The Big Party

At 8:30 AM most of the folks who had spent the night arose and prepared the final touches for the house.  And ate bagels.  My main task was reinforcing the cardboard house from the day before.

All of Mary’s seven children (from four states) and most of their children, and some of their children, appeared at Mary’s house.    I made a list at some point to try to get all of the names and relations fixed in my head… in any case, there were easily fifty people, from age one to age eighty-five, at the party.

As the party geared up into the early afternoon, I found myself giving tarot card readings.  I lost track, but I must have done at least seven readings.  For most of the readings I used a nine-card spread:  two cards crossed at the top representing inner and outer states or starting point and obstacle; and seven cards arranged in a horizontal line, the first two the past, the next three the present, and the final two the future.  The Sun, The Lovers, and The Hermit cards came up a lot, as well as the Hierophant.  I’d say the teenagers were the most difficult to give readings to, partially because they seemed to be more curious about what it was I was doing and less focused on any particular question.

While tarot happened, there was also face-painting.  Mark’s oldest brother received a nutcracker effect that was very alarming and frightened some of the younger children.  He second oldest brother was made up to look like a (slightly less alarming) tiger… there was some talk about having a lion and a bear, but this didn’t materialize.

I was one of several photographers snapping shots of visiting relatives.  My camera’s strength is that the zoom lens allows me to take pictures of folks without them realizing it, so they are less apt to pose in an unnatural fashion.  I think my best shots were of a great-grandchild looking out of the cardboard house, and possibly the hawk that alighted in the tree we were partying under.  Other folks took better portrait photographs, I think.


The Child held a contest to see who could do the best Fortnite Dance.  There were badminton games, and bocce, and a water slide, and general visiting.  Dinner was grilled cheeseburgers and corn, prepared by “Chef Sean.”

As the evening progressed, the talent show began.  We had group sing-a-longs on the deck.  Mark M.C.’ed “Mary Jeopardy” and I led everyone in the Oregon 1983 version of “The Shark Song.”  More singing with the piano happened inside.  And then the karaoke machine was wheeled out.   Probably the most painful song was Tom Jone’s “Delilah”;  probably the song everyone got the most into was “Bohemian Rhapsody”; probably the most soulful song was John Denver’s “Country Roads.”  We had fun with George Micheal’s “Faith,” and “Get The Party Started.”  There’s video.