have a housewarming party

Sweetie and I both had a really fun time, with about 50 friends from all our different communities mixing and mingling in all kinds of interesting and surprising ways. We would love to have a big party again… but not sometime soon. We need a break!

There is virtually no mess this morning, because we used disposable cups and plates. (But get this: they are compostable! So they won’t end up in the landfill, just in our garden.)

Things to do differently next time: Be sure to make a dance mix of music in case people feel like dancing! Use Evite instead of sending all the invitations by hand and reminding everyone and trying to tally RSVPs. And pass the camera around and ask others to take some pictures, because we as hosts will be too busy! Attached is one of the 4 or 5 pictures I got on my camera.

Well, not exactly a fight but a little misunderstanding, a little release of tension.

Now that that’s over with… The early guests will start arriving in 3 hours. At least all the food is ready. Now to finish the place and ourselves.

And I think I broke my blender. Ack! I’m going to make cupcakes tonight, and the one other spread (for people to eat on crackers or veggies) and that’s all the food I’m making. I’m getting excited!

Unfortunately budget constraints dictate that we don’t be buying any decorations or costume elements. I guess necessity is the mother of invention, and now we’ll have to be really creative!

I had some vacation days to use up anyway, so I am taking the next 2 days off work to cook, clean and relax.

We’ll see how that goes.

And his visit accomplished just what I’d hoped (in addition to being a nice social time): we have now completed the bare minimum of unpacking and cleaning necessary for our party. It would be nice if we could do more in the next 2 weeks, but if we get busy or wrapped up in other aspects of party planning, at least most of the boxes have been cleared from the living and dining rooms. Yay, this place is cleaner than our old place ever was!

We had a friend over for dinner last night! In the dining room! At the table! It was really nice.

I am coming across all kinds of fancy vegan party food that I want to make for our party. I just might take a few days off work before the party, so I can make all the food I want and not be stressed about time. Homemade vegan candy corn, anyone?

My grandpa doesn’t like noisy parties, so I invited him and his girlfriend over to see our place and have lunch in a few weeks. I’m sure everything won’t be perfect, but we can consider this a test run for the party.

via email to more than a hundred friends and family. I’m not holding my breath for a high percentage of them to come… but just so some do and we have a good time! It’s out of my hands now.

I was thinking we’d email them but now Sweetie is talking about mailing them. That would mean getting everyone’s mailing address, paying for stamps… it’s crazy! But he’s right, they would be cuter that way.