my birthday dessert party

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME!!!  Our friend Sally A picked up Inez Sunday morning (7/23) to take her to church, while Michael and I got working on breakfast.  He made friend potatoes and bacon, 

and when Sally & Inez arrived home after 9 AM: 

I fired up the waffle iron.  

Everything was wonderful and the ladies sat and talked for a long time after breakfast while Michael headed to the media room to watch the last day of the British open.  After Sally left, Inez and I spent the afternoon working a bit in the kitchen: 

filling the lady locks with raspberry cream

putting mini-chocolate chips on each end

voila!

then reading: 

then working a bit in the kitchen:

and then reading….it was a lovely way to prepare for our party.  We finally got everything done 

we had warm peach crip as well

the chocolate cake had a raspberry layer

our drinks station

and of course...the most important thing with dessert....champagne

and awaited our guests, who arrived at 7 PM.  

Paula, Pete

Doug, Ken

Joe, Jim

Deanna, Gale, Dennis, Phil

Susan, Phil

Candyce, Gerry in front, Pat, Kay, George seated in back

Apparently Ralph was too much of a moving target for me to get a clear picture   :~)

Reg, Michael

Ann Mary, Sally in back, Inez, Loree in front

Ginny & Evelyn

Sue, Ann Mary, Sally

Cookie with one of her FAVORITE humans...Jan!

I’m not sure why we bothered to put in all of that work on the food….the noise in the house was deafening within 5 minutes of everyone arriving…..and for a time, no one seemed interested in the food!  It always amazes me that we all have so much to talk about no matter how often we’ve seen each other lately (I’d say 70% of the people at the party ALSO attend MAMA MIA the night before!)  Anyway, I think everyone had a wonderful time and although most of our guests were gone by 9:30 PM, our neighbors Phil & Evelyn and Jan stayed afterwards we spent a pleasant hour sitting in the living room talking more!  We all relaxed after that for a bit before bed.