August 8, 2008, Thank you! Part II

More on what I loved about my birthday party:

I loved that when Ben and Kari got up and sang, with nothing but a guitar, a couple of microphones and a speaker, in a little backyard in Boise, Idaho they sounded as good or better than they did on the CD my husband I are addicted to.

I loved that Ben sang every song of his that I love and then added in songs based on my husband’s suggestions. I loved that he covered one of my sentimental favorites, “Snowing on Raton” that I first heard sung by Texan, Robert Earl Keen, who covered it from another Texan, Townes Van Zandt and that I was listening to it that very day in the car.

I loved that Ben had on a t-shirt with a picture of Pancho Villa on a donkey that said, "Hey Gringo - Be all that you can be!" on top, and on the bottom it said, "San Antonio, TX" and that it was just a happy accident that he wore it to the party.

I love that Ben had an “opening act” and that it was my Texas sister in law who has started doing stand up comedy and that she was hilarious!

I loved that the party had a Texas theme. And it was LARGE!

I loved the specially “imported” Shiner Boch, which we can no longer get here in the Treasure Valley.

I loved that not only did we have Shiner Boch but that it was very nearly an MI5 operation getting it here – Plan A: The neighbor will make a pick-up in Nevada on his next business trip. They don’t sell it in Nevada. Plan B: The sister in law and her professor husband who are driving from Aberdeen, S.D., will stop in Twin Falls for a keg pickup. But as it turns out, you can’t buy just one keg; you have to buy EIGHT. Plan C- Crisis Level: Call my parents who happen to be driving through Jackson, Wyoming and ask them to see what they can find. And it so happens the Albertson’s in Jackson carries Shiner, so three cases were immediately transported to Meridian, Idaho where they were secretly transferred the following day to the “drop zone.”

I loved that we had brisket and that my neighbor, who now regularly wins barbecue competitions, bringing home 2nd, 1st and Grand Champion awards, smoked it.

I loved that the same neighbor, under the ruse of catering a party for friends of his wife asked me if I had any Texas bean recipes and then borrowed one of my cookbooks to make the beans that he brought to my surprise party.

I loved that my husband’s cousin made her famous cookies (Benger’s Bakery) and that Leah (also the party hostess) made her “Accidental” Brownies – so named because she accidentally used 1 ½ pounds of butter instead of 1 ½ STICKS the first time she made it. Let me just tell you, adding two extra sticks of butter to a brownie recipe is great “accident.” {Accidental Brownies Remember: Use 5 sticks of butter instead of just 3 sticks. It's SOOO worth it!}.

I loved that Leah’s husband baked me a special "red, white and blue" (raspberries, blueberries and white peaches) fruit crisp.

I loved that he knows enough about cooking to know that it was called a “crisp” and not a “cobbler.”

I loved the two t-shirts that Tracy made for me with Clint Eastwood gracing their fronts as both Dirty Harry and the Man with No Name. (Only good friends know and will cater to your still undying crush on a man who is now old enough to be your grandfather without saying “ewwww!”)

Third and FINAL enstallment of the longest post ever - Tomorrow! Same Time!