Spring Fling has been Flung!

Geography has made us neighbors. History has made us friends. Economics has made us partners, and necessity has made us allies. Those whom God has so joined together, let no man put asunder. ~ John F. Kennedy

Each year we usher in spring with a gathering of friends on the deck.  It started small with some neighbors, usually on the first NICE (like 75+) Friday of spring, but we never knew IF that day was going to be nice until we were in the midst of it which made any possibility of planning fly out the window  But now it has grown and requires a little planning (ok...and cleaning). 

So, we now have to set the date and do a lot of praying that the weather holds for the event.  Last Friday was PERFECT but Burger Madness had already been planned.  I had to cross my fingers and hope that the weather would cooperate two Fridays in a row.  The weather report was NOT promising, so I had a contingency plan of using our dining room, which we have done before but it is most definitely not my first choice.  Luckily I chose not to put my faith in the weather report because, although the morning did not look promising, we ended up with PERFECTION!  It was in the low 80s a very light breeze, no bugs...God's hand in motion.

Initially I would only make one of two salads, but I now have to make both: an asian pasta chicken salad with LOTS of yummy veggies, and a mixed green salad with strawberries, peppers, onions, chicken and candied almonds. I made the corn salsa and sliced some tomatoes to put on garlic toasted baguette rounds.  I finished off the meal with chocolate chip cookie bars made with heath bits, milk chocolate chips and macadamia nuts.  One of my friends brought sloppy joes for the kids, margherita bars (for the adults) and crusty french bread.  Almost everyone who attended brought a bottle of white wine.  I didn't think we could/would drink that much wine.  Apparently I was mistaken.  Ahem.

The kids all got along FABULOUSLY.  My son even had his friends over and they played an ad hoc game of soccer in the yard and then ate like only 15-16 year old boys eat.  The adults got a bocce ball tournament going, with of course my husband on the winning team.  It was almost 1am when the last of our guests departed which made me feel great...that they didn't want it to end.

Here is one of my favorite parts...all my cleaning is done!  That leaves my day almost completely task free.  Whatever will I do with myself?