um, are we twins or what!?

We had to go out and about yesterday, just for a bag of ice, some birthday candles and balloons, and to get some glasses from Emily's former catering business to use for tonight's party.

I'm not sure how common this is, but we always have stay-at-home clothes, then you "go get ready" and change into "bye-bye clothes" when you're going out the door. Sonja and I got out to the deck, looked at each other, and doubled over laughing...we were twins! It wasn't as bad as the time my sister came to pick me up to go to a funeral service in a big church in the city for the mother-in-law of a relative, and dang it if we didn't have the same exact shirt on. Not a blend-into-the-crowd shirt either, a very lovely and stand-out black shirt. She said, "Go back in and change!" I said, "I do not have anything to change into, you go home and change." This set a precedent for a very bad day, as we were as silly as the day is long, from the start. We barely made it through that service, we each brought a daughter along, and they were giving us death stares and dagger looks as we silently laughed, doubling over to hide it, as if we were sobbing with grief. It was awful, it was not funny, and we almost had to leave, but it was a huge echoing church, and getting up and walking out, even if we were small and graceful, would have caused all heads to turn towards us. Sometimes sadness and silliness get their wires crossed, right? We weren't being jerks, it just happened.

Then our brother introduced us to his friends and family as his sisters who always dress alike. Oh dear.

Anyway, today is a special day! Evelyn Joy is 21 years old! We are celebrating by going out on one of the Finger Lakes in a boat! Yes, we are going boating! Cayuga Lake, and maybe a stop at a winery! The problem is that I cannot jump out to swim, or I won't be able to get back into the boat. So I'm thinking of wearing a sundress...or shorts and a tank top. Normal people can just wear a bikini then throw a dress over it, but I wear a swim dress, so...

Anyway, it'll be lovely, it's warm and sunny today!!!

And tonight, there's a party here on the deck, pulled pork nachos and mojitos, and those cupcakes: They're all made and we are so excited for them! Camille has turned into the buttercream frosting expert. There are lemon cupcakes, made from scratch with freshly squeezed lemon juice and lemon zest, topped with a lemon juice/sugar glaze, for tartness to balance the lavender buttercream frosting. Then homemade chocolate cupcakes, made with coffee, with cookie butter buttercream frosting, and crushed Oreos sprinkled on top, with a coffee/milk chocolate ball on top of each one. Then, since we had leftover batter, a small two layer chocolate cake, with two layers of the cookie butter icing, crushed Oreos, and melted milk chocolate chips between the layers. mmm hmmm.

The pork in in the crockpot, with salt and pepper, vinegar and brown sugar. The girls cut up tomatoes, peppers, and onions yesterday afternoon. We have tomatoes from the garden, I want to cut up more this afternoon and make a salsa.

And don't worry, we're not having a huge, pandemic defying party. It's just our family and a few friends of Evelyn.