Monday, January 23, 2012

Family Gathering



Saturday night the entire Chesapeake Bay Family and a few friends converged to celebrate my father's 71st birthday, which happens to be today.

The spirits were flowing spirit was festive, and the mood upbeat.






We enjoyed a leisurely dinner peppered with stories from my sisters' youth, punctuated with lots of laughter.

After a delicious meal, the Chesapeake Bay Children helped serve dessert, which was a chocolate fudge spoon cake with Oreo cookie ice cream. They drizzled the plates with chocolate syrup and added a strawberry for color.



There's a strawberry on there, but thanks to my camera's inability to do anything in low light, you'll have to take my word for it.


After the last bit of dessert was polished off and the dishes were cleared, I announced the next phase of the festivities for our 71-year-old parent: Pin the Tail on the Donkey.

Yes. Pin the Tail on the Donkey.

I'd gone to the Dollar General earlier that day to pick up a few last minute things and saw the game hanging prominently in the party section.

I knew we must have this game.

Because how many chances do we have as adults to play Pin the Tail on the Donkey with a 71-year-old father? It's not like these opportunities come knockin' every day.

So I bought it and was very pleased with my purchase.  The look of horror on my teenagers' faces as I set up the game did not deter me one single bit.



Middle Sis, who did not follow the rules of the game, was number 14 there and technically hers was the closest to the tail. Notice all the other honest players who ended pinning the tail on the wall.



The rules were quite simple. NO CHEATING. THE END.

But some of us weren't able to follow those simple instructions. Instead of holding the blindfold against their eyes and using one hand to blindly pin the tail on the donkey, Some Sister People peeked. Also, you were not supposed to feel around. Once your hand landed on something, that's where the tail was supposed to be pinned. Again, Some People didn't follow that rule. They squinted, they felt around multiple times, and then they self-declared as the winner.

Not everyone cheated, however.


Some people hit the china cabinet instead of the donkey or even the wall near the donkey.






This is Baby Sister's attempt. She was playing Pin the Eyebrow on the Donkey.
But at least she didn't cheat! (Bravo, Baby Sis.)






Our neighbors, who probably could not believe they were invited to a party that entailed such a serious and competitive round of Pin the Tail on the Donkey.  





Happy Birthday, Chesapeake Bay Father!


I fully expect Middle Sister to remark about her Pin the Tail prowess and explain how she won fair and square. But as the moderator for the whole activity I have to say that I wholeheartedly disagree and must issue a challenge for a rematch.

For the official rules of Pin the Tail on the Donkey, a game usually played by five year olds (or Forty Somethings, Fifty Somethings, Sixty Somethings and Seventy Somethings if you're invited to a party of mine), click here.

17 comments:

deborah said...

...and a good time was had by all!
Wishing you a wonderful week!

Anonymous said...

Truly wonderful;;;;my parents were completely enamored of kazoos, and a birthday was not complete until the celebrated person was regaled with "Happy Birthday" not sung, but played on a kazoo orchestra. Once we lived in far- flung areas, a birthday celebrant could count on answering a phone call and hearing the Song played by a kazoo. Then it was necessary to guess who the caller WAS. Most family parties involved wearing of hats and screwy games. I totally "get" the CB Family celebrations ! Loved the donkey photos--(wait, that sounds strange..)
LLC

Kay L. Davies said...

Oh what fun! I haven't played that in years, and it would have been fun when my parents were 70-ish. (Wish I'd thought of it, or wish I'd run across it at a dollar store.)
Many happy returns of the day to your illustrious ancestor.
K

Ann Marie said...

Happy Birthday other father.. step father.. CB Father! I wasn't there I deeply regret it (even though here is where I was supposed to be will fill you in later) I will NOT be missing another gathering especially if pin the moustache on the eyebrow I mean pin the tail on the donkey is involved in any way!!!!

Please send Gus my love!
xoxoxoxoxoxoxox
the babiest sister, the other baby sis, oh hell me.

Maria_NJ said...

your table scape is very pretty!!! I would like to have one of those desserts!!! Looks delicious!

It looks like everyone had a very fun time...family memories last a life-time....

Mental P Mama said...

Wait. Did she put lipstick all over the wine glasses, too? Happy Birthday CBDad!!!!

AverettLadyNana said...

Belated Best of the Happiest Birthday Wishes to your Daddy and tell your neighbors I send my best to them! He was my Sunday School Teacher in my teens! Wonderful Church Friends and so good to my family when my Momma died three years ago this month.

fighting mermaid said...

Looks like it was a great birthday! I always cheated in pin the tail, too. :o)

abb said...

Happy Birthday CBDad! And many many more!

Jamie said...

Was that the fancy Mathews Dollar General with the giant heron fountain in front? We usually have pinatas at our parties. What fun!

Daryl said...

What fun .. I think Pin the Tail is a game for all ages .. and cheating is just not nice... bad Middle Sis!

Windsmurf said...

Happy Birthday CB Dad.
Looks like it was a wonderful, happy celebration. I don't see the point in cheating at pin the tail on the donkey, the fun is in seeing all the improbable places the tails end up!

Anonymous said...

Fair and Square...number 14 wins! No cheating....I couldn't, even if I had wanted to becaue there was no getting around that blindfold. The "moderator" is jealous.....

Winning!!

-Middle Sis

Dghawk said...

How about a big rip-roaring Happy Birthday CB Dad! Wow, what fun you all had. I'm sure your neighbors thoroughly enjoyed themselves, and will have a good chuckle everythime they think of it. Can I have a piece of cake?

Chesapeake Bay Woman said...

Middle Sis - Winning by cheating, don't you mean? We'll see who wins next time. There will be added measures to the blindfolding process as well as strict enforcement of the other hand restrained behind the back. It won't be possible to cheat. Of course if you just honored the rules to begin with, these extra precautions would be unnecessary. But no. Some People just can't do that.


MPM-I made the sisters use plastic cups, so any lipstick smudges were just tossed away with the table scraps.

Thanks for reading. Happy Monday.

Country Girl said...

Oh, what a fun time. You guys are so weird and wonderful. It's the best.

Meg McCormick said...

Happy birthday, Chesapeake Bay Father!! And many, many more!