On Saturday Octover 11, 2003, Kay celebrated her 37th birthday. We had planned her birthday party for that afternoon, since it promised to be the day her sister Jane and her family arrived from Aus, and also the last day DnS would be in Santa Rosa. Circumstances changed and their removal from Santa Rosa was replaced by the mere prospect of homelessness, so the event was commuted to the following day, Sunday.
On Sunday, Steph found a reason to call for a short while in the afternoon.
Later on, Jen and Wil had arranged to come and collect our rototiller,
and they arrived too.
Another 15 minutes later, Charlotte called in, just as Kent arrived.
The bottle in Kent's hands tipped the scale, and Kay realised she was
being surprised.
The afternoon was delightful, insects buzzed, the fall air was warm and crisp,
the food was tasty, the company congenial.
Chris asked some of the Americans about this greenback stuff,
and they showed great wisdom on the subject...
hey, Bugsy, you sure dis stuff is da right size?
Toasts were made...
...a superb dinner eaten...
...torches were lit,
candles blown out and rich cake consumed...
... and the party went into the evening.
Kay was left with a warm inner glow that lasted for days,
partly enhanced by the miserable rejection she had recieved at the hands of
the conspirators when she tried to arrange a gathering
on her own accord!