Pirates And Grape Bubbles...

Thank goodness we didn't need the ever so popular icebreakers dotted about the tabletops. Last time I checked weren't we all related? Through out my twenty-one years of life, I have slowly been informed of family relatives. It has taken me awhile, but sometime this last year, I about had everyone and every way we are related down. Yes. Even the ones hanging in the National Portrait Gallery across the pond. A mere two weeks ago, the memorization came to a screeching halt. I was informed of four more relatives. Let me introduce you. Lucy and Thomas, who hail from Paris, France and London, England respectively, and Iva, and my personal favorite, her husband Shocky Sr. (Of course, there's Shocky Jr.) Visiting from Baltimore, it was only appropriate that Iva and Shocky wanted to have a dinner party. I trudged into work and requested the afternoon off for this event. I was given the day off instead. Great. The day off gave me more time to make myself look cute, yet sophisticated. Oh wait, who was I trying to impress? The room filled of sixty seventy and eighty year olds? Donned in my cute little Forever 21 black and white floral dress with my Steve Madden Pink Suede Shoes, (which Iva thought were dynamite), Pink clutch, and a little black shrug because my dress was too short for this type of event and the age group, I was off to try and make this party somewhat interesting for the young at heart.
      Cocktail hour promptly began at 6:30. Queue a least one vodka cranberry. After the polite 45 minutes of drinks, I promptly found my seat marked with grape scented bubbles. First I thought, What am I? Five? Then I realized the tables were so much fun with goofy glasses, party blowers and my personal favorite the red foam clown nose. 
      You can't have a dinner party and not have assigned seating. At my table, there was myself, the ever so legendary Aunt Holly and Uncle Thumper, along with my second cousins. After being seated I was presented with a KY Bibb lettuce and peeled tomato salad. And so began the awkward conversations including college majors, Being asked by the same person twice, "Sara what’s your class schedule this year?" UK Football, the ever so hated awkward silence, two people conversations in which I was not included and the way too graphic yet so inappropriate Karen Sypher trial. I was sitting at my table while listening to the two other tables who were laughing and recalling old times as I was left twiddling my thumbs. Dinner had arrived including the "Oh I hope this is good. This is the first time I've had to order a piece of steak by myself and being asked how I wanted it cooked and dad not telling the waiter how I wanted it cooked, but I think I want medium rare, so a medium rare steak please." On my plate came a really good piece of steak, rice, and the untouched vegetables. (okay maybe I am five.) "Sara do you not like broccoli?" No as a matter of fact, I don't. I look at it every day and it's the last thing I wanna eat.  Dinner continued on and so did the "Now how old is Sara?" "She's 21." "Oh she looks so young." conversation at the other tables. Dessert finally came and it was time for the oh so famous Peppermint Pie. It's kind of sorta deliciously good. It's an Oreo crust, with Peppermint Ice Cream and then a chocolate fudge topping, and then frozen. A perfect dessert for this kind of weather. 
      The night was coming to a close and it was time for the in the always so interesting car evaluation after party discussion. I got the Karen Sypher conversation, Mom got the funny Army X-Lax Bars stories and Dad got rock climbing. Extended Gray Family Dinner Party for the win. Maybe this was a good way to spend a Tuesday night after all! 

-Sara-