The Party~ Let’s Dish # 68

Most of you know I have been mostly  absent from blogland the last month.  There are so many chores to do in the Spring to get ready for Summer.  I washed, power washed, scrubbed, painted and planted.  I planned  and prepared for our fifth gchild’s first birthday.  But, we can never prepare enough!

The weather was perfect!  Warm enough for the 21 kids to enjoy the giant water slide, but a slight breeze to keep the adults comfortable!
But the weather was the only perfect thing!
A few days before the party, dh put his back out, and being the procrastinator that he is, he had a lot left on his list to do!  Ah the stress!  Thought about postponing, but muddled through on my own.

All the chairs and tables had to be carried up from the garage and set up.

Finishing touches had to be scrapped.
THEN…the morning of the party as I was working in the kitchen I noticed there was no HOT water.  What?  We had just had the oil burner checked and cleaned a month ago!
Now I had a mountain of pots and pans, and no hot water!
So while the 60 guests hopefully enjoyed themselves, the oil burner repair guy came and fixed the problem.
I have very few pictures , I was stuck in the kitchen most of the time!
The lady I hired to help, never showed up, her car broke down.
I have never had help before, but with all the glitches, I could have used her!  My dil is a great helper, but I hated for her to be stuck in the kitchen too!
My friend, Pam, came over and blew up the helium balloons for me and tied them to the sailboats I had on the tables.  I never would have gotten to it in the crunch!




The Birthday Boy fell earlier in the week and sported a huge black and blue mark on his nose and was not feeling himself.

We had appy’s including 6 lbs of homemade chicken salad on crackers.
Goldfish in a fishbowl, trying to carry through on the beach/water theme. :)
Platters of hot giant pretzels were a hit with the kids young and old!
  I served dh’s special chili and 10 qts of Long Island Clam chowder from the buffet server so it stayed warm.  Not a drop left over!


Grilled brats and hot dogs,
followed by Baked ham,
homemade coleslaw,
Baked Beans
Pulled Pork,
Baked Mac and Cheese,
Pork Fried Rice,
Pasta Chicken and Snow Peas , and a huge green salad.
Tray of rolls, rye, pumpernickel, and Italian bread and butter.
Desserts were trays of chocolate cupcakes dipped in chocolate and topped with whipped cream and a chocolate shell. I got the cupcake cups in Christmas Tree Shop last month.



Fresh blueberries and whipped cream on top of a cake baked in a Heritage Pan.

Of course, beautiful Birthday cake with a beach theme.  Collins is Eamon’s middle name.


Our bruised little birthday boy!
Pin the nose on the clown!


If that is too noisy , you could sit in the shade and rock and enjoy the flowers.



One more thing that went wrong…

The coffee pot went on strike and presented pale , I mean very pale coffee!  I had to quickly make 2 pots of coffee in the regular pot!
As much as you plan, things do go wrong!  I hope no one noticed but me.
Now the putting away…it will take all week!

And then, it is time for July 4th!

Happy Summer everyone, it is just getting started here!
Thanks so much for visiting!
I enjoyed visiting all the entries to Let’s Dish last week.
Remember, it doesn’t have to be a full tablescape.  You can show us something new you found to do a scape, anything table related.  If you show food, please show a setting with it, like dear Kitty does every week.
If you don’t have time to visit at least 5 others, please don’t link up.  I totally understand being busy, but I really want the entrants to get visited and comments.  Thanks for understanding!  It is a busy time of year for most of us.
Be a follower to link up, One link per week,
BLOG NAME FIRST, a link back to this party, and no word id blogs.
Thank you very much, Ladies!
Now let’s see what a little group of dishies came up with this week!
I am joining Gollum for Foodie Friday

I had the flowers, the cloth, but not the time!

Crunch time here!  The rainy weather put many projects back, including the finishing of the last part of the deck work.  Finally, yesterday it was done, and the sun is out today.  I still had some last minute painting to do in between the cooking.

I bought some flowers yesterday hoping I would get to a table.

I found a tablecloth I liked at CTS…blues, turquoise and purples.

But no time, sorry!

There are 100’s of buds on my hydrangeas, so maybe next week, flowers from the garden.  It looks like a good year for hydrangeas.  I have about 40, I really should count them, and they are all loaded.

But for now, I must get back to the preps.

Now if I had some helpers, it would go quicker! 

Have a great week, and after this weekend, I will have some time again for blogland!

Thanks for stopping by!

Same rules, one link, a link back to this party IN the post, not on a separate page, no word ID and there has to be  china, linens, etc

Your turn!

I Have A Lot of Balls~Literally! Let’s Dish # 66

 

(I am having trouble getting the link up to work, bear with me while I keep trying!  The set up has changed!)

My friend Pam, dumpster dived a giant sack of plastic balls.  All clean and new, she knew just the crazy  right person to give them to!

There has to be over a 100 of them!

So…since my little gson’s 1st bday party is going to be a beach theme, I thought I would make a wreath with them!

 

Total cost was 1.00 for the rattan wreath form from $ Tree.

I had the ribbon.

I just hot glued them, and kept going and going!  That’s a lot of Balls!

I also found these cute wine stoppers at CTS, for a dollar.

And a little glass ornament with fishies on it, also a dollar.  I got a few of them to suspend here and there.

Since I don’t have a table tonight to show, I thought I would show some components of a scape. 

