My father-in-law, Jerry, celebrated his 63rd birthday this weekend. Technically, his birthday is Tuesday, but the party was this weekend. We were kind enough to kick the dogs out of the spare bedroom for Kevin's parents, and we even washed the sheets. Never let it be said that Jenny doesn't know how to treat her family.
We didn't really kick the dogs out because they are in our bedroom, with Danica on the bed. I breath wrong during the day and this dog gets a toy for me to throw. But I can't kick Danica hard enough at night to get her to move. If pressed, she might consent to turn over, heaving a large sigh as she does so. Rough day, huh puppy dog?
We started off by taking the family to the Washington Renaissance Fantasy Faire. Kevin and I go every year, Kevin usually drops in two or three times. People watching is prime activity. Some of the costumes are amazingly elaborate. Queen Mary of Scotland, complete with ruff and hoops. The Troll of the Bridge. Wenches galore. Lots of jiggling, not all of it pretty. Some belly that should NOT NOT NOT ever see the light of day. Kevin wore his linen shirt and sport kilt, looking right sexy. And he didn't get a bee sting on his ass this year.
Yes, he asked me to look at his bee sting. I looked. A wife's job is never done.
Kevin's girls, the Thryce Wycked Wenches, were singing in one of the ale houses, and will be performing throughout the faire. They sing "acapella arrangements of a dubious nature." A damn fine show, bawdy and funny. Plus they sound amazing. Kevin was their prop last year during a rendition of "The Scotsman." Don't let him tell you how embarrassed he was on stage while they pretended to tie that LOOOONG ribbon around his whatsit. He loves that shit.
After the Faire we met back at our house for dinner. Kevin cooked hamburgers with prosciutto, swiss cheese, garlic mayo, and sliced pickles. Dana and Tim fried plantains. I made chocolate cake. And it was amazing. My recipe was a secret, until Hershey's Cocoa Powder stole it and printed it on the back of the cocoa box. But I always add extra cocoa powder to the frosting, so it's more chocolatey and less sugary. It was a perfect evening, warm with a breeze. Clear skies. And I showed off my darling summer dishes. I love those dishes more than any woman should love plastic tableware.
Sunday morning we whisked Mary and Jerry away to Etta's, probably our favorite restaurant other than From The Bayou. It's one of the lovely Tom Douglas's Seattle eateries, located by Pike Place Market. I had polenta with maple syrup, marscapone cheese, bananas, and walnuts. Heaven. Click on the link to check out the menu. Drool with envy. We wandered around the market for a bit, giggled at expensive shoes at Nordies, then drove home for an early dinner. And while many unfortunate souls wouldn't identify spending the weekend with the inlaws as a smashing good time, I'm content not to include myself in such category. It was a brilliant weekend. Kevin and I were both very happy that his folks joined us (and Dana, Tim, and Grace) for birthday weekend. Thanks guys.
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