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verbicideMy friends rule.
On Saturday night, Judy and John had invited me over for dinner. John was going to make his famous prime rib, which I happen to love. Sarah was going to act as Designated Driver so I could drink myself into a merry oblivion.
Sarah arrived around 7ish and we headed over to Judy's. I walked up the front door and knocked. And omfg. There were nine million beaming faces shrieking SURPRISE! I was so shocked I nearly turned around to run out the door. But not because it was bad. Because it was overwhelming and omg so many faces looking at meee. Jen handed me the most beautiful flowers and I started hugging everyone. When I got to Judy, I started to cry.
I'd been feeling particularly morose this year and Judy decided to take matters into her own hands. Sarah was roped into the diabolical planning (raiding my address book when Judy's efforts to contact every bookclub in Seattle failed to bear fruit--she's still can't get off their mailing lists) and they contacted so many people that I love. It was just... you know. It's hard to find words for this. I was so incredibly touched. My friends were there, and I felt so loved at a time when I really needed to remember that I was.
Jeff and Chris; Jemma and Anne; Rob and Kelly; KC and Jen, my ex-boss Clarissa, Kim and Chuck, Jeanne and Sarah and of course my hosts Judy and John.
The funniest thing was, I ran into Jeff and Chris the night before at dinner at the ever-fabulous Cafe Bizzaro. (Judy later confessed she'd almost tried to run by there to invite my darling Seth, a waiter there who always spoils me). They were pretty sneaky about the whole thing.
The party was amazing. They immediately poured mojitos down my throat and I think I was drunk in about 2.5 seconds. Stacey called from San Diego, she'd really wanted to be there, but was on call so she attended by phone. It was a short but very sweet conversation. There were some lovely presents and cake and everyone had brought heaps of food. KC brought her famous lumpia, Clarissa made some shrimp toast things that were obscenely delicious. John's prime rib of course, with Jeanne's mashed potato and there was lasagna and some noodle thing and Jeff made a to-die-for chocolate/almond torte. Sarah can attest to the beet-redness of my face when Judy cautiously walked out with a fire-hazard-y cake, replete with all thirty-fucking-three candles nearly melting her face.
This is going to be sappy so um.
Mostly things like this make me feel very humble. I can't believe I'm so lucky to have the friends I do and as pretentious as this sounds, I want to always remember that so that I can endeavor to deserve them. These people are seriously amazing. They're smart and kind and generous and patient and giving and funny as hell. I can't believe they all worked so hard to make me feel so special and make my birthday such a memorable event. It blows me away. Judy and John are in the middle of finalizing their house-purchase and have no time, but they made time to do this for me when they really didn't have to. Sarah who drove out to pick me up in Ballard and all the way out to Leschi and back so I could be happily drunk and not have to worry about driving or paying $$$ for a cab. Jeff and Sarah have both started new jobs recently, Chris who has a crazy work/school schedule, Kim and Chuck are swamped with re-doing their house and really everyone has busy lives. Rob and Kelly drove out from freaking Everett. Clarissa who came to a house where she knew no one, when Sarah couldn't be there to introduce her. Jemma and Anne were very generous about the fact that I had cancelled a dinner invite for Anne's birthday a few Fridays ago at the last minute. Jeanne stayed late to help Judy clean up the mess in this house that they've desperately been trying to pack up. And John kept supporting Judy through all of this, since I was being very Greta-Garbo about my birthday and kept almost-canceling on the Prime Rib dinner (not knowing all of Judy's frantic efforts)and KC and Jen had repeatedly offered to come kidnap me if I decided against coming--having no idea I was precariously risking Judy's painstaking planning.
And Judy. What can I say about Judy. My best friend for these 25+ years who for some reason has stuck by me with all my mood swings and bad choices and self-loathing. Who insists there's something worthy in me, especially when I'm most convinced there isn't. I love you, Judy.
On Saturday night, Judy and John had invited me over for dinner. John was going to make his famous prime rib, which I happen to love. Sarah was going to act as Designated Driver so I could drink myself into a merry oblivion.
Sarah arrived around 7ish and we headed over to Judy's. I walked up the front door and knocked. And omfg. There were nine million beaming faces shrieking SURPRISE! I was so shocked I nearly turned around to run out the door. But not because it was bad. Because it was overwhelming and omg so many faces looking at meee. Jen handed me the most beautiful flowers and I started hugging everyone. When I got to Judy, I started to cry.
I'd been feeling particularly morose this year and Judy decided to take matters into her own hands. Sarah was roped into the diabolical planning (raiding my address book when Judy's efforts to contact every bookclub in Seattle failed to bear fruit--she's still can't get off their mailing lists) and they contacted so many people that I love. It was just... you know. It's hard to find words for this. I was so incredibly touched. My friends were there, and I felt so loved at a time when I really needed to remember that I was.
Jeff and Chris; Jemma and Anne; Rob and Kelly; KC and Jen, my ex-boss Clarissa, Kim and Chuck, Jeanne and Sarah and of course my hosts Judy and John.
The funniest thing was, I ran into Jeff and Chris the night before at dinner at the ever-fabulous Cafe Bizzaro. (Judy later confessed she'd almost tried to run by there to invite my darling Seth, a waiter there who always spoils me). They were pretty sneaky about the whole thing.
The party was amazing. They immediately poured mojitos down my throat and I think I was drunk in about 2.5 seconds. Stacey called from San Diego, she'd really wanted to be there, but was on call so she attended by phone. It was a short but very sweet conversation. There were some lovely presents and cake and everyone had brought heaps of food. KC brought her famous lumpia, Clarissa made some shrimp toast things that were obscenely delicious. John's prime rib of course, with Jeanne's mashed potato and there was lasagna and some noodle thing and Jeff made a to-die-for chocolate/almond torte. Sarah can attest to the beet-redness of my face when Judy cautiously walked out with a fire-hazard-y cake, replete with all thirty-fucking-three candles nearly melting her face.
This is going to be sappy so um.
Mostly things like this make me feel very humble. I can't believe I'm so lucky to have the friends I do and as pretentious as this sounds, I want to always remember that so that I can endeavor to deserve them. These people are seriously amazing. They're smart and kind and generous and patient and giving and funny as hell. I can't believe they all worked so hard to make me feel so special and make my birthday such a memorable event. It blows me away. Judy and John are in the middle of finalizing their house-purchase and have no time, but they made time to do this for me when they really didn't have to. Sarah who drove out to pick me up in Ballard and all the way out to Leschi and back so I could be happily drunk and not have to worry about driving or paying $$$ for a cab. Jeff and Sarah have both started new jobs recently, Chris who has a crazy work/school schedule, Kim and Chuck are swamped with re-doing their house and really everyone has busy lives. Rob and Kelly drove out from freaking Everett. Clarissa who came to a house where she knew no one, when Sarah couldn't be there to introduce her. Jemma and Anne were very generous about the fact that I had cancelled a dinner invite for Anne's birthday a few Fridays ago at the last minute. Jeanne stayed late to help Judy clean up the mess in this house that they've desperately been trying to pack up. And John kept supporting Judy through all of this, since I was being very Greta-Garbo about my birthday and kept almost-canceling on the Prime Rib dinner (not knowing all of Judy's frantic efforts)and KC and Jen had repeatedly offered to come kidnap me if I decided against coming--having no idea I was precariously risking Judy's painstaking planning.
And Judy. What can I say about Judy. My best friend for these 25+ years who for some reason has stuck by me with all my mood swings and bad choices and self-loathing. Who insists there's something worthy in me, especially when I'm most convinced there isn't. I love you, Judy.
