Never too old to party!

What day are we now?

Friday was a quite day there were clouds in the sky most of the day and although we must have been in about 16 degC you still can think it as being chilly here in Houston. Mum and Dad were dressed in their coats reading their books outside - absolutely determined to sit by the pool every day! Later in the morning Mum, Dad and I went off to Macy's to buy Mum all her Elizabeth Arden goodies (to Dad's dismay - the Amex getting hit again!). I had not managed my run in the morning as I didn't want to get out of bed, Stuart had managed to get up and go to spin class, so in the afternoon I drove M&D to the bayou so they could go for a stroll while I went for a run. It worked fine although when I came back they were shivering on the park bench - I told them a run would have warmed them up :)

Stuart made curry and naan bread for the evening meal which was yummy. However, that was not the only bread he made that day he also make ciabatta which we had fresh out of the oven at lunchtime - hmmm. We finished off the evening with a game of 'appletters' (Angus' Christmas gift to Stuart!). Poor Mum had a challenging game as she managed to pick up every consonant in the pack so was having a hard time coming up with words, fortunately we had the scramble two letter word cheat sheet when we all got really stuck!

Saturday was party day. I had organised a group of friends to come around to meet Mum and Dad - most of these folk have featured in the blog at sometime or another, and to celebrate Stuart's up and coming big birthday (although he did not want me to call it a birthday party!). Dad and I went off to the supermarket to get all the food. He was an excellent trolley pusher and enjoyed being able to go and ask people where to find different items. Because the store is sooooo large it took us at least one and half hours to get around! By the time we got home, Stuart was chuntering for his ingredients and the first one he pulls out the bag is wrong - I got flat leaf parsley rather than corriander!

It was blue skies and Mum was sunbathing by the pool as the temperature climbing into the seventies. We got some lunch from the deli down the road and sat out enjoying the sun before Stuart and I had to get back to cooking and preparing. Just as Mum got into her bathing suit the pool man arrived! so she hid in the kitchen while we waited for him to do his stuff. We sent Dad out to watch what he did and try and find our net for the pool which we could not find the day before (he told the pool guy we blamed him for taking it!!!). Finally with the pool crystal clear Mum braved to put her feet in, and well,that was short lived as it was freezing (like we have been saying all week). However, Dad said he thought it was fine and got his trunks on ready for a dip. Mum and I both told him he could not jump in as we were worried he would have a heart attack! So he dutifully walked in one step at a time - getting colder and colder. Although it was the quickest length I have ever seen he managed it! The first swim of 2010 in our pool.

The party food was coming along well and we had enough to feed the five thousand, as always. Mum helped me make marmite pin wheels to introduce our American friends to the delights of the brown sticky stuff. (Stuart was less pleased by this idea as it meant using some of his marmite stash - he has four jars still and he is still adamant that is not enough to last him until May when I go back to the UK!).

By 6:30pm we were sitting waiting for our guests to arrive. Although we were only about 15 in total the noise was pretty spectacular. And once we got them to start eating - well nobody left the kitchen for the rest of the night! We have introduced Dad to Budweiser Select, a low calorie beer (just 99 calories) because dry cider is a rare and expensive commodity here. He was happy on those, Mum with her whisky and water and then nearly everyone else on Shiner, a Texan beer, except me. I am about the only girl not drinking beer! Mum and Dad managed to circulate the room well getting to talk to everyone I think. It was finally time for the cake - obviously Stuart was kept in the dark about this as he would have never agreed to it beforehand! Dad and I had managed to buy a very fancy cake at the supermarket - a Strawberry mousse with layers chocolate sponge, decorated with strawberries and cream. Everyone sang happy birthday and to give Stuart his credit he did not look mad at all!! Although, he did have the horrible task of trying to cut up this very wobbly cake for everyone (Dad had his own special bowl of strawberries and raspberries). Our last guests left us at just after to one in the morning. Both Mum and Dad partied until late in the night with Dad only finally going to bed at 12:30am because I had turned off his alcohol tap (i.e. I told him he was not allowed anymore beers!).

This morning Stuart and I went out for a bike ride with the neighbour. I was meant to be doing an 11 mile run but I have done something to the side of my foot so no running just now. We left at 8am, and Mum said she would do some house cleaning while we are out :) By the time we got back, two and half hours later, the house was spotless. Even Dad had been doing his bit using my horrible dirt devil vacuum cleaner. Actually, I should say Dad has been a wonderful dishwasher emptier, and now he has got the hang of where most things live we can leave him to it. Lunch was eating party food, before we heading off to the museum of natural science. We decided to just view the permanent exhibits, so for Stu and I that was free as we are members, and Mum and Dad got a senior citizens discount, not to mention an additional discount because we are members. Dad and Stuart went off to see the oil and gas exhibit that is sponsored by lots of oil companies and tells you all about the industry from how oil is formed to how you get it out of the ground. I think it also talks about alternative energy sources as well. So while they did that, Mum and I went to look at the minerals and gems. It is a fantastic exhibit with lots of pretty colourful, shiny rocks and enormous jewels loaned to the museum by wealth families. Mum really enjoyed it but we decided one exhibit was enough as lots of standing on your feet. On the way home I showed them where work, although we could go in as I did not have my pass with me.

Tonight we are off to have some Texan coo, at Texas Land of Cattle :)