There is also a waterfall, a koi pond and a wood-burning fireplace that doubles as a pizza oven. I discover these during a weekend garden walk through the neighborhood, where I realize that I have been hanging out in all the wrong backyards.
I am just kidding, of course. I love those goldfish cracker and $7 chardonnay afternoons in the backyard at Mary's house, where 15-20 small children are always trying to kill each other with sticks. It's adorable.
And I am really looking foward to scraping marshmallows off the back deck next week during my annual Teen Summer Retreat for the Children of Friends Who Can Still Afford Vacations.
Maybe I will let them roast another batch of those hot dogs on sticks they all seemed to like throwing at each other so much last year. That was fun.
You really cannot top the combination of teenagers and fire for backyard entertaining. I think it was Zelda Fitzgerald who said that. This year, I will teach them how to make margaritas.
I may never even leave the laundry room lounge chair.
I wouldn’t know how to behave in such a setting. Do you wipe your feet? Is it permissible to temporarily stick your gum under the table? Should I wear underwear?
I’d have to invoke the Ricky Nelson Rule:
“I went to a garden party…
…But it's all right now, I learned my lesson well.
You see, ya can't please everyone, so ya got to please yourself.”
Posted by: Audubon Ron | June 27, 2011 at 03:11 PM
No one has any idea how to behave in this setting. We only get two or three days a year to experiment with alfresco living and then it is back to snow boots.
SK
Posted by: Suburban Kamikaze | June 28, 2011 at 03:13 AM
Have you been sneaking into my next-door-neighbors' yard to take photos? And if so, why didn't you stop by for some goldfish crackers and a mojito? Oh, yeah, that would probably be because you couldn't find the back deck due to the overgrowth...
Posted by: MommyTime | June 28, 2011 at 05:17 AM
As long as it's overgrown with mint, we'll be set.
SK
Posted by: Suburban Kamikaze | June 28, 2011 at 02:07 PM
On one hand, I'm so envious, I could puke.
On the other, it seems like a frivolous waste of money for the 3 nice summer days we get here in the Midwest.
Posted by: Seriously Jess | June 28, 2011 at 07:29 PM
Well, plus the three nice nights too. So that brings the investment down a little.
SK
Posted by: Suburban Kamikaze | June 29, 2011 at 02:42 PM