Part 2: The Party (“Queen for a Day”)

Hello and welcome to today’s Wannaskan Almanac. Today is June 14th and this is part 2 of a trilogy titled: “50 laps around the Sun”.  

It’s been a fews days since “Kim's BIG Birthday Bash” and there’s always things to do after a party:  cleaning, putting away leftovers and returning borrowed items but UGH!  There’s the next blog to write.  Again…UGH!  What can I do to make this chore easier and even pleasurable?

I know…I’ll call Antonin.

(Paul Calling):  Ring….

(Paul Calling):  Ring….

(Answering): “Hello…”

(Paul):  Antonin…I need your help again.  Another blog has to be written about your mom’s party.  People want to know how the party turned out”.

(Antonin):  “Sure…what’s it worth to ya’?”

(Paul) “It’s worth the Sun and the Moon”.

And with that, we bring you the next installment of Kim’s BIG Birthday Bash: “50 Lap Around the Sun”:  The Party.

Saturday was one of those days that goes on forever.  It started with Kim and I taking an early walk around Lake Harriet to enjoy the morning stillness before the day became busy.  After Kim & I got back, the house began to stir.  Kim, Lucie, and my wife Carol were scheduled for pedicures at 9am, so after a light nosh, they were out the door.  

As Kim, Carol and Lucie were luxuriating at the spa with tea, heated neck pillows and then pedicures, those of us left at the house were busy getting hidden things out, hanging things up and preparing the “surprise”.  A banner here, plastic pink flamingos there, some lawn decorations, 7 tables and 25 chairs set up as well as decorating the “surprise”.  Rosta, Luke and Antonin pitched in as I worked in the kitchen on brunch.  

After “Spa Time”, everyone was back together for quiche and mimosas while Kim was presented with a tiara and sash since she was “Queen for a Day”. 

The BIG Reveal:  I know I’ve been teasing the “surprise” so-o-o-o long but here it is:  a bike trailer for a parade!  Think “parade float” but with Kim being pulled by a bike around a couple of the local lakes.  The bike trailer also had a bluetooth speaker for musical accompaniment.  I don’t imagine that some people would be willing to ride on the back of a bike trailer but Kim was game for it.

The Ride:  The weather forecast was for “occasional” showers and a chance for pop-up storms which is typical for summer.  We started out a bit after 2:30pm as scheduled but then it started to rain but only for 5 minutes or so.  We were committed to the bike parade at that point.  We had to get through the neighborhood to get to Lake Bde Maka Ska but one of our neighbors (Josh), Kim's son Luke and Rosta were our bike marshals so we were in good hands.

Kim exclaimed with glee: “I Feel Like A Queen!!  After all the time spent planning the event that was great to hear.  Antonin said that “She seemed very happy about it.”  However for him “It was too long…it was dreadful”.  For Antonin, the bit of rain at the beginning made him feel like he was wet the entire time.  “I was just trying to make it through” said Antonin but he added “My favorite part was the end when we finished.  It (the bike parade) was a one-time thing so enduring the pain was worth it.”

For me, the bike parade went well and we ended with the same number of riders as we started.

The Party After the Ride: Under the Big Tent

As I mentioned before, the weather all afternoon was good, bad, rainy and then sunny.  Fortunately, we had set up a 20’ x 20’ tent and in some ways it did make for a more intimate party because when it rained people had to crowd under the tent.  

There were cold drinks, salads including Czech potato salad, two kinds of meat but what the guests really flipped for was the “Rosta Beer”!  Rosta has been brewing for many years and already has a reputation in Warroad but now he’s famous in Minneapolis.  The neighbors drained his keg and next time the Hruby’s visit, I’m sure they will be sniffing around to see if Rosta brought more beer.

Kim got a nice cake decorated with red shoes and a book.  The crowd sang “Happy Birthday” followed by the Hruby family singing  “Zivijo Zivijo (literal translation is “You’re Alive”.)

Here’s a link to the song in YouTube:

https://youtu.be/lTpUVHVfnuk?si=2-RvBh98hIdV_a44

The guests really enjoyed the song and one guest commented that it reminded them of the “Von Trapp” family from “Sound of Music” (I kid you not about this comment).  The party went on late and the last guests left around 10pm.  

The next day, we were able to savor our memories and enjoy leftovers.  Too soon it was time for the Hruby’s to make the 6-hour trip back to Warroad though.  My wife Carol & I are always glad to have them visit and it’s always sad when they leave.

There is a video available on YouTube at this link:

https://youtu.be/dQAtjTNJTNw?si=Jym1WGSIAI1k0G8o

Next up:  Part 3 and the party “Afterglow”.