Brad's Birthday

Okay, Brad's 25th is coming up, this Sunday. Three months ago I started thinking that I'd like to do something special for his birthday, two months ago I was thinking "surprise party," one month ago I still hadn't done anything but talk to a couple friends about the idea, and two weeks ago finally realized that for it to work, I'd actually have to get with the program!

Two weekends ago, Brad got a new "toy," a Palm. Playing with it, he put his entire phonebook on it....I wanted to "play" with it too......promptly emailed his whole phone book to me (wireless internet it has) and deleted the "sent message." Problem: I only knew a couple of the people, so I called them and got them on board. Online, we belong to a forum, Teton Gravity Research, so I sent Private Messages to the friends I knew and had them forward them to other people. Goal was only to have 10 - 20 people there, so it wouldn't be a huge party, but still fun.

Started to hear of other people getting the news, so when I bought the cake (a delicious work from Provo Bakery - a bakery that still makes them from scratch!) I got a FULL SHEET! Idiot. Okay, so it was better to be safe than sorry, but the 15 people couldn't eat even 1/4 of it, so now we've got heaps of leftover cake!

Oh, so the actual event. Our friend Elizabeth volunteered her place, and "invited us to a barbeque," just her and her boyfriend Matt, and the two of us. I reminded Brad of it, but he's so haphazard with all his businesses that it's never a sure thing with him. Friends driving up from all over, I make the cake switch with his parents in the Albertson's parkling lot, friends arriving about 7pm last night, and I'm stuck at the bar (Rum Bunnies, the bar he just opened with his dad and a couple partners) with Brad at 8:00, trying to get him to leave the bartender there alone and come with me. (Long sentence, grin.) Aaaaarrrgghhh! Finally, we leave, Brad muttering about how his parents couldn't bother covering for him, making him leave the bartender alone. I chuckle to myself and try to sooth him. Poor boy IS very stressed.

On the drive, I make him open part of his birthday present, a toolbox with a pineapple in it (he loves pineapple) since stupid me, in my groggy driving to work stage that morning had stuck the present in my car. Where the pineapple proceeded to bake, all day, sitting in the sun in my car in a black toolbox in 90 degree weather. Shaking my head. So he got a present early, to avoid the pineapple cooking into the card and other present in the toolbox.

Arrive at Elizabeth's place. Brad looks confused as he sees a bunch of cars, including the car his parents drove. Understanding slowly dawns as he sees the balloons on the fence, and a slow smile crosses his face as he turns to me and says "So you wanted me to come out here for this, huh?" I play innocent as we get out of the car, then his dad's voice booms out "Happy Birthday, boy." And his mom, "We didn't feel like working at the bar tonight." And other friends wishing him happy birthday.

Good evening, I was nervous but it worked out well. Plenty of friends there (though not enough to finish the cake), good grilled food and salads and dips and chips and ice cream and beer and other lovely chilled beverages. Brad was happy, pleasantly stunned (he had no idea! Even said at one point at the bar "Hon, I don't think I can make it out to Elis's tonight, sorry." Heh. His reaction was great.) He had a good night unwinding, hanging with friends, his parents went back to the bar after a bit to ease his mind, and we chilled until about 11pm. Happy time.

Success! Yay!