Graduation Party

We had our graduation party for Stephanie and my nephew Andy yesterday. It was a big hit. Stephanie is going to Fullerton College and then transferring to another school. Andy was accepted to Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. It'll be weird to have him move in September. Well, we had quite a big group. The kids had their friends, and they jumped in the jacuzzi, the waterfall and the Smith's pool. (It's allowed. But they were in Catalina, so we might've done it anyway.) We moved into our house about 11 or so years ago, so the girls were 7 and 4. We met Steve Smith over the fence and we liked him right away. This was before he met his wife Dana (they now have Gwynneth and Aidan). We moved in in November, and when it started warming up, Steve poked his head over the fence like that neighbor guy in the TV show (yes, we do say, Hi de ho, neighbor!) and told the girls to come to the fence he had a favor to ask them. So we went over to the fence and he said to the girls, "My pool man is upset with me because he cleans the pool and puts the chlorine in it, but it just sits there and doesn't get stirred up. I was wondering if you two girls would mind climbing over your fence every day with your mom and stirring my pool for me. I figure the easiest way would be if you could just jump in and swim and stuff like that. Would you girls mind? It'd be a big favor to me." The girls looked sideways at each other and knew right then that they had a sweet deal. They've been swimming ever since. I try to remember to pay him (now them of course) in tomatoes, corn or beer. I haven't been good about it lately, now that I'm thinking about it. And our tomatoes are late this year and the corn doesn't come in until late August. It'll be beer, I guess. So they got home yesterday to find 37 kids in their pool. Dana had to bathe baby Aidan (just a few months old. . . . I can't remember right now), but Steve and Gwynneth came to the party and she helped put the rubber duckies back into the waterfall. The party was on a Sunday, which was kind of weird, because most of our parties go way into the night. I wasn't sure how it would be, but it was great. Aunt Joe Grantham and TT & Dave brought Rascals, which is fabulous Chinese chicken salad. Fred made a giant pot of spicy broth with shrimp and crusty bread to dip in it. Fattening, but so good. Jordan and Katie and their friends manned the smoothie bar and it was a big hit. We had everything decorated with our crazy luau decorations, because that's what we own already. But it always looks so cute. Our cousins came from near and far. This is me with Pam and Uncle Tommy. Casey and Zander were already here for the weekend from Merced and they came and brought Sharon and Georgina. I have to say they win the prize for coming the farthest distance. Georgina was quite the party girl, visiting with everyone. It was lovely with lots of folks.