7:30am Get up. Blue skies. Assess weather forecast. AM showers. Clearing. Partly cloudy. Pleasant temperatures rest of day. Put the flag out.
Get ready for PICNIC ON THE PATIO (#29) Send STP for ice for assorted cans of pop in washtub. Gather plates, straws. Wrap assorted red and blue cloth napkins around plasticware (one knife, one fork, one spoon)-tie with assorted coordinated red, white and blue ribbons--place on newly spray painted silver tray. Remind Goob to pick up dog dirt. Count invited guests and chairs. Try on tablecloths. Make fruit salsa with cinnamon tortilla chips and form hamburger patties. Discover mold on GF hamburger buns bought yesterday. Send STP back to store to exchange rolls and pick up one more pack of hot dog buns. (Sad truth--no mold free GF buns in town :( )
11:00am Relax
11:30am STP starts charcoal.
11:40am Coals look good. Skies look clear. Winds calm. Pop cold. Tablecloths on. Think I should get the camera and take a picture of my silverware tray. Get distracted.
11:50 Phone rings. Party guest will be late because she has to move her dad to tornado shelter.
11:51 Walk to other side of house and survey sky to west. Ominous black clouds. REALLY?!?
11:53 Take flag back in. Remove tablecloths. Fold up chairs that will fold and drag others and stack on deck. Drag everything back in house. Put it everywhere there is a flat space. Pray it blows over.
11:55 Consult weather channel forecast again. Storm to the south west of us. Moving north east. 50 mph winds. Rain. Hail.
12:00pm Party guests arrive.
12:05 STP grills burgers/hotdogs.
12:10 Storm arrives. Wind. Pouring rain. Hail.
12:20 Burgers are done. Hot dogs are black. Guests find plates on top of freezer in entryway by crumpled up tablecloths and bags of buns. Guests find meat on kitchen counter. Condiments on stovetop. Guests can not find silverware. Guests clear spots at tables inside and eat with fingers.
12:30 Remove potato salad from fridge. Pass around silverware. Have tiny nervous breakdown.
12:40 Make myself a plate. Get cheese from the fridge. And some lettuce. Put it out on counter like it has been there all along.
12:45 Sit and enjoy food, conversation, freedom.
1:15pm Storm has passed. Blue skies. Serve homemade strawberry ice cream brought by late arriving guest.
1:30pm Move outside to patio. Have another can of pop. Play a game or two of corn hole. Sit long, talk much, laugh often.
5:00pm Guests leave.
5:15pm Help the STP clean up.
Note: No tornados. One pack of hot dog buns left over.
Pretty much the way I planned it.
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