I was so surprised that my daughter showed up with my granddaughter that I forgot to let our new downstairs neighbor that the party had started. She's getting birthday cake and caprese pasta salad, though, because she acted "above and beyond" when she not only met me in our entry and asked, "Oh, you saw it, too? We just saw it go." referring to the gazebo; and then, came outside to help break down the blue Port-A-Shade that held it's ground, but got bent to hell.
What a day. There I am thinking that I'm headed for a glorious nap after cleaning the kitchen after the party for about a dozen when the storm hits. I knew it was kicking up when I peeked down at the trash cans, saw them moving, and yelled for BB to take them to the basement. I didn't think of the gazebo. I didn't think of yelling at the whole crew to get outside WITH ME to secure the yard. Wish I had, but don't actually know what we could've done to stop the gazebo one from blowing into the middle of the street.
What triggered my concern, after seeing the trees blowing and sheets of rain coming down at about a 45 degree angle, was when SA's 12 year old sister came into the living room and said, "Whoa. That scared me. I just saw the ceiling move. I mean it went up and down!"
I cruised to the office and looked at the ceiling, "What room were you in?"
"I was back with the kitties."
I cruised to the porch, and looked at the tile ceiling already knowing that there had been a shift in the barometric pressure which meant .....
I FLUNG OPEN THE DOOR AND DASHED DOWNSTAIRS where I practically collided with our neighbor. She said what she said as I stood holding open the screen door with my mouth hanging open and my brain trying to figure out, "What's wrong with this picture?"
It took a couple beats, but I finally translated "go" to "gone." In an instant, I pictured the wind gust carrying the gazebo away. I ran to the front of our yard to see the gazebo strewn across the street with a black sedan about three feet away from it and two other cars right behind the black one. Looked like they came to a screeching halt.
"HOLY SHIT!" my brain screamed at my body. Next thing I knew, I was breaking down the gazebo looking at three cars, headlights on, waiting for me to clear the street. I looked down our street by the new entrance to the old folks' home, and saw a tree branch with a car coming around it. So there I am standing under a tall tree with a transformer next to it, breaking down aluminum piping not even thinking of lightning, getting completely soaked, throwing tubing hard enough so it makes a loud clanking sound, thinking about all the young people inside when SA, SA's friend, and our neighbor come careening outside through the side door followed by BB emerging from the basement door.
They start breaking down the blue Port-A-Shade, and I continue to bitch about breaking down the gazebo by myself. I know they can't hear me yell because I tried, so I keep hauling the gazebo off the street through my gate. Something about going out into the open street to get the aluminum pole concerned me, so I just started pulling the awning and breaking down mangled legs and roof supports. It didn't take too long to clear enough room for the cars to pass. Right about that time, two crew members drove out of the driveway, and I waved good-bye and grumbled about stupid dipshits not having enough sense to offer help.
Four of the crew did help, though, so soon we successfully got everything in. AS I stood out in the pouring rain, I noticed that my next door neighbor's yard had stuff strewn about. I went over and started putting it back in place. Next thing I know, CeCe appears in her kitchen window. I was surprised because her car wasn't in the driveway. Come to find out that her car was sitting at the local water park because its brakes went out or something like that. All of a sudden BC appeared beside her, and we talked ending with a my much needed bad pun, "Well, as they say, 'When it rains, it pours.'"
I got completely soaked by the storm. It felt so good. I needed a good storm, or maybe I shouldn't have said, "No," when SA told me that in five minutes I could come down to the basement to put all the stuff back.
I only said, "No," because the garbage bag had leaked all over the kitchen floor when I thought I was done already with the kitchen. I was forced to get out the Swiffer and scrub a bit after rebagging the garbage. Maybe if I had gone to the basement after that, but .... well, whatever. I figured and still figure that crew will be here Saturday to help clean up the basement.
I finally went in when the rain started to let up, but only after letting it wash away the awkwardness that I've been feeling for and from CeCe and BC because I was an idiot and lent them over $1,000 to pay their heating bill before it got warm. I also stopped babysitting for CeCe when they fell behind on their payments by a week just like I said that I would. They've paid over half of it back at $75/week, and are up-to-date, now; but now their car is broken. They did manage to get their house painted while they were behind, and that ticked me off to no end; but it's my own damn fault, like I explained to CeCe. I lent my cushion, and that was a mistake. BC is working side jobs to earn more money, though; so things will improve, and I'm sure they will pay me back. I'm not sure we'll remain friends, but I think we might just pull it off. Still, "NEVER AGAIN!"
I did finally go in the house because I figured my white t-shirt might just be completely see-through. Kept thinking about wet t-shirt contests and whether or not I'd win. Big Negatory on that one.... unless going for "natural boob size."
I was up on Friday, June 18th (BB's 25th Birthday) at 5:30am. That was the plan, and I'm glad I did it that way. I had time alone to get so much done while it was still cool. It also gave me enough time to cook everything and let the house cool down before everyone showed up. It was nice. I was tired but plugged away thinking of my grandmas up early in the morning doing stuff.
I got all the cooking done by 7:30am. My chicken for the Chicken Salad was cooling in the frig along with the pasta for the Caprese Pasta Salad. I'd put the three layers of cake in the freezer. The house was cooling down nicely, and I was very happy that the 90 degree day that was supposed to have thunderstorms might just work out fine.
It wasn't long before BB was up and headed to the shower. He was pleased that I had gotten the cooking done; and that, the house was cooling down again. He was still clueless about his "Toy Story 3" themed 25th Birthday Party. I guess he thought I was kidding when I said that I was going to do it because "toy Story 3" was opening on his b-day. Silly BB. I figured that I would do my last full-blown "kid party" and get it out of my system.
I went gonzo on the cake. I used my Martha Stewart star-shaped cake pans and built a three-layer yellow cake with chocolate frosting and sprinkles. There were 25 candles on the cake consisting of 13 that made up the words, "Happy Birthday" and 12 sparkler candles in blue, red, green and yellow. I've got three white sparkler candles left. OF COURSE I found the "Happy Birthday" candles ON SALE at the Walmart in my home town way back when I was taking care of Dad after his surgery.
On a whim, I bought some balloons at Party City on Thursday. That only cost me $5.90. There was a pack of yellow and light blue "Toy Story" balloons for $1.99. I added a red 2 and a red 5 to the bunch, et voila!; ordered on Thursday and picked up on Friday.
The crowning glory to the "Toy Story 3" themed party was the birthday hat I found for BB. I scoured Party City for cowboy hats and space helmets, but couldn't find any that I liked and could afford. While looking I came across some beanies with twirly things on top, but they were cheap. It did get me thinking, though. I wandered over to the hat aisle and came across BB's Birthday Hat: a red, green, yellow, and blue baseball cap with a green brim and a twirly thing on top. "I don't wanna grow up" is printed on the front, too! ... and of course, the best part is that it was On Sale for $7.50! TA DA! Done!
We did surprise BB as planned. Can't believe we pulled it off right under his nose, but then again; he's BB. My poor granddaughter started crying when everybody yelled surprise, but she calmed down enough to take a bit of a nap soon enough; and then it was time for cake.
"How many candles are on it?" BB asked while I was preparing to light the candles.
"25. Between the 'Happy Birthday' and sparklers, there are 25."
Everybody started counting candles and talking about how long it was going to take to light the candles and have the house catch fire. My daughter and one of the crew members found the fireplace matches when BB told them where they were.
"I've been looking for those for ages!" I exclaimed.
"It takes three seconds per candle," the crew member declared while the three of us were setting the candles ablaze.
"Hurry up! My cake's going to be all wax!" BB urged as we got the last candles lit.
A quiet, sleeping baby version of "Happy Birthday" was sung and BB blew out his candles after a few attempts while SA's sister informed him, "Sparkler candles relight. I had them, and it was so annoying." We laughed and watched him successfully extinguish the entire lot.
"Whoa. That was intense," said my daughter, "It was like Mission Impossible candle blowing."
I couldn't help but to start singing the Mission Impossible Theme and was joined by a few.
Everybody's pieces of cake were too big. :D There was ice cream, too, of course.
After the party, there was still some more shooting to do, so cast and crew headed back down to the basement to finish up while I cleaned up with help from SA's friend, DB. All shooting was finished before the storm hit.
It was an action-packed day filled with many ups and downs, literally. Mostly ups which is pretty great except in the case of flying gazebos.
So here's a bit of what I wrote to my best friend the other day. I figured it's a way to get caught up and not jack my reader's around too much.
It's Monday morning, and I really do need to rest a bit more, so out! Besides, I need to erase the fact that it is Monday; and that, my payment is late again. Just remember, "I'm an idiot - sometimes." If all goes well, though, I should be paid off by August 1st. I'll focus all my positive energy on that one and await the fall out from friends and family over my stupidity. sigh. I just couldn't let the kids be cold. You know, "No good deed goes unpunished." Oh well.
