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You are here: Home / Open Threads / Scenes from the Debacle

Scenes from the Debacle

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Got some pictures form the party. Here are the food tables:

Here are some of the guests- that is the birthday boy in the Hawaiian shirt, and the woman seated in the sleeveless green blouse is my neighbor who had that horrible tumor surgery we talked about at length. She’s fully recovered and knocking back a Yuengling. Medicare made that possible:

Here are some more of the guests in the back yard. That entire area that they are sitting in was completely unusable last year, because it was covered with pine tree branches. I had the trees trimmed all the way up, and now it is my favorite space in the backyard, because the ground is soft from decades of pine needles (I’ve hauled out about 35 bags of needles) and it is nice and shady and cool):

And finally, the desserts. Rather than a big cake, we went with lots of choices. We had a cake professionally made at the Bethel Park bakeries, Harald made a delicious plum and apple cake and we mixed some heavy whipping cream with confectioners sugar and Couintreau, and we had lemon meringue pie, a ridiculous cheesecake, and ice cream:

If you are wondering which one is me, I am the one in the kitchen sweating. I just got the back yard put back together.

Reader Interactions

53Comments

  1. 1.

    eemom

    Cole, you are such a teeeeeeaaase.

    At this point, I’d take a picture of you over the Reply button.

    Ya can’t keep stalling FOREVER, ya know. Kay told us how the whole NN was one big “Where’s Cole?”

  5. 5.

    Morbo

    Clearly the reason that he is so unwilling to have his face shown is that Cole looks like Casey Anthony and doesn’t want someone crazy to run him off the road for the sake of the children.

  6. 6.

    CatHairEverywhere

    What a nice party! Was Rosie doing her duty as the Canine Clean-Up Crew? The food looks amazing, and now I am even less enthusiastic about my boring lunch.

  7. 7.

    Violet

    Looks like a great party! Those desserts are killing me. YUM! And do I spy the remnants of a mojito on the dessert table? Making me thirsty just thinking about it.

    Glad you had a great party. I bet your dad had a wonderful time. I guess your dogs (and visiting dogs) behaved themselves didn’t help themselves to the food? What about Tunch?

  8. 8.

    stuckinred

    We call harvested pine needles “pine straw” and use it for much here in Georgia.

  10. 10.

    Tsulagi

    Fence doesn’t look half bad. I’m impressed.

    BTW, if you don’t want the gray weathered look later, put some deck stain on it. If you do like the weathered look, then you’re good.

  12. 12.

    kay

    because the ground is soft from decades of pine needles

    I’m seething with jealousy that John Cole has pine straw. 35 bags, extra.

    That’s all I got out of the whole party story. Pine straw envy :)

  14. 14.

    Punchy

    Ah, the ground is soft, like a woman’s breasts, or Obama’ negotiating strategy. Pine needles sounds exotic, you Marxist.

  15. 15.

    licensed to kill time

    I see I was not the only one eagerly scanning the pics for a John Cole sighting.

    Curses, foiled again!

  19. 19.

    AliceBlue

    Yummyyummyyummy! Looks like a good time was had by all.

    John, if you dumped the pine straw, just tell me where it is. I’ll gladly drive from Georgia to West Virginia to get it.

  21. 21.

    Belafon (formerly anonevent)

    If you are wondering which one is me, I am the one in the kitchen sweating.

    When John write novels, he goes by the name Thomas Pinchon.

  22. 22.

    Corner Stone

    I know there are a lot of very talented builders of strawmen here at BJ, but I’m not sure why everyone wants the actual pine needles.
    They are an abomination and a scourge. I could give you a couple bags a week just cleaning out my gutters.

  23. 23.

    Dee Loralei

    The scroll over captions on those party pics are effing boring. Geeze Cole, you don’t invite us, you rub our noses in the menu, you remain unphotographed and unphotographicable, and now you short change us on the snark. I want my money back! I demand a retraction and a public apology for all your many sins, listed above!

  27. 27.

    MattR

    I see Rosie. I see an unknown dog. But no Lily :( Was she sitting at your feet in the kitchen?

  28. 28.

    Comrade Colette Collaboratrice

    I admire the clever use of camera angles to hide the rusted-out pickup truck on cinder blocks and the old toilet turned into a planter.

    Seriously, looks like it was a nice party. You’re a good son. Cheers to your dad.

  32. 32.

    PIGL

    It looks like a lovely family party, Mr. Cole.

    (rusty old trux and baby dux and all).

    ((are you sure those are pine trees? Look more like spruce from what I can see))

  33. 33.

    ROSSINDETROIT

    It takes a COLOSSAL amount of work to put on a feed like that, entertain everyone and clean up. Nice job.

  34. 34.

    MazeDancer

    What a splendid gathering. So sweet to see happy people enjoying the considerable efforts it took for such a swell event. Nice Real Life in the midst of all the crazy going on.

    And, have to agree, excellent fence as well. Makes the yard. And the atmosphere.

  35. 35.

    Poopyman

    So since I grew up about 2 miles from Bethel Park Bakery, and I have to be up there this weekend for a reunion, I’m checking out their website for cakes.

    So did the birthday boy get a “Carebear” cake, or maybe the one with “Wizard of Oz” figurines? Maybe the Pittsburgh Pirates cake?

    Also too, “She’s fully recovered and knocking back a Yuengling. Medicare made that possible:” strikes me as a non sequitur.

  42. 42.

    Trollenschlongen

    John, the party looks wonderful and very tasty.

    I’m wondering about the cheesecake: what is all that glorious wonderfulness piled up on top of it? It looks too damn good to eat, but I would anyway.

  44. 44.

    WaterGirl

    Cole, I love you for mentioning that your neighbor is alive and able to hang out at a nice party, only because she has access to Medicare. (Even if some would criticize your sentence structure.) As asiangrrl said, you are a prince.

  45. 45.

    harlana

    Awww, what a wonderful thing to do for your dad (and family)! Awesome spread. You’re a good son, Mr. Cole!

  46. 46.

    DaveinME

    John, from the looks of it you make for one hell of a good person and neighbor. Well done!!

  48. 48.

    metalgirl

    Wow – what a feast! Well done and I’m sure all your guests appreciated it as well as the birthday boy! Additionally, there appear to be no injuries or animal mishaps (although, if there were, we expect you to report them pronto)! Kick back this week — you’ve earned it.

  49. 49.

    Arclite

    You got the cakes from the Bethel Park Bakery? Isn’t that more than an hour away ONE WAY?

  50. 50.

    burnspbesq

    With a title like “Scenes from the Debacle,” I expected to see a picture of Carli Lloyd’s PK. Has that ball come down yet, or did it achieve escape velocity and go into orbit around the Earth?

  51. 51.

    Corner Stone

    @JR:

    I’m not entirely convinced that “John Cole” isn’t just a very long-running Turing test.

    C’mon. I’ve been banging this drum for two years now.
    It’s fucking fascinating. At least to me, anyway.

  53. 53.

    Garbo

    You’re a good man, Charlie Brown. But you must be exhausted. Load of work, hope it was a load of fun.

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