club house” for a neighbor’s party. But we kept quiet.
At one point, I thought Grazia gave it away when she started to tell her sister something about the chairs, when I poked her and told her to shut up that my mother was in the laundry room ironing. She realized her faux pau and we all burst out laughing!
The party was terrific and again, she had a second big surprise with her youngest brother and eldest sister along with a dear sister-in-law and cousin there to join in the celebration. There were also two very dear friends of my parents there to celebrate as well. Between my parents, my brother and I, our children and their children, we made up the bulk of the party…but it was fun, nonetheless!
Mom & Dad arriving at the party!
Mom's youngest brother and eldest sister!
The party in full swing!
With the exception of the girl with the blue dress and the boy with the orange shirt (great-niece and great nephey), all of the other children are Mom's great-grand children!
All too soon, the party was over and it was time to clean up. It didn’t take as long to clean up because now we had the guys to help tear down the tables and chairs and put the furniture back the way it was. The dishes were washed and ready to be picked up and we cleaned up the last of the “stuff” that needed to be cleaned up.
When we got home, my mom opened her gifts. My husband got her a carved wooden dish from Germany that resembled our temporary living quarters for the past few months. I brought her mug from Paris with red lips and hearts all over it (for fun) and an honest-to-goodness Cuckoo clock from the Black Forest! It was hand carved and hand painted and she was thrilled to get it since she always wanted one. I had NO idea she wanted one but I’m glad I was the one to get it for her.
We then sat around with the kids (meaning my children and my brother’s children…who are all adults, really) and laughed and told stories. All too soon it was time again to go back to Deb’s house to spend the night.
We were going to church in the morning and my daughter and Gian-Carlo would pick me up at around 10am.
Deb and I stayed up late again talking. It was like old times…as if time had stood still and there wasn’t huge blocks of missing time. It was like when we were kids and had pajama parties…we were in Junior High again! We talked about everything, including the party and Deb and Chuck coming to visit in Germany. I told her to get those passport photos and to start making plans to visit. I couldn’t believe the weekend was almost over! I am going to miss my old friend!
Saturday 6/27/09
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