My friend Gail, yes, Gail the Giver, thought I could do a tropical table with these great felt leaf mats.

I think this flatware by Cambridge via CTS, 9.99, would work well with them.  I am thinking on it!

Thinking ahead to July 4th, I bought a few sets of napkins on line.

Great sale at Boscov’s.  And a blue fish jug from CTS, was 3.20 with my coupon.  I bought the matching salt and peppers too.

That’s all I have  for tonight.  I am waiting till July 4th for the reveal of the porch.  Can you wait, lol!  :)  Really, it is no big deal, but be sure to notice all the freshly scrubbed and painted wicker.

I have trigger finger, like tennis elbow, from all the painting I did.

I have had charity pickups 3 weeks in a row, and I haven’t even made a dent in it!  It is easy to get rid of dh’s things, but mine …well,  I don’t want give away remorse!

Thanks for stopping by!

I believe I made it to everyone last week, which makes me happy.  I have been so busy the past few weeks, I am rarely on the computer.

Same rules…

No word ID   Must be table related, dishes, linens etc

One link  and a link back to this party

Blog name first

Must be a follower to link up, and please leave a comment.

Visit at least 5 , more if you can!  I know everyone is busy.

Your turn!

Red and Newly Gifted~Let’s Dish #65

Good evening, dishers!  I didn’t think I would make it, but I had a last minute burst of energy and a little inspiration, so here is my simple table for 2!

I spent the day out side, cleaning, painting and planting.  The garage windows finally got a cleaning, overdo!

Time is fleeting, and I need lots of it to get ready for the party!

On to the table…

My friend Gail tucked a service for 2 into the other box of dishes she gave me.  (HERE)

I started with the 3.00 cloth from HG, a mossy green mat topped with a string mat.  Both were from Christmas Tree Shop

The centerpiece is some red knock out roses with a bit of diamond frost tucked in.  While I was working in the garage today, I spotted this cute little wicker basket, and gave it a fresh coat of white paint.

If you stand still near me at this time of the year, I will spray you white! :)

The glassware is green, by Gorham, via Lenox Outlet.

Gail also gave me these great red bowls.  Perfect with the plates!

And there you have my table for two, which I set 15 minutes ago when I came in form my full time job!

When I am done, I won’t know what to do with myself.  But when will that be?  I don’t know!

Dinners have been simple of late.  I am simply too tired after working outside all day to be very creative!

The strawberry crop is coming in, time to make trifle.  White cake, vanilla pudding, strawberries and fresh whipped cream.

 

Dig in!

Thanks for stopping by!

Your turn, same rules, you can see them HERE

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A June Sunday~My Undercover Dishes & Holy Rhody!

I remember when I was growing up, Sunday was a day of rest.  I usually try to keep to that tradition, but today was an exception.

Yesterday we were gone all day for my cousin’s funeral.  He was 65 and the last few months he was suffering greatly, so it is a blessing he went.  Always sad, but his dear wife gave him a beautiful send off.  The Mass was lovely and the luncheon after was upbeat and filled with fond memories and stories.

So today was a work day.  I power washed the porch ceilings.  I can’t use the deck wash that I love on them because it comes down and gets all over, and really, it is not good for your eyes!

I know Alma was having another where do you keep it all party. I have shown it all and have nothing new to add.  I didn’t want to rerun what I have already shown!

So the only thing I can show is where I am hiding  keeping the 112 white dishes I bought last Fall!

The pattern is Filigree by Pfaltzgraff.

Here’s the story.

  I bought 112 of a different plate during their dollar sale.  You have to hop on it right away, or you will be out of luck.  You never know when they will have one.

So, about 2 weeks after I ordered, they said unfortunately they didn’t have them, and after negotiations were done, they allowed me to pick another white plate to replace it.

They didn’t have any that were a dollar or even 2, so I picked this and they said ok. (Currently 7.99)

Now why would anyone buy 112 white dinner plates?

I knew I would be having a party this summer, and I do not like to use paper plates to serve dinner!

I don’t mind a paper cake plate if it is necessary, but paper plates and plastic utensils are only  ok for the beach.  And really, good paper plates that are pretty, are expensive!

If I use these a few times, they will have paid for themselves, not to mention I am happy to let others borrow them too!

So where the heck am I keeping them?

Well, can you say garage?

Some are in a galvanized tub…

And some are in the gkid’s wagon!

I will roll them to the house and run through the dishwashers when we get closer to the party.

Yes, I have enough flatware for a 100 and then some!  Remember, I used to do catering as a second job , and I always provided real utensils for them.  Nothing like having a plastic fork break in your hand as you stab some food!  :)

So happy blogoversary to  my real life friend, The Tablescaper.   I started a few months before her in Dec. and that is how we met.

I think I forgot to celebrate my blogov this year!  :)

And so you didn’t come just to see some wrapped dishes in my garage, I am showing you my neighbor’s unbelievable 4 humungous rhody’s!  Never fed, deadheaded, irrigated, NADA!

My neighbor’s only come out in summer, so they never see their magnificence!

My roses have started to bloom…

Look at these healthy snap dragons I planted last year.  They were the favors for the Baby Shower I helped with last year.

You can see it here.

The new porch railings were installed.  I still like the wood ones better, but if the wood rots, it is constant replacement.

Almost ready for the porch unveiling, I know you can’t wait, LOL!

Thanks for stopping by!  I am joining The Tablescaper for Seasonal Sunday.