Got some pictures form the party. Here are the food tables:
Here are some of the guests- that is the birthday boy in the Hawaiian shirt, and the woman seated in the sleeveless green blouse is my neighbor who had that horrible tumor surgery we talked about at length. She’s fully recovered and knocking back a Yuengling. Medicare made that possible:
Here are some more of the guests in the back yard. That entire area that they are sitting in was completely unusable last year, because it was covered with pine tree branches. I had the trees trimmed all the way up, and now it is my favorite space in the backyard, because the ground is soft from decades of pine needles (I’ve hauled out about 35 bags of needles) and it is nice and shady and cool):
And finally, the desserts. Rather than a big cake, we went with lots of choices. We had a cake professionally made at the Bethel Park bakeries, Harald made a delicious plum and apple cake and we mixed some heavy whipping cream with confectioners sugar and Couintreau, and we had lemon meringue pie, a ridiculous cheesecake, and ice cream:
If you are wondering which one is me, I am the one in the kitchen sweating. I just got the back yard put back together.
eemom
Cole, you are such a teeeeeeaaase.
At this point, I’d take a picture of you over the Reply button.
Ya can’t keep stalling FOREVER, ya know. Kay told us how the whole NN was one big “Where’s Cole?”
Ash Can
Looks fabulous. Congratulations on a very successful party.
CT Voter
Can I be adopted by your family? At least for the birthday celebrations?
Thoughtful Black Co-Citizen
Thanks buddy. I needed something to make my tuna fish sandwich look EXTRA boring.
Morbo
Clearly the reason that he is so unwilling to have his face shown is that Cole looks like Casey Anthony and doesn’t want someone crazy to run him off the road for the sake of the children.
CatHairEverywhere
What a nice party! Was Rosie doing her duty as the Canine Clean-Up Crew? The food looks amazing, and now I am even less enthusiastic about my boring lunch.
Violet
Looks like a great party! Those desserts are killing me. YUM! And do I spy the remnants of a mojito on the dessert table? Making me thirsty just thinking about it.
Glad you had a great party. I bet your dad had a wonderful time. I guess your dogs (and visiting dogs) behaved themselves didn’t help themselves to the food? What about Tunch?
stuckinred
We call harvested pine needles “pine straw” and use it for much here in Georgia.
eemom
nice fence, also too.
Tsulagi
Fence doesn’t look half bad. I’m impressed.
BTW, if you don’t want the gray weathered look later, put some deck stain on it. If you do like the weathered look, then you’re good.
Fucen Pneumatic Fuck Wrench Tarmal
one of the news of the world whistleblowers found dead.
damn, murdoch inc is possibly living down to the name.
kay
I’m seething with jealousy that John Cole has pine straw. 35 bags, extra.
That’s all I got out of the whole party story. Pine straw envy :)
stuckinred
kay
Not if he dumped it.
Punchy
Ah, the ground is soft, like a woman’s breasts, or Obama’ negotiating strategy. Pine needles sounds exotic, you Marxist.
licensed to kill time
I see I was not the only one eagerly scanning the pics for a John Cole sighting.
Curses, foiled again!
jl
Looks like a good party. Congratulations.
PurpleGirl
Did you save the pine straw?
Party looks like it was very good.
stuckinred
All those folks look so.. . normal!
AliceBlue
Yummyyummyyummy! Looks like a good time was had by all.
John, if you dumped the pine straw, just tell me where it is. I’ll gladly drive from Georgia to West Virginia to get it.
stuckinred
Alice Blue
you in the ATL?
Belafon (formerly anonevent)
When John write novels, he goes by the name Thomas Pinchon.
Corner Stone
I know there are a lot of very talented builders of strawmen here at BJ, but I’m not sure why everyone wants the actual pine needles.
They are an abomination and a scourge. I could give you a couple bags a week just cleaning out my gutters.
Dee Loralei
The scroll over captions on those party pics are effing boring. Geeze Cole, you don’t invite us, you rub our noses in the menu, you remain unphotographed and unphotographicable, and now you short change us on the snark. I want my money back! I demand a retraction and a public apology for all your many sins, listed above!
stuckinred
Corner Stone
it’s great mulch
AliceBlue
stuckinred: Nope. I lived there for many years, but now I’m in Meriwether County.
SiubhanDuinne
You look ZACKLY like your dad only 29 years younger. Right?
MattR
I see Rosie. I see an unknown dog. But no Lily :( Was she sitting at your feet in the kitchen?
Comrade Colette Collaboratrice
I admire the clever use of camera angles to hide the rusted-out pickup truck on cinder blocks and the old toilet turned into a planter.
Seriously, looks like it was a nice party. You’re a good son. Cheers to your dad.
stuckinred
Alice
Oh yea, we’ve talked about that before. I’m in Athens.
stuckinred
MattR
The black and white looks like another dogrobics candidate!
Ash Can
@Comrade Colette Collaboratrice:
Those are in the front yard.
PIGL
It looks like a lovely family party, Mr. Cole.
(rusty old trux and baby dux and all).
((are you sure those are pine trees? Look more like spruce from what I can see))
ROSSINDETROIT
It takes a COLOSSAL amount of work to put on a feed like that, entertain everyone and clean up. Nice job.
MazeDancer
What a splendid gathering. So sweet to see happy people enjoying the considerable efforts it took for such a swell event. Nice Real Life in the midst of all the crazy going on.
And, have to agree, excellent fence as well. Makes the yard. And the atmosphere.
Poopyman
So since I grew up about 2 miles from Bethel Park Bakery, and I have to be up there this weekend for a reunion, I’m checking out their website for cakes.
So did the birthday boy get a “Carebear” cake, or maybe the one with “Wizard of Oz” figurines? Maybe the Pittsburgh Pirates cake?
Also too, “She’s fully recovered and knocking back a Yuengling. Medicare made that possible:” strikes me as a non sequitur.
rikryah
that is one good looking spread.
damn. made me hungry
daw
Oh man, I so want to come to your next party.
Scott Supak
Wait, how do I get Medicare to pay for my Yuengling?
asiangrrlMN
Nom nom nom. That looks awesome, Cole. You are a prince. Hope Papa Cole had a wonderful time.
Thoughtful Black Co-Citizen
Tunch ate the dogs.
slag
Fence looks good! As does the food. But red plastic cups? Is your dad having a birthday or pledging?
Trollenschlongen
John, the party looks wonderful and very tasty.
I’m wondering about the cheesecake: what is all that glorious wonderfulness piled up on top of it? It looks too damn good to eat, but I would anyway.
emjayay
Lovely. And each and every guest gets their own personal unique style chair.
WaterGirl
Cole, I love you for mentioning that your neighbor is alive and able to hang out at a nice party, only because she has access to Medicare. (Even if some would criticize your sentence structure.) As asiangrrl said, you are a prince.
harlana
Awww, what a wonderful thing to do for your dad (and family)! Awesome spread. You’re a good son, Mr. Cole!
DaveinME
John, from the looks of it you make for one hell of a good person and neighbor. Well done!!
JR
I’m not entirely convinced that “John Cole” isn’t just a very long-running Turing test.
metalgirl
Wow – what a feast! Well done and I’m sure all your guests appreciated it as well as the birthday boy! Additionally, there appear to be no injuries or animal mishaps (although, if there were, we expect you to report them pronto)! Kick back this week — you’ve earned it.
Arclite
You got the cakes from the Bethel Park Bakery? Isn’t that more than an hour away ONE WAY?
burnspbesq
With a title like “Scenes from the Debacle,” I expected to see a picture of Carli Lloyd’s PK. Has that ball come down yet, or did it achieve escape velocity and go into orbit around the Earth?
Corner Stone
@JR:
C’mon. I’ve been banging this drum for two years now.
It’s fucking fascinating. At least to me, anyway.
JPL
John, Your father must have been so proud. Good job.
Garbo
You’re a good man, Charlie Brown. But you must be exhausted. Load of work, hope it was a load of fun.