Party Planning Maddness

Contrary to Mentok's suggestion on getting the Fiesta Optima 2000, we ended up getting a garden variety charcoal grill. The suggestion was highly appreciate though. :)

However, I should add that T and I probably had too much fun making a big deal out of asking every Lowes and Home Depot worker:
Excuse me. Do you carry the Fiesta Optima 2000??? You don't! Why don't you carry the Fiesta Optima 2000? We heard it's ranking is slightly lower than the excellent category..., but at $200, it packs a lot of performance for a very attractive price."

With a name like the Fiesta Optima, you can't resist.

As for point by point musings, this is what I have so far:

-I'll probably throw on stuff like Kings of Convenience, Snow Patrol, Delirium, Cocteu Twins and Dolly's Pillbox as "atmosphere" music in the Red Room (the study). This is where Sammi can get holed up giving Tarot reading if that ends up being "entertainment" for the evening.

-The music room will be where all the jamming takes place since it has the most space, outlet plugs, quick access to food, the piano and harp. The good stereo is in there and it'll house all the "harder" stuff like Combichrist, KMFDM, Lucid Dementia, Underworld, Colony 5, etc. to play whenever we feel like taking a break.

-Upstairs Blue Room (the craft room) will be opened up for board games and a safe spot for the kids to hide out away from the parents who are getting tanked below

-Oak tree has been trimmed by the darling husband. I had to don this bikini (don't look, JBro, lest you go blind) and dance around to get him motivated, but hey, it got trimmed. Oy, the things a wife has to do!

-grill has been taken care of :)

-Cats are definitely getting locked up due to the kittens. They'll stay in the master bathroom upstairs and people who want to see them can as long as either me or hubby accompany them.

-Definitely wearing the tiara

-I still have no idea what I should wear clothing wise. :( I kinda just want to throw on jeans and a t-shirt. However, I wanna look pretty or fluffy or both...I dunno

-I'm taking pics with the SLR. We've got 2 other digital cameras each with video on it, so I figured we'd just pass those around to make sure we capture as much debauchery as possible.

-I'm gonna do my best to get tanked and let loose for once. Intemperance amongst my peers is highly encouraged as with atonal yowling

-I agree that setting up chairs will help calm my nerves as people show up. So will arranging food and flowers and what not.

Current food items:
-Lots of BBQ courtesy of Monica and Blake (I love you)...I think we have pork ribs, beef rib roast, bratwurst and possibly brisket. I'll be making shish-kabobs too
-Baked beans courtesy of Sandy
-Bean and corn salad
-Roasted Nightshade veggies
-Guacamole and chips
-Assorted veggies with curry dip and ranch dip
-Various cheeses with crackers
-Pesto and bread
-Maybe Prosciutto, basil and cream cheese pinwheels
-Possibly some hummus dip
-T apparently got me this cake
-Sammi is making chocolate covered macaroons

I don't know why, but I'm always worried about not having enough food.

Alcohol I've got:

-Gold Tequila
-Silver tequila
-Bombay Sapphire gin (my absolute fave)
-Jack Daniels Whiskey (JBro's fave)
-Jim Beam bourbon (for Sammi's bourbon and coke...and for Shawn and Jay to drown their sorrows in. I kid. Sorta.)
-Jamaican rum
-Bicardi 151 (for my baby cousin Eric to do shots of)
-Kahlua
-Kirshwasser
-Vermouth

I need to get lots of mint, powdered sugar, peach nectar, honey, limes, oranges, soda water and cream. That way combined with the above we can have mojitos, margaritas, tonics, mint juleps, white Russians, Cindy Kisses and a whole slew of other good stuff.

I also need to get a bunch of non-alcoholic beverages...

Maybe some Lambic? Riesling (T's fave...but he doesn't want to drink too much)? A red wine or 2? Port? I know Troy loves port....Hopefully someone will bring good beer.

Ack! I feel like I've left something out, but I'm not sure what.