BIRTHDAY/ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATIONS 2017

We invited our best of friends to our place on Saturday at 2pm for drinks, food and fun.  I prepared beers (see Hite beer story later), lots and lots of wine, our home supply of spirits and a new one for me: soju fruit punch.  The day before, I went to Homeplus, where I bought a 6 litre glass container (normally used to make soju wine or berry wine), as well as 1.5 litres of grape drink and 1.5 litres of pineapple soda.  I mixed the two, along with 2 litres of C1 soju (Korean sweet potato fire water [17%]), along with bananas and apples, it was like a Korean sangria, actually.  I put it in the fridge for 24 hours.  Kevin Smith, Rae and Arthur arrived first and we talked about the apt, JinJu Mansions, as he had lived in this complex 25 years prior.  We were looking outside and saw Sarah Noye out back, who was looking fervently for Lulu, one of her dogs.  I scrambled into action, ran downstairs and found Lulu beside the cars and a building.  Sarah was still holding another dog, so she was having difficulty running after Lulu.  We played with the two dogs, and then a big gang showed up (Andy & Gill Vaughn, their daughter Nicola and her baby Parker, Jenny Montague, Heather Arnot [Jason Arnot was doing grading] and Desta Olds).  Now, it was nearly a full on party.  Andre and April Quimpo made their way over, as did Colin and his GF from Ulsan.  Morina and Rom, from Indonesia & France, parents of Jackson the cat, who I babysat, also came.  Rom works in oil, while Morina cares for Jackson and their daughter in Hill State, the really high glass buildings on Dalmaji Hill, where Sarah, Andre, April and many other teachers also live. Yuni, Jia and jisoon also came (Nico was home doing reports). Other people came and I apologise to them if they are reading this and I did not include their names. The Rolling Stones' latest folk album was playing, Carol was cooking Korean pork & Taiwanese street food (deep fried fish cakes [oleng], fish balls and dumplings), while Rae brought nan/curry, Andy brought his paleo fruit cake, as well as Morroccan curry.  Rom brought a French fillet mignon stew, others brought crackers, fruit, takeaway items, while I made a VERY spicy Indian chicken curry.  I forgot to take out the Korean sangria, but once I did, it was an instant hit.  The gals loved it for it's sweetness, while the guys loved it for it was made with soju.  It wasn't overbearing or too strong, but after a cup or two, you were really feeling it! Rom, Andy, Andre, Colin and I were enjoying conversation in the balcony, because we had decided to put our coach out there. Andre and April gave us traditional Filipino coconut sprits, while Gill gave us chocolate.  People came and went, and in the end, Morina, Andy, Andre and April, as we as Carol and I went to Star KTV in KSU, a place were you could sing, act, feel and dress like a rock star.  I snuck in 2 litres of beer, while others had wine.  It was, as usual, a birthday/anniversary for the ages.