EAT, SIT, THINK: In Times of Laughter and Surprise.

There are those weekends that pass by with little activity. When I go back to work and I am asked what I did on Friday or Saturday night, I have to make stuff up rather than report that I cleaned up the furnace room. Days seemed to be past that the weekend was more than a break from the week. It has been a while since the weekend meant dressing up in fancy clothes and curling my hair with my kick ass 1980s curling iron. It has been years since the weekend tested my alcohol tolerance and decades since it could potentially lead to a love interest. I thought the potential of a

weekend was long gone. UNTIL NOW: The weekend marked the beginning of summer, with warm sun, sandals and Caesars.

This was a true party at 3 Maywood Street on June 15. It was time to laugh and drink and eat and celebrate

a day that was long overdue. It was the Courtney Family taking back the summer. Never has there been such a large group of people ready and willing to role up their sleeves, plan food and festivities and lie through their teeth. It started months ago with "save the date". Then a Facebook group event was set up. I think this was my first official Facebook Event! Such a cool mom. I now know the 411. Old Fashioned invitations were sent. All the bases were covered. Any and all were invited to attend the celebration of 28 years of wedded bliss.

Now this was a surprise party so the house was conspicuously neat. The pool was magically cleaning itself bit by bit. Mileage was accounted for to explain away treks for face to face planning meetings. Excuses were made regarding missing bank funds. Party command post at Uncle Mike's for long nights of helium balloon get-togethers. So much fun. How did Brenda and Don not catch on? Could it be senility? Well, perhaps because it is their 28th anniversary and it is not for 2 weeks. Ya. I guess they never really had a chance.

So on Saturday June 15, 2 of my closest and most clueless friends, arrived at 1pm, to a party in their honour. There 3 children greeted them from the roof.

They were returning from a brilliant ruse having experienced a tour of Base Borden, the likes of which will never be repeated. After a long trip back they were told that there were "some people in their back yard". I

had once sworn to Don that I would never let anyone give him a surprise party. Mary, however, is a force to be reckoned with and she decided he should just Suck It Up.

There was food, and lots of it. There was drink and lots of it and there were family and friends drifting in and out all day. Some from far and away, some from across the street. There was chatting, laughing, crying and impromptu short speeches. Everything was low key and relaxed.

Before an onslaught of photos begins, I just want to send out a big "Job Well Done" to the Courtney Kids. This superb job was initiated and managed by Mary Margaret Courtney, Event Planner Extraordinaire.

Mary has truly found her niche in setting up large, successful events and her talents are yet to be completely appreciated, as a young entrepreneur starting "North Court Events". I think the 2 key points I would like to make are that Mary Margaret, Cameron and Adam not only can coordinate an event of this magnitude, but also had the foresight to see the potential benefits of such an event for an entire group of people who needed to gather, remember and celebrate. They did this with style and grace.

It is no wonder when Don and Brenda look at their children on the roof that afternoon, that their tear-filled eyes were full of joy and wonder. I have always noted that they hold their children in the highest regard and Saturday just served as an example of why.

The Day Begins Early