Subject: PartyI had called him around 4:30 (after Cailin and Nicole had both called me, lost -- in different ways) and left him a voicemail. I don't really expect to hear from him until Monday, though. And he will definitely be yelled at/scolded/chided severely on Monday. Not even by me but by Cailin&co., who actually seemed most annoyed 'cause my friends from Smith had stuck around wanting to meet my friends from work (which Cailin actually said without any innuendo; I was impressed).
Hey Elizabeth,
I'm going out to dinner with my dad tonight so i can't make it to the party. I will see you Monday, and we'll definitly do somethign another time. Happy Housewarning.
Eric
(Sidenote: 6:26pm last night he e-mailed me "You knew it had to happen sooner or later..." That he thinks of me to send me a link outside of work time I think bodes well for an actual relationship -- broadly defined; unless it becomes obvious that he's "interested" in me, I would like to develop something resembling a friendship.)
I was really glad that Emma and Cat stayed over last night (and then Felicia came over around 11 this morning) 'cause it meant that I had people to hang out with after the party "officially" started but before people really started showing up. Otherwise I would have been v. antsy/anxious. They also helped me set up for the party. (And at one point this afternoon Cat gave me a really strong shoulder massage.)
As a housewarming gift, they bought me a deck of playing cards and taught me how to play Egyptian Rat Screw. (We also played Never Have I Ever, which is less fun when you already know all of each other's stories.) They also made me poachéd pears. And we learned that there's a packie right next to the FoodMaster.
Party attendance was near exactly what I had expected it to be, and it was fairly well staggered. Between about two and four I think there were like twenty people in my apartment. I was getting up a lot to answer my phone or the doorbell, and I socialized with nearly everyone who attended, and everyone seemed to have a good time, and there was lots of food without too many leftovers. (And all the salvageable leftovers fit in the fridge.)
I also got lots of lovely gifts. Some of them were things I was expecting and some I was not -- including The British Museum Little Book of Erotica (
kitkatpaws) and quarters for laundry (hedy). OriginalRoomie's mom wanted to get NewRoomie and I housewarming presents. (I told NR this and she, like me, reacted along the lines of: "In addition to the slew of stuff they've already gotten us?") She got me two gold&black throw pillows for my couch, though, so that was lovely. Emma says I need a trivet. I also need a grater. And a blender. (I keep getting more and more stuff, and yet I keep realizing other stuff I need.) I was impressed by how many utensils we found that were just what we needed. (And my mom did locate the ice cream scoop I knew I had bought. She also suggested using a whisk for the frozen orange juice concentrate when we were making the second batch of punch. Go smart Mommy.)One of my favorite exchanges from the afternoon:
trijinx (to me): "Why are your parents so awesome?"me: "Uh. I don't really have an answer for that."
trijinx: "Well can you think about it for five minutes and then give me an answer?"Now I get to start planning the logistics of (monthly?) smaller dinner parties :) And I have to write thank you notes. Oh, and I have to get out to Smith sometime this fall.
OZ: We should figure out what kinda deal this is. I mean, is it a-a gathering, a shindig or a hootenanny?
CORDELIA: What's the difference?
OZ: Well, a gathering is brie, mellow song stylings; shindig, dip, (Cordelia smiles) less mellow song stylings, perhaps a large amount of malt beverage; and hootenanny, well, it's chock full of hoot, just a little bit of nanny.
-from the Buffyverse Dialogue Database
