First Planned BBQ of the season

And it wasn't at my house! After the 12 (or was it 13? I'll have to go back and look) BBQs of last summer, I decided that this year I would rot in hell before not be planning quite so many parties this year. We haven't officially made up a list of goals for the summer, but my goal for '09 is to only throw theme parties. Examples could include: Wii (self-explanatory), Big Lebowski (a backyard screening and lots of that drink that Carrie used to drink a lot of with the Kahlua and the milk that I can't think of...WHITE RUSSIANS! They're White Russians!), Clue (everyone wears blue, green, white, red, etc. with a screening), Leaping off the Wagon (Lots of booze and fattening foods), the Orphan Liquor Party we've been trying to have for three years and finally, finally, I'd like to finally throw my pie party (everybody brings a pie and a friend. The friend can not bring pie. Personally, I can't eat a whole pie (well, I could, but I'd rather not) and I really don't want the leftovers so the friend can bring beer or milk or anything else, but not pie.)

So, the BBQ last night. It fit in with my theme night plans! Mostly because they let me write up the invitation so I made it a theme. The Gunthers thoughtfully hosted an Indoor/Outdoor, Hello/Goodbye, Potluck Party at their house. Their house, by the way, is totally awesome. It's located in the park but away from most of the rest of what passes for civilization. In the fall, they get bears. Seriously.
Indoor/Outdoor-The weather was nice enough to cooperate and stop snowing around 3, but even with two fires, it was a little chilly after the sun went over the mountains.
Hello/Goodbye-It's that time of year when a lot of people are completing seasonal and term positions and a lot more are joining the madding fray. So this was a hello for everyone
Potluck-Okay, I don't know about most places, and I don't know if I've discussed this before, but people in Gardiner make the best potluck. Most people make, from scratch, their offerings. And it's always good (oops, except for my chocolate-covered bacon experiment (darn you Wait, Wait Don't Tell Me) but I did discover this morning that it actually becomes good when frozen). Even when people bring store bought food, it's the good stuff. Only the newbies bring things like chips. Unless it's a really, really good excuse.

Oh, and, we get the most interesting people in town. Last night, it was a slide show by two Germans who have been biking around the world since 2003. Awesome pictures. Great people. Thanks to Christie for bringing them!