Friday, March 30, 2012

Contingency Plan

The number one problem with planning any outdoor event is the weather. You never know when it’s going to take a turn and leave you scrambling to make other arrangements!
You may recall that someone has a birthday tomorrow. (As a quick aside, my boss’s daughter’s birthday is tomorrow, also, and two people I know are getting married that day. The 31st is a big day round here!) The celebration centers around outdoor activities like grilling, lounging on the deck, and letting the kids run around crazy in the back yard.
We have been prepping for two weeks, refreshing flower beds and planters, re-staining outdoor furniture, putting the lawn back in order, laying down fresh mulch and pine straw, and straightening up the swing set and clubhouse. I’ve pulled some of my favorite serving pieces, including a beautiful ceramic refreshment bowl given to me by my grandfather – perfect for cold drinks outdoors and big enough to hold the standards plus a bottle of white. In the four years that it has been in my posession, I have yet to actually use it for an event.
And thunderstorms are expected from 9 am to 9 pm tomorrow. Boo!
So now dspence is working out the details to move the party indoors. Do I pick up a cast iron grill pan for the range or plan to roast in the oven? Do I pull in my outdoor potted centerpiece or pick up cut flowers for the dining table? Do I move our outdoor games for the kids inside or put together a craft table? Do I sacrifice counter space for the refreshment bowl or just keep everything in the fridge? And how in the world do I find two more chairs for our odd-height dining table?
These are the questions facing me this Friday morning.
At least the cake stays the same!

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