Surprise Surprise

I had big plans for last evening; I was going to plant some of the little oleanders that have been sitting on my deck, transplant some nicotiana into planters and a garden, and plant a castor bean plant that's sitting in it's little pot in the garden. I had to water the recent transplants in the veggie garden, and take some pictures to show off to my grandmother this weekend. Maybe we would have chicken fajitas for dinner.

None of my plans involved drinking sangria and opening gifts.

My mother and her sneaky friends, with my future hubby as an accomplice, managed to pull of a surprise bridal shower for me last night. I was floored. I believe my reaction, when I figured out what was happening, was to ball up my hands into little fists and stomp my feet just like a little kid. Not that I wasn't pleased, I was just totally shocked.

A bit of context: I have never really had a birthday party, except for the time I turned 7 and my mom invited three of my friends to come and see E.T. with us in the theatre. That movie depressed me so much that when we went home for the party, I wanted her to send everyone home. Nobody's ever thrown me a surprise anything, and I am rarely shocked. I am usually the one organizing the festivities - I have arranged a few surprises, indeed - but I'm never in the middle of the spotlight. So a surprise of this magnitude on a school night* no less certainly floored me.

The ladies were incredibly generous, the theme of the party was 'entertainment', so now I'm totally suited up for one wicked party. Margaritas anyone? The party that I would have using the items I received would be a barbecue out on the deck with lots of slushie girl drinks, chips, and I would be wearing a little lacy something something while getting a massage. I guess that won't happen. Everyone interprets 'entertainment' in their own way, I guess.

I got home at 10:30 p.m. and desperately tried to get the cat in, but he didn't come back until this morning, so I had a nervous night. There are things out there that would hurt him or worse. While waiting for him, I decided the veggie garden needed watering, so out I went into the pitch-darkness, headlamp in place, and did my duty.

I've got a lot of work to do tonight. I hope nobody else has plans for my evening that I don't know about.


*we're not actually in school anymore, we just like to say that for fun.