Gary and Colts banner on White Swan
Gary’s special day started with a bike ride to the beach after enjoying coffee in bed. It was a really windy day, but the sun was shining and that always makes for a good day.
We put up a big Colts banner on the boat to display our allegiance to our Super Bowl team. Pat Dennis, who is our dear friend and dock neighbor, will be coming to Gary’s party tonight, and she is from New Orleans. We have seen the Saint’s paraphernalia on her and around her for the last two weeks, and we have heard “Who dat…” a bizillion times. It’s our time to hype up for tomorrow night’s big game. Decorations for the party tonight will be Colt’s blue; and of course, the cake will be honoring Gary’s 70th birthday AND his favorite team.
Much of the day was spent getting ready for Gary’s party. Naturally, Gary spruced up White Swan on the outside as I did the same on the inside. Cleaning is always a precursor to company coming. When my son, Kyle, was a little guy, he used to always ask me, “Who’s coming, Mom?” when I’d be on a cleaning frenzy. Some things never change, Kyle.
Clockwise starting with Gary, Tom, Pat, Matt, De'd, Kevin, Cheryl, Ed, Roxanne, Jerry
Yesterday, our boat slip neighbor, Cheryl Byers, took me around town to buy all the necessary items for the party.
Gary, Tom, Patricia, Matt, De'd, Kevin, Roxanne, Karen(the dock master)
Plus, she let us borrow an extra table, etc. that we needed for the party. The evening of the party, her husband, Ed, helped Gary grill the hamburgers. Ed used the grill on his boat, which is right next to ours, as Gary used our grill. Two grills were definately needed, as boat grills are quite small. Not like a grill you would have at your home. The marina actually has a rule that you cannot grill while docked, due to the chance of a fire, which would be devastating with so many boats in close proximity to each other. It just so happened that I invited the dock master and her boyfriend to come to the party with one stipulation…they not tell on us for “breaking the rule”. They came, and they didn’t tell. She’s become a good friend in the process…
Gary with birthday cards
The wind remained strong all day, and the temperature prohibited us from enjoying the outdoors during the party. So we all squeezed into White Swan and had a grand time. Gary was very surprised by all the birthday cards he received from all of you. Thank you so very much. Pat and Tom Dennis helped me collect them from the office mailbox and they kept them until the day of the party. Karen, the dockmaster, was in on the surprise too by keeping them at the office until they could be secretly picked up by Pat, Tom or myself. Gary didn’t take the time to read them the evening of his party, but he enjoyed doing so as he drank his morning java in bed the next day.
So what do a bunch of adults do for entertainment at a birthday party while crammed into a boat, you might ask. Well, I’ll be glad to tell you. When you are a boater, there is always an endless array of boating stories to share, and the tales become more exciting with each reminiscence. Not that any of us would deliberately lie, mind you. We just like to tell our stories in a manner to which it delights our audiences.
Nice cake, yes???
Gary opened his presents, consisting mainly of COLTS shirts, to HIS utter elatedness and PAT’s utter disdainment. She wasn’t real thrilled about the big COLTS cake either until Gary was asked to turn it a certain way so we could get pictures and it accidently slipped off the cardboard tray and landed on the floor. Gary always finds a way to make a party memorable. The incident was hilarious. Blue icing was everywhere. The Saint’s fans at the party suddenly became alive with the premonition that due to Gary’s fallen cake, the COLTS themselves were sure to “fall” at the Super Bowl. And they couldn’t wait to share in the glory of eating the fallen COLTS cake. So, we threw the broken pieces back onto the cardboard tray, stuck the decorations randomly back into it, put the candles back on it, lit the candles, sang the traditional happy birthday song to Gary, and then sliced it and we ate the whole thing. Pat and Tom each ate two pieces, as they were so sure of it’s symbolism of the COLT’S doom.
"Oops!"
The "Fallen Colts" cake
It was a great celebration for a wonderful man. As most of you know, Gary is fortunate to be alive, having survived a brain aneurysm ten years ago. So, not only was his 70th birthday special, they all are special. To have our Indy neighbors, De’d and Jerry Swinehart, fly in to celebrate with us, made the day perfect.
Friends at Indy Eyes remember Gary's birthday
We went to Indianapolis for a week in February, and not only did we get to celebrate my mother’s 83rd birthday while there, but also, Gary was surprised by our former office staff at Indy Eyes with a lovely birthday cake. Thanks to Dr. Larry Hemingway (not present for the picture), Susan, Roberta, Debbie, Teresa and Carol (not present for the picture). You dear people are the very best. We are so blessed you remain a part of our lives. THANKS.