Foiled Plans...grrrr!

This is my friend Aurelie. She moved in across the street almost 3 years ago. The first time I met her was the day of Isaac's blessing when I was walking a plate of food down to a different neighbor and detoured to her house to introduce myself. Feeling a bit awkward holding a plate of eclairs and pasta salad that was not for them, I explained - and then offered it to her and her husband. She couldn't have cared less that the food was actually intended for someone else. She enthusiastically accepted it and and savored every leftover bite like it was the best thing she had ever eaten. I knew right then and there that I liked this girl. Since then, she's become a second mom to Abby and Isaac. She's listened to my rants and raves when my world feels out of control, she's taught me about knitting, baking, gardening, sewing (okay, she tried on that one...I was a VERY bad student), and even the history of the flu. She has faithfully run the "Pahnke Pantry" that I raid almost every day. She's laughed with me, dreamed with me, and cried with me when life gets rough. So, it seemed only fitting that I invite her and her family over for a barbecue to celebrate her birthday. (Not really sure which day it actually is {hee, hee}, we chose today.)

I had it all planned, the menu ready, and was whipping up the cupcakes when (upon walking back from my trip to the Pahnke Pantry for cupcake liners) I noticed a rather enormous lake growing in my neighbors driveway. Thinking they must have absentmindedly left a hose on or something, I took one step onto the swampland that had become my front yard and realized the water was coming from our sprinkler box! NOT GOOD.We had to shut off all the water to the house while Ben rushed home from work and dug out this enormous hole to find the source of the leak. Thankfully, the Elder's Quorum mysteriously showed up and saved the day. Out for a night of service to the elderly in the neighborhood, (yeah, still feeling a bit guilty about that one...hope no elderly went unserved because of us...) they were eager to help.

So there I was, with a batch of unfrosted cupcakes, a sink and counter full of dirty dishes with no way to wash them, food to prepare with no water, and a yard full of mud and frustration. I was tempted to call the whole thing off.

But no, the show must go on. We scraped together what we could - pulled some leftover frosting from the freezer (hey, she doesn't mind leftovers, remember?) and frosted the fist layer of cupcakes on the cupcake tree.

Thank goodness for the little red water jug full of water. At least we had it, since this whole "without water for 2 hours thing" really made me feel really guilty about the big water jug we've had sitting in our shed for 2 years now in case of an emergency...EMPTY. Gulp. We ordered the thing, felt all prepared and stuff, and then never filled it. Guess what I'll be doing tomorrow?

I guess it could have been much worse. The flood could have happened in the middle of the night - or tomorrow night when Ben is gone on business and I'm left alone with a flooded basement.

We sang, we ate, we enjoyed. And Aurelie once again overlooked my faults (my filthy disgusting kitchen, my half-prepared meal, and shoddily frosted cupcakes) and acted like it was the greatest birthday dinner ever.

Happy Birthday Aurelie! We'll celebrate this thing for real in a few days. Do you really care what day it is anyway?