Uncategorized

Birthday Party Extravaganza

44 Comments

I think it’s safe to say I sometimes get carried away.  Luckily there is one place in my life where this is just fine and dandy.

At my office, each of us in my department is in charge of another’s birthday.  You send around a card for all of us sign (all 10 of us), set up a time on our calendar to celebrate and bring in a treat.  We are all event account managers so planning parties is something we all know how to do.  There is a drawer full of assorted colored tablecloths, festive paper plates and plastic silverware, a few party hats.

I am the keeper of the drawer and also the schedule of who plans the birthdays.  About 5 years ago, when updating the list for a new hire, I assigned myself to my friend, Norma.  Norma lives life large.  She is a single mother of two boys; she moved here with them from Mexico when they were babies (after the death of her husband, who was an employee at my company).  She was able to put her hotel experience to good use and eventually ended up at BIW and in my department.  She is outspoken, funny, full of energy and loves celebrations as much as I do.  No one gets more enjoyment out of their own birthday than Norma does.  We are a birthday party match made in heaven.

This year I did a flamingo theme.  Not sure why although I remember that I thought the idea up a while back.  First I found a big petal envelope back in the client mailing center and did a huge card for everybody to sign.

Then I made a banner that spelled out her name.  (I got this banner die set a year ago so I am always looking for an excuse to make a banner.)  I turned off the tv in the lunchroom to hang it up.

I set up the table with lots of pink, using the cupcakes (the feature photo) as the centerpiece.  The menu included pink cupcakes with pink and white icing and flamingo straws, white chocolate popcorn with pink sprinkles (Norma loves popcorn), pink sixlets and ice cream with pink sprinkles).

This is way over the edge and created quite a stir in my building as I was getting everything set up.  People from other departments came in and some folks even took pictures.  Everyone seems to think I’m a little crazy.  But Norma was thrilled and I’m thrilled to over-do for an appreciative audience.

When was the last time you got a little carried away?

44 thoughts on “Birthday Party Extravaganza”

  1. You are a natural wonder, vs. How I wish I had that childlike enthusiasm for celebrations. Alas, I don’t, and I can only imagine how appreciated and celebrated Norma felt at that fiesta.

    Liked by 4 people

    Reply

  2. In the last week I have lost 4 pounds helping my friend pre and post operation for her rotator cuff. She works full time as a security guard, and also works part time at a hobby farm helping with chores. If she wasn’t working, she was sleeping. Life has not been kind to her. She moved into her current apartment in July, and hadn’t had time or energy or the health to unpack, and some of her boxes and totes have been unexamined/unpacked for more than a decade. She just moved them every time she moved. She also is an avid quilter and seamstress and has tons of fabric and sewing equipment. Her situation led to inertia and despair, and it was not possible to walk through the apartment for the boxes and totes. I sorted, organized, and moved furniture. I made multiple trips to the dumpster. We shredded documents dating back to the 1990’s. She called me a “white tornado”. I made banana bread, cooked up two butternut squash, and organized all contents of the totes we couldn’t empty. In the midst of it all, there was a burst pipe in the wall of her apartment, and we had to move shelving for the plumber, and then dry everything and move things back.

    Liked by 4 people

    Reply

    1. Now she has a functional living room and bedroom, organized shelves, and a sewing room that she will be able to easily organize when her arm is functional. A
      I am chagrined, however, that I need to go to the rez tomorrow to collect Husband and all his stuff, as he is completely fed up with his agency and won’t go back. Sigh.

      Liked by 3 people

      Reply

        1. Wow Renee– what an amazing thing you’ve been doing. Sound like the help was desperately needed and hopefully, much appreciated. You’re a good friend.

          Liked by 1 person

        2. What an amazing act of friendship, Renee. Good luck with Chris’ move. Sorry that things aren’t working out with his agency. But, if now isn’t a good time to realize that life is too short and precious to squander in a bad situation, I don’t know when is. Hope everyone out there is staying healthy.

          Liked by 3 people

        2. I’m concerned, Renee. To decide to discontinue work he has devoted years to, he must be seriously unhappy. I’m glad he has an alternative, but sorry he feels compelled to leave the Rez. I hope this works out for everyone.

          Liked by 2 people

        6. i can’t work at all in autocratic situations

          bozo meatheads are difficult to drive behind for 3 miles. working with them would kill me. i really do tell myself i can do this because i only have to deal with it for 3 minutes malania has to be there every day

          Liked by 1 person

    3. i am moving out of my warehouse and unearthed my moms stash of marvelous fabrics
      i think it’s in the i can’t keep it pile but i sure would feel better if i could send it to your friend

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

      1. If she doesn’t want it, tim, my friend Sara who lives down the street from me is a quilt maker. She’s an amazingly productive sewer, and she donates all of her quilts to women’s shelters and homeless veterans’ shelters all over the state. Depending on what you have, I’m sure she’d love to have it.

        Liked by 1 person

        Reply

  3. The last time I got carried away was March 9, with my suggestions about how you could stay away from Cadbury eggs. The one idea that never occurred to me was an order from the Governor.

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

    2. I actually need to tell you guys that some of the outrageous suggestions including writing the check have kind of worked. I have managed to stick to only one Cadbury egg a day (if they are in the house). I haven’t written a check and I’m not even going to attempt that but somehow thinking of all of those ideas has kept me on the straight and narrow.

      Liked by 2 people

      Reply

  4. VS and Renee — you are both amazing! Such amazing work and fun you both provided to people who enjoy it. The most I do for birthday parties (for my boys) is a fancy cake and a nice meal. Decorating (of any sort) is just not my thing.

    I’m still going to work fulltime everyday and am considered an “essential employee” and even have documents to prove it! Buses and parking lots are empty and over 80% of employees here are working remotely. Kind of surreal …

    Liked by 3 people

    Reply

  5. I go over the top sometimes about organizing (according to someone who lives with me). My favorite is to have “a place for everything and everything in its place”, but esp. right now, you wouldn’t know that to look around our house here. Trying to get a handle on that…

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  6. OT – In case you’re interested, yesterday Bob Dylan released anew single. As good a time an any to reflect on the events in our life-time that have had profound, long lasting impacts. Here’s a link to Murder Most Foul. It’s worth the 17 minutes to listen, and reflect:

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

  8. At one time I had four cats simultaneously; I suppose I got a little carried away with the rescues.

    It’s not good to let me get too close to animal shelters. I’d like to take them all home.

    Liked by 5 people

    Reply

    1. If it makes you feel better, Linda, my baby sister is up to nine right now. She does pet sitting for a living and is very involved in animal rescue and just can’t help herself.

      Like

      Reply

  9. two or three years ago i started going too goodwill on tuesday’s to buy suit coats on 75%off day to sell on ebay
    today i am moving out of my warehouse and have thousands of coats to finish photographing and selling (i have stopped for the foreseeable future)
    record albums i had a few but then again not too few to mention
    i’ve got thousands stashed played a bunch of pj and vs’s last week. i do love lp’s (i can’t stop)
    hats (never stop)
    i get into jags (noun not autos) (but i need to beware of jag jags too)and go loopy before it stops
    if birky finds on ebay for 20 bucks is a good deal 5 of those is a great deal. that brain gets me in trouble
    searching masks for menards appears to be a dead end but my manic searching led me to another side hustle that may play out in the next little while
    farmville is my latest in too deep sin. i hope to discover new ones as i reinvent again
    air bnb is toast. looking for new inspiration from my backyard

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

Leave a comment

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.