Cambria: UNCLE DICK'S 80TH BIRTHDAY

Over the weekend I was lucky enough to attend my Uncle’s surprise 80th birthday.

I had talked with Leslie the previous weekend and she chatted with her co-conspirators (my other two cousins), and I was a late addition to an elaborately planned Party.

Dick has traveled the world. Retiring from Lufthansa, he took full advantage of flying benefits and extended his already extensive travels and has hit every continent except Antarctica.

The cousins, Dana, Leslie, and Andrea had built the party on the theme of ‘Around the world in 80 years’. Tee shirts had been printed with that logo, then each of the three families had different places he had been over the years. The Hosts (Bill and Dana Miller along with daughter Brittany) had Spain, which Dick had visited in 1957. Leslie and Kevin Carson, along with daughter Meghan, had England (visited in 1954) and Andrea and Chuck Mahon, along with sons Pierce and Logan, had Hong Kong (visited in 1964).

Kevin and Meghan

Brittany

Logan, Pierce and their dad Chuck

With Bill and Dana’s house and deck fully decorated with world travel themes and pictures, Chuck and I went to pick Dick up.

In retrospect, I suspect I know what happened. Dick not only did not know I’d be there, but he also didn’t know the theme of the party. He assumed Chuck was simply going to pick him up, but a couple of things happened. Owing to Dick’s punctuality (one of the many themes for the evening), Dana had called informing him Chuck would be about 15 minutes late. In the meantime, Chuck and I got there about 15 minutes early. Dick has just taken his shoes off in his room to relax thinking we’d be late and no sooner had he done that Chuck called informing him he was there. Dick hastily got ready and ambled out expecting to see Chuck but in keeping with the travel theme, I was provided a plaque with the name ‘Aberle’ on it, like it was a limo driver picking him up and Chuck had been provided a set of cardboard wings to attach to his shirt in keeping with the travel theme of the evening.

Not knowing anything about the surprise theme, all Dick saw was that Chuck was trying to attach something to his shirt with another fellow holding up a sign with his name on it and in his haste of getting out the door, he didn’t hit upon the fact it was me holding the sign or the significance of what the sign was trying to convey.

In any case it was the better part of a minute before I finally spoke saying ‘I suppose you didn’t expect to see me’ and suddenly Dick recognized me.

We took the short drive back to Bill and Dana’s and the theme of the party and the detail behind it was slowly revealed.

Among the well planned details: Several of Dick’s travel pictures had been blown up and were staged throughout the family and living rooms.

Unbeknownst to Dick, his Christmas list had been hijacked and cards had gone out to family and friends asking for their favorite memory of Dick. Cards had been returned by the scores – upwards of 100 or so.

Globes, maps, and quite a few other decorations, all with a global or travel theme adorned the house and Bill (supervised by Kevin, or so Kevin claimed), had drawn upon his cooking expertise to prepare foods from around the world for the evening meal.

Dick first took everyone through the significance of the pictures. He had traveled quite a bit, notably with his Army buddies, and pictures of him on Camels and elephants figured prominently into the story line.

We moved outside for appetizers and I was able to get a better appreciation for the ‘East Coast’ Aberles. Meghan and I shared an appreciation for each others pictures. Turns out we both liked pictures of sunsets.

Brittany is just starting high school (and is on level 118 in Candy Crush). I had already gotten to know Pierce and Logan after staying with Chuck and Andrea the previous evening.

What struck me about the party in general was how much work had been put into it by 3 daughters who clearly loved and appreciated their father and the genuine affection the 3 son-in-laws had for each other. The 4 grandkids each brought something to the party as well. While Snowflake and I didn’t hit it off very well, the only one I got to know by only reputation was the goldfish “Taco” (the fish with personality). Taco doesn’t talk much, but even in the fish bowl, he (she?) is adept at making his (her?) needs known.

The food was unbelievable and Bill was a tour de force, cooking, arranging, cleaning, etc. I think he was in motion for most of the evening. Dana was right there as well, but Bill holds court over his food. The menu was terrific. The printed menu followed the international travel theme. From the menu:

Appetizers: Barbeque Pulled Pork Dumplings (Asia)
Fresh Fruit/Local Cheeses (United States)
Toasted Pita Bread with Spinach Dip (Middle East)
Schweine en Decken “Pigs in a Blanket” (Germany)
And the featured cocktail was ‘The Frenchy’

Some of the many decorations

The detail was amazing

Main Menu Fusilli Alfredo (Italy)
Beef Wellington (Great Britian)
Arroz Con Pollo (Spain)
Featured Beverage: Red Sangria

Accompaniments Roasted Carrots, Peppers, Onions and Asparagus (Italy)
Haricot Vertes au Limone (France)
Schlongs a la Abby (Upper Chester County)
Twice Baked Potatoes (a la Lala)
Croissants (France)

Note, the Schlongs were bread sticks and their name ‘Schlong’, and all the phallic connotations, caused a great deal of hilarity. I didn’t get the full back story and that fact alone may merit a return trip.

I, for one, was stuffed at the end of the meal, but we did have a choice of desserts. Including:

Sydney’s Sinful Sundae (Australia)
Mini Key Lime Pies (Del Ray Beach)
Lemon Merinque Pie (ode to Grace)
Birthday Cake (the menu quoted Julia Child as saying “If there isn’t cake, it’s only a meeting”).

Logan may have been reacting to the alleged singing

One of the many surprises of the evening for me was the singing, or what was purported to be singing, of “Happy Birthday” by the 3 girls. It could be described equally well as the absolute worst, or perhaps absolute best, rendition of the song I’ve ever heard. Done with complete and unbridled gusto, the relationship with key and pitch received no thought at all. Dana, in particular, proved she has pipes, however ill tuned.

One of the educational events of the evening was a map that the kids filled in, circling all the countries Dick mentioned. As Dick reeled off the countries, it did sound a bit like a UN roll call.

Brittany had been to a few of the countries and an informal poll resulted in her being voted the most likely to carry on Dick’s world traveling ways. Although Chuck was generally viewed as having the second most international miles, next to Dick.

After the meal, Dick opened up his suitcase. He was presented with a logo’d shirt which was an understated way to state his age. Also in the suitcase was a bottle of Maker’s Mark (Dad channeled me to put it in there). But the most valuable contents were the warm sentiments and funny stories in all the cards.

Before he got to those cards, however, there were two audio cards one of which had a very funny version of Happy Birthday done entirely by belching and other ‘natural sounds' while the second card went on to define the word ‘Ancient’ at the expense of whomever was holding the card.

The real gems were the personal cards. One by one they were read off, prompting many memories on the part of Dick and the entire family. Nearly everyone used the cards to write their thoughts (the only two exceptions were Maren and myself).

As the cards were read out, Logan and Pierce managed to entertain themselves and the rest of us with some of their impromptu antics. All and in all a wonderful and wonderfully thought out party serving as a tribute to the patriarch of the “East Coast Aberle’s”.