Parties 'R' Us

As she was putting away an inordinate amount of party supplies, Sandie commented "You two entertain a lot."   It's not that Earl and I have lots of parties.  But people in the Pacific Northwest tend to schedule events during the driest months (July, August, September). We're most likely to have good outdoor weather, use our deck, and pool.

I have to confess to being the local 'Party Supply Central'.  Before the onset of my ataxia, I was a travel stuff addict.  Now that I'm more locally focused, I acquire party stuff.  Fortunately, my family and friends know to check with me before buying anything. Thanks to inheriting my mother's military wife entertaining supply legacy and my own addiction, chances are good that I have large quantities of it.

Earl and I also preserve marital harmony with lots of pre–party planning. He tolerates my lists and I tolerate his detailed menus.  Our goal is to see our friends, have a good time, and not kill one another. So far, that's always been the case.  If the group is large, we hire Sandie to help with replenishing and cleanup, leaving us free to enjoy our guests. I'm also a fan of using the online Evite, although I do appreciate that not everyone is.  In fact, online invitations just piss some people off.  Too bad—it's my party.








This is the first year that Thelma and Louise were introduced into the social mix*.  That was a significant improvement for me.  In previous years, I had a choice to make. I could use the walker, transfer to and then stay put in a patio chair.  Using Skeeter allowed me more freedom and mobility to get around to people.  The main trouble with Skeeter was watching party goers go pale whenever I scooted close to the pool.  Being in a wheelchair was the best of both worlds. I had my chair (Louise), didn't have to transfer to a patio chair, and could scuttle around to all my guests.  Louise, being the heavier of the two wheelchairs, was still lighter for Earl to move outside than Skeeter.  She was also more maneuverable than Thelma.  Best of all, I could get myself to the bathroom.  It wasn't pretty, but it was doable.

Summer Party 2015
About the importance of having peeps 'in the know' when you're a person with disabilities. Our guest lists are made up of people who are our friends and they read my blog.  It makes life so much easier.  I don't have to worry about what they're thinking or do any explaining. In fact, they know more about ataxia, me and mine than they ever asked.  

Because I was less mobile in previous years, stationing me at the bar seemed like a logistically advantageous place to welcome people. It was one of those things that sounded like a good idea, but wasn't for a couple of reasons.  First, even before ataxia, I was never a good bartender—no knowledge, no skills.  Secondly, greeting friends you haven't seen for awhile, just insures that the bar will be more of a bottleneck than 'welcoming' time. This year, Harley the bartender, efficiently saw to the guests' beverage needs.  Duh–why didn't we think of that sooner? 
Former co-workers

Neighborhood gathering
However, this year was a bit busier than usual.  In addition to our usual summer gathering, a former co–worker potluck, a neighborhood get together, Earl and I also traveled to Northern California for his oldest brother's birthday.  That added another set of complexities, but we have most of the travel issues figured out.** 
Brother Marvin

The lesson:  On second thought, we do have a lot of parties.

*Previous post: New Wheels: The 'girls'
**Previous post: Road Trip With Disabilities: Part 2 of 5

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