Two Days to Seventy

This being the eve of St. Patrick's Day and a TGIF day to boot - I thought it appropriate to focus on celebrations and parties. Something passed down, perhaps genetically, is the ability to throw and enjoy a great party.


As children we had great birthday parties - not the Chuckie Cheese or rent out the indoor playground and then go for fast food kind - but the cake and ice cream and "Pin the Tail on the Donkey" kind. That was for the kids - the parents generally got to drink beer and eat hearty and gather around the birthday child for the singing of Happy Birthday and the opening of gifts. No competition for most lavish gift in those days. "Thank you for the package of 3 pastel colored fancy underpants. I love them."

In High School most of our parties were organized by a church, a school or a service organization - except for the informal ones where we met in finished basements to dance to the latest music. I remember a particularly risque one when an older brother of a class mate "smuggled" a Sam Cooke record home from a college in the south and we heard him for the first time.
In college we had fraternity parties- and yes -I did go to toga parties, football day parties, and dances in the Student Union - again pretty much organized groups - except for the "boondockers" - where we'd head for a dry wash/arroyo on the Sonoran Desert and tap a keg (or two).

When we were first married we had "pot luck" parties with other Polo Village residents and everybody brought their own beer. Joe and I once cashed in some Buffalo Nickels to buy a six pack.

When we moved back to Chatham and in the vicinity of the Biroka clan - the non organized parties started all over again. My mother and aunts were great hostesses and had a come one, come all attitude. God forbid you didn't eat or drink enough - that was always noticed -and there was always food for three times as many people as had been invited.

This brings us to the Prom. Arthur Andersen had an annual fancy schmanzy dinner dance usually at the Waldorf Astoria in NYC. We were all expected to attend - we called them proms, because we had to dress to the nines. Most of the time they had our guys (not many woman Androids back then) working their butts off up until the time of the prom so they'd have to rush to the hotel and change clothes. One year Joe wound up with one brown sock and one black one and we worried a partner would notice. AA had a strict code of behavior outlining proper attire and the number of drinks per hour that were acceptable - which is why the after-parties were always the real attraction.
When we were transferred to Chicago ,Andersen still continued to throw an annual party, but rather than black tie - they were themed - such as the roaring '20s party pictured above. We did win the Charleston contest!
Dinner parties in River Forest allowed us to entertain in our homes and take turns with our very social neighbors. The Smithings had the same pattern silverware as ours so we could always have matching silver at these fun gatherings.

During my career I must have planned at least a dozen very big parties for customers, employees for recognition meetings, Christmas, and all the major anniversaries. Pioneer Bank's 75th anniversary party was the biggest and best. That's how I met the caterer who wound up doing most of our weddings and our family reunion. I think we threw some pretty good wedding receptions including the one when I did a flip with my "mother of the bride" dress on and didn't even lose a sequin. Our kids were always first on the dance floor and last ones off - to say nothing of the bar. Kevin is notorious for his wedding dancing/gymnastics prowess, but our girls cut a pretty mean rug as well.

846 Monroe became the major gathering place for the Crawford Clan where our house, yard and patio made the ideal setting for several "geritol parties" as each of Joe's siblings started to reach milestone birthdays , the day after the wedding parties, and our 25th Anniversary party. No outside help needed - we created our own entertainment.

After we moved downtown, we entertained less - but we'd go to Navy Pier and dance at the Baja Beach Club - good excercise and a fun thing to do. We even joined in the Karaoke a few times. Now the kids have their own homes and they're the ones who throw the parties and they sure proved that they inherited the genes.

I have purposely left specifics out of this post to protect the not so innocent. I will, however write them up off-blog for my own enjoyment.