Alison arrived on the Wednesday before my big party, and we spent Thursday morning shopping for the dinner ingredients.  We then proceeded to make dinner for 30 people.  It was a lot of fun, and every once in a while we’d say to each other, “This seems too easy.”  We made a turkey, a couple of roasts, and some steelhead trouts.

On Friday we also made some great sauces for the meat, made the salads, and I made my favourite Green Goddess dressing for the tossed salad.  On Saturday morning we loaded my car and transported all of the food to Osoyoos.

When we arrived, mom had the long tables all set up under the ivy, out on her back deck.  There were 15 chairs on each side, and mom had carefully made place cards for the 30 guests.  It took days as she considered each person, and then decided where they’d optimally be seated.

Freddie and Wendy were already there, and we had lunch together in great spirits.  I have to say I was really excited about my party, as it was comprised of people I consider dear friends.  Petra and Larry were there from Kelowna, and lots of people made the trip from the Lower Mainland, including Margaret.  Bev, my old teacher of the deaf pal, came too.

Almost all of the Ya Ya Sisterhood was there, except for Renate, who happens to be arriving next week.  The husbands all commented on how pleasantly surprised they were to be allowed to the party.  They said they’d never been included in our revelries before and felt honoured.

Because it was Osoyoos in mid-July, it was nice and warm sitting outside, and the dinner began with a lovely toast from my dear brother.  We then began passing around the food, and drinking as much as we could.

I’d said to Alison I wanted to serve a cocktail, as I think if people get a stiff drink at the beginning of a party it elevates the whole event.  We went through some recipe books, and finally settled on a vodka punch but decided not to use the word punch and to call it a Mo cocktail.  A special birthday Mo cocktail, anyone?

We kept tasing the punch as it was being made, and eventually I made Alison dump 1.5 of the giant vodka bottles into the vat, which also included orange, pineapple and grapefruit juice as well as club soda.

We’d mix and taste, and I kept saying but I want them drunk after one glass, so it has to be strong.  However, you want it to taste like juice so they down it quickly, thereby adding to the so-called punch.  It was a fine line, but I believe we achieved it.

Jerralynn had made a beautiful three layer cake, whereby each layer was a different flavour and colour.  It was really lovely and delicious, too with marshmallow icing.

The next morning Jerralynn came over and made Bavarian waffles for those of us staying at mom’s and it was a beautiful breakfast after a fantastic event.  For once I wasn’t hungover, so perhaps that’s what happens as one ages; one really does become wiser.