Mom is looking/feeling so much better than a week ago.  I snapped this photo yesterday as we were getting ready to head out to a 100th birthday party.

I was not the only one who admired Mom's earrings.  While they're actually birds in a cage, she likes to pretend they are hot air balloons.

Traffic on the beltway was quite heavy yesterday so we were a few minutes late to the restaurant in Bethesda.  But since we got there at the same time as Ann, the guest of honor, it wasn't really a problem.  The actual problem was that the private room they stuffed 60+ people into was WAY too small for that crowd.  Even those who weren't using walkers had difficulty maneuvering, as did the wait staff.

By a quirk of fate Mom and I ended up at Ann's table, along with her son Hank (don't think I'd seen him since Bev and I graduated from high school 50 years ago....) and his family.  The food was incredible - every one of the multiple courses was scrumptious  - and beyond plentiful.  I was thrilled to watch Mom eat her fair share.  (Her appetite is back with a vengeance; in the early evening she said, "You're gonna laugh."  Turns out she was hungry again, and chowed down on a hefty helping of chicken salad.)

I especially enjoyed my conversation with Bev's niece Ashley, who works at Google (she was sorry to hear that Lisa hadn't contacted her, as I'd suggested, when she worked there.)  And talk about a small world... When Ashley was in high school, her BFF was Laura Zimmerman.... Mom & Dad's next-door neighbor on Mink Hollow!

I wore my new silk outfit for the first time, so was pleasantly surprised that when a sauce was being cleared from the table and fell and splattered right in front of me, somehow none of it ended up on my clothes.

Bailey was absolutely adorable (her princess outfit was too cute) though of course she was quite overwhelmed by all the strangers there.  We got to sing Happy Birthday twice, once to Ann and once to Bailey, and each of them had her own cake.  I'm looking forward to getting pix from Ashley (I didn't even bring my camera) which I'm "likely"to share <g>  in a later post.

Mom and I spent a quiet evening of Rummikub and then some taped Jeopardy.


Today was another big day with "everyone" coming to brunch, Happily this Sunday we were able to reserve the private dining room, always nice because the kids can move around.  This was the cast of characters:

Mom, me

Andy & Sandy

Marilyn

Zach
Ed, Charlie, Harry, Maggie

Richie


Richie brought roses for Mom.

He also brought some of his company swag for the kids.
Here's Harry modeling sunglasses and ear buds:

Maggie liked the frisbee - 

and the flashlight.

Richie always makes everyone laugh.  

Maggie, of course, completely charmed Mom.

Afterward we came up to the apartment.  Andy was able to "fix" the Ancestry DNA registration, though he never was able to get my boarding pass to print.  Zach tried later, with the same results - so I will have to do that at the airport tomorrow.

Marilyn and Zach hung around after the rest of the gang had left.  We had a pleasant afternoon chatting together, though Mom napped through most of their visit.  

Took Mom a long time to work up enough spit to fill the vial up to the squiggly line, but now that's done and ready to mail.  Not expecting any surprises in the DNA results...

Pretty much packed - now off to read and hopefully get a good night's sleep!