BBQ IN THE BACKYARD

We invited some friends over on the weekend to have our very first BBQ in the backyard of our Brooklyn apartment.  I toiled away throughout the morning making basil-dill potato salad, herbed vegetable kabobs, strawberry brown sugar lemonade, and chopped fruit salad. Our guests arrived, we put on music, the weather was perfect, the meat went on the grill, and... I had to leave. Sunday night work at the restaurant.  I was sure that I'd at least get to enjoy one bite of steak before my shift, but, alas, time would not allow.  So I kissed my loves goodbye and headed to the train, giving firm instruction before I left to "take photos, take photos, take photos!".. I wanted to see how it all turned out.

The restaurant was packed that night, so I worked like a madwoman and made crazy tips, which is always a blessing as the end of the month rolls around and rent is due.  Although the late-night hours seem to be getting harder and harder to swing as my baby grows into a child, I am ever so grateful for the amount of work that has come my way lately.  I'm setting the wheels in motion for some alternative, creative-based work in the future, but for now my tried and true restaurant job is just fine.  Except of course on BBQ evenings, when I would love to be able to stay home with the family..

I returned home late that night, exhausted and ready to turn in.  Biet was sound asleep and  Gaby was watching a movie.  He jumped up to welcome me home, took my bag, and told me to look in the freezer.  I tiredly opened it up to find a little surprise- two (!) pints of delicious ice cream just waiting for a tired Mama to come home and devour them.  As we looked over photos (Gaby and his friends had listened well and taken lots and lots of photos for me) and enjoyed our late night dessert, I counted my blessings.  Enough work to get by, a healthy and ridiculously happy baby girl, and a husband who stays up to welcome his wife home in the sweetest way- I think I have it pretty good, even if I do sometimes miss out on family BBQ's.

And from the looks of these photos, the day was a laughter-filled success..