Last night’s party for Andy turned out really well I thought. People let their hair down without getting too crazy or embarrassing themselves, and I think I was able to get at least a little quality time with everyone who came. Of the two punches I served, Tonga Punch and Scorpion Bowl, the first was the best in my opinion. Here’s the recipe (Rob-tested and approved):

TONGA PUNCH

64 oz. orange juice
juice 12 lemons
juice of 12 limes
15 oz. curacao
48 oz. light rum
6 oz. grenadine

Combine all ingredients in punch bowl. Stir well, and serve with ice.

The hit of the party was Andy’s VHS tape, which we had playing all night long in the back parlor. It’s basically a compilation video that Andy put together a long time ago of vintage commercials dating from the late 70’s through the mid-80’s (when Andy was growing up, his dad compulsively recorded stuff on TV and usually included all the commercials). It was amusing to watch people last night, sitting there on the futon watching old commercials and providing a running commentary. Things I noticed: women’s suits used to have lots of bows, feminine hygiene and diaper ads used to be a lot more graphic, and the kid’s toys of yesteryear would probably be incredibly boring to today’s youngsters.

We got to bed at 3. I’ve felt a wit woobly today (not wobbly, woobly) but have enjoying napping repeatedly and reading At Home with the Marquis de Sade. Back to work tomorrow.