Use this forum to tell about your parties!

Two of my friends, Jackie and Norm, recently became engaged and some mutual friends decided that a celebration was in order. So they mailed invitations to about thirty of their closest friends, and everyone came!
We were asked to dress "not quite black tie," which immediately raised our expectations, and we were not disappointed.
By the way, it was hosted in a rather large historic home that is being lovingly renