Welcome to the next post in the series Letters from America 1985 -1987 that I wrote home to my parents in the UK. My father kept them all in a folder and on his death they came back to me with a note to publish them.
It is now the first week in August 1985 and we now had gathered a group of like-minded friends (tequila and shrimp) around us. The long awaited Hawaiian Luau arrived.
Dear M & D.
Just recovering from our Hawaiian Luau on Saturday. We spent last week making garlands and decorations, and after a dreadful thunderstorm on Friday night, Saturday dawned hot and clear. We started putting up the decorations at 10 am. and it looked fantastic. The party started at 3pm and we had all sorts of silly games. (I was in charge!)
I had hard-boiled 30 eggs, and marked one with a red spot before throwing them all in the pool. It was called pearl diving! The person who found the egg with the red spot won a prize. We also had a raft race with three to a lilo. As I mentioned last week we have been practicing for weeks and it was clearly a waste of time! However, that was hilarious and got us into the party spirit.
Talking of spirits, David and I were introduced to Trash Can Punch which certainly helped the party get started. We all had cold beers and soft drinks, but a large black plastic waste bin was bought (and scrubbed, thankfully not used for waste before) and filled with ice and chopped fruit. We were all invited to bring our favourite spirit and empty the bottle into the can.
As you can imagine, this meant that there was at least 20 bottles of neat vodka (clearly popular) Tequila, Whisky and a couple of unmarked bottles that we think were moonshine! It was then topped up with fresh fruit juice and some water (not much). We then helped ourselves throughout the day.
It is a surprise we all survived. I stopped after a couple as did David and moved onto Coors Light beer since we definitely did not have the head or stomach for it. I did however make a tactical error when I helped myself to a couple of pieces of orange from the fruit that was left at the end of the afternoon. After a few hours soaking in all that booze, in the hot sun, it was very intoxicating indeed.
We did keep active and by 6pm the water volley ball net was up and we played for the next four hours straight.. I am called ‘Sledgehammer’ as I play at the net and being tall can thump the ball over. All that netball paying off. At 10pm we retired to our place and ended up playing poker until 2am. Don’t worry we will dial things back a bit when you come to see us and be in bed by midnight!
Last night our friends from Argentina, Bill and Silvia came over for supper, lovely couple and you will enjoy meeting them.
Our trip to Hawaii has been confirmed for September 3rd so I am aiming to lose a few pounds to that I can put it all back again! By the time we get back it will only be about 6 weeks to your visit.
David is off to Kansas tomorrow until Thursday morning. It is almost his second home and I think our holiday will do him good as he will be in one place for 14 days.
The apartment owners are building security gates and a fence around the property. I hope it won’t be too like Colditz. Also they are building a hot tub in front of our apartment. They seat about four people and I have heard quite a few tales about the goings on to be expected. I shall be able to sell tickets to people who want to use my balcony for front row seats!
Looking forward to seeing you soon.. all our love Sally and David X
©Sally Cronin 2020
Thank you for dropping in today and I hope you enjoyed our latest escapade. Thanks Sally
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What a fun party. Oh, the days of the trash can punch and the morning-after headache.
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Thanks Jennie.. those headaches usually last three or four these days… lol xx
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Haha!
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♥
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Sounds like a lot of fun. I never got into the trash can punch after one try. There is another meaning for the word trash. Good letter home.
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It was a great day… and once was enough, the next time we took wine and beer in a cooler…hugsx
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Another great letter, your life is so full of these great times 💜
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Thanks Willow.. we have been very lucky and appreciate that very much.. ♥
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Life is for living 💜
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With you all the way Willow..♥
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😀💜💜
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I’m sorry that I never got a chance to party with you and your husband, Sally. That whole time sounds great. I would have been right with you on the Coor’s Light as that is more my speed. I would have also been in the thick of the volleyball and the poker (two things I love). You’ve just moved up a couple of notches on the respect meter, Sally “Sledgehammer” Cronin.🤣
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Good to hear Pete…I think the poker might be more my speed these days… but willing to give some water volleyball a shot if the opportunity arose.. loved that game. x
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Okay, you know you had me at ‘trash can tequila’. And look at you all sunkissed and golden, just the way we like it. ❤ xx
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Totally in my element.. sunshine and swimming… and party time…♥♥
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❤ xx
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Whata life! Eggs for pear diving, and tequila with shrimps. I more and more think i am really at the wrong place here. 😉 But you are a wonderful storyteller too,Sally! I am sure from a vacation here in the rural rurality you would make a visit in paradise. Lol Michael
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It was another time Michael but having said that I would not mind a little Texas sunshine, shrimps and tequila right now…hugs xxx
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According to sunshine and tequilla me too, :-))
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The trash can idea is certainly interesting, Sally. I can’t say I’ve ever been to a party that had something even remotely like that.
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Probably just as well Robbie……xxx
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Thanks, Sally. I love these letters. There seems to be a theme in the comments – the things we could survive when we were young! I’m the same but I kinda fancy those dipped oranges . . .
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Glad you are enjoying Elizabeth..the feeling of immortality in the young and those oranges where very tasty…xx
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Ahh the good ol’ days when we could hatch an epic party and live to tell about it.
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I agree Antoinette… survival of the fittest…x
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What a party! 🙂
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It was Bette. and very memorable..xx
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Sounded like great fun, Sally. Enough tangible memories to keep you amused into old age…Aah! xx
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I hope so Joy.. not making to many unusual ones at the moment, although I think walking around doing the grocery shopping in a mask probably counts….hugsxx
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That trash can punch sounds lethal! Lol. It’s amazing what we can tolerate when we’re young. Sounds like a fun party, Sally, that made for some wonderful memories. 🙂
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Thanks Diana and I am afraid could not manage the punch these days.. one non-alcoholic beer and I am toast … but very happy reliving these memories…hugsx
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Me too. I need a nap after a 1/2 glass of wine. Lol
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What have we done to ourselves lol !!
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It was some party. Great to have such wonderful memories.
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It was that Mary.. we did have fun that two years with some great people..xx
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That sounds like some party!
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Never miss an opportunity… not sure I would survive those oranges now! x
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Your trash can punch reminds me of concoctions I used to make as a teenager, sneaking liquor from my father’s stash, pouring a little out of each bottle so he wouldn’t miss it. Amazing we survived!
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lol.. or the reason we have Sharon….xx
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Sounds like a great party, Sally – hope you enjoyed Hawaii. Toni x
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We did Toni…will share that story anon…xxx
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This is amazing! Seeing old letters like this with photographs, somehow relives that particular moment…amazing!
This is why letters are so much better than Facebook messages… these are so personal…
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Thank you Janis.. you are right nothing like the postman calling with a real letter. I am hoping that when I am in my dotage these will nudge my memorie…
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