Anniversary Party

Saturday the 15th was one year to the day that we signed the papers and closed on the house.  Tomorrow, the 18th, is our 9th wedding anniversary.  This all added up to a Spring Anniversary Party at our house on Saturday!  I didn't share those plans here on the blog, maybe for my paranoid delusions of still wanting to keep a semblance of internet anonymity?  Oh well..

Hosting a party like this is quite a bit of work - a whole lot actually.  Last year I tried to get word out by word of mouth through the neighbors and just a few showed up.  So this year I stepped it up, a few weeks ago I walked up and down the block dropping off invites.  I did talk to some and just left a flyer at other houses.  We invited our small circle of friends, of course, and I actually invited my whole department at work.  Probably over 80 invitations in all, 50ish just from my work - I thought it could be fun.

Early on the plans seemed to grow beyond the party we threw last year.  We just couldn't have that kind of traffic in our little place so food tables were moved to the garage.  This year was definitely an 'outside' party.  We grilled up over 50 bratwurst and my wife spent about 6 hours prepping some great sides.  A fruit salad, bread salad that you have to try, broccoli slaw that everyone loves, and of course the incredible baked beans with apple.  Some people actually assumed we bought the sides or had them catered, I was so proud!

Hosting a party is nothing like just going to a party.  This took alot of planning and even during the party I felt the need to hop around and make sure everyone was having fun, not cornered in conversation or bored.  I'm a worrier, I guess, but I think everyone had fun.  A few neighbors stopped by early to check it out and many came back later.  Things started to liven up after about 2:00 in the afternoon and went past 11:00 pm.  If I had to guess, we enjoyed between 40 to 50 different people at different times when all was said and done.

I work with alot of nice people that have accepted me in the last 2 years, some grudgingly I'm sure.  My life has only gotten better the last few years and my co-workers may have even seen a change in me, or not, I'm pretty stubborn!  I don't put up with 'injustice', for lack of a better term right now, and have been taken to be a kind of watchdog in my own way for our rights as employees and union members.  I'm not trying to lead, I don't want credit or limelight at work, I just want what is right!  I invited my whole department and while very disappointed with the turnout from this group I'm sadly not too surprised.  I was very happy to see the co-workers that did show up though, it meant a whole lot to me.

When we had a party last summer almost every neighbor expressed how they always thought something like this should happen.  Something like a block party for everyone to meet.  And while Saturday was not really a 'block party,' many neighbors did express the same sentiment.  We met some very nice people that live on our street.  Every single one I hope to see soon again.   Although it was less than half of the neighbors on the street that came over, hopefully we can meet them all eventually.  There's already a circle of dead grass in the backyard now from the fire pit, despite the grill mat, so we may as well do this again!

I just tried to get across many feelings as concisely as possible, I hope it was understandable.  I didn't pay enough attention to get pics of all who attended, but I did remember the camera every now and again long enough to snap a few.  Click 'Read more' below to see the rest of the pics.