Last, but certainly not least, on the birthday celebration docket: Softball BBQ. For over 10 years, Paul and Mark have been co-hosting a day of softball followed by an evening BBQ and keg party in honor of their birthdays. They are each captain of their own ragtag softball team and usually pick team members gym class style. This year, to shake things up, teams were selected through a randomizing phone app. Hooray for technology being used to prevent hurt feelings, instead of causing them!
Save for a brief rain shower, we had a great day for playing ball at a local park. A second rain shower later in the afternoon provided a spectacular, full rainbow.
We had an assortment of spectators of all ages...
and breeds.
After the game, we headed back to our house for a evening of friends, food, fire and beer.
Paul explained the food options to everyone...
and a line promptly formed.
Some people get excited about meat! Nearly everything at the BBQ had bacon in it (corn salad with bacon, 7 layer salad with bacon, bacon wrapped appetizers, even the bread had rendered bacon fat in it!)
The entree was Smoked Chuck Roast on Chile Cheddar Bread. Paul followed the bread recipe from this site and made up his own smoked meat recipe.
Despite all of the meat, I did find some fruit and veggies to eat. My mom always taught me that you have to eat your dinner before you can have dessert and I wasn't going to miss dessert! Co-worker and friend Sarah brought a fruity dessert to share. She made a Tangy Lime and Mango Sauce with Triple Sec over Angel Food cake (recipe, Sarah?). I baked Guinness Gingerbread Cupcakes with Dark Chocolate Frosting following this recipe. Yum! I ate some of each.We finished off the night sitting around a backyard fire, hula hooping, drinking and making merry. If it wasn't so much work to host this party, we would do it more than once a year!
So, for one last time until next year, Happy Birthday Paul!
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