Christine here.

Mom spoke to the Lobster House--they have that date available. The guest list is pushing First Crush's limits and we may end up at LH. One good thing about LH is that there's a bar where people can hide to surprise Dad--FC is all one room. We can also let people buy their own drinks at LH--FC serves wine and beer but no mixed drinks. I think the food is better at FC, Nel likes LH's rooms. Nel reminded me that the food at Tony and Pat's party at the golf course was kind of terrible but everyone had so much fun they didn't care.

Christine here.

I spoke to Tom at First Crush. $10 or $15/head was for lunch--I don't know where he got the idea we wanted lunch. Anyway, dinner looks like it's going to be $30/head. The current guest list is at 34.

update

Christine here.

Currently, we have three rooms in the Clarkson Inn, booked from the Tues before to the Tues after. I don't really imagine anyone will be here that long, I just wanted to book them, in case. They are $150/night.

Tony and Pat now want to come. I'll get more rooms for them.

Auntie Ev wants to come--I don't know if she's looked into tickets yet but I will suggest she and Cat talk.

Tom, from First Crush, is doing a couple of menu options, based on $10/head and $15/head. The restaurant is closed Sun nights so we could book it for a private party on Nov 25. It holds 40 people.

The benefits I see to doing it Sunday night include people not trying to travel on the worst travel day of the year. It would mean Peter and his crowd and Suz and Maya would have to take Monday off work.

That's all I know for now.

clarification

Christine here. Ok, I'm just making sure of the plan--we children all come home for the actual day of dad's birth. We have a small party, just family and maybe a few people around here. I'll book a couple of rooms in the Clarkson Inn. We give dad the gift of golf somewhere cool--doesn't have to be Pebble Beach. Pete, what other cool golf place would dad love to play at? You can be in charge of that part, 'kay?

the love boat 2007

okay so i've never been on a cruise but this could be totally cool for everyone.
betcha didn't know you could play golf on a cruise...
nice and relaxing thing to do in november.

-suz

suggestion

Christine here.

Do you all remember how yucky it can be here in November and how there's nothing to do? No fun golf, yucky weather, yuckiness? This is just a suggestion but maybe November isn't the best time to have everyone here--by that, I mean spending money to import people from foreign countries to hang out in yuckiness. What if Dad and Mom went somewhere fun? like California and got to play golf somewhere supercool in November instead? Don't you think Dad would love to play golf on his birthday somewhere like Pebble Beach?

We could maybe still have a small, family-sized party. I guess I'm starting to wonder if Dad would really like a big party. Like I said, totally just a thought, I'm willing to be persuaded either way but I figured preliminary brainstorming could include all sorts of wacky ideas.

this is me vetoing mama lucias

ok, garlicky salad and spaghetti is depressing the hell out of me. i am much more down with nellie's idea of the hanawa falls firemen's hall. that way i can also relive drinking pabst blue ribbon out of a can with cathy colburn when we were 15 at the same time that i celebrate dad's 70th birthday. dad deserves better than lousy red and white table cloths and wine bottles turned into candle holders.  i'm just saying.  oh and this is me, catherine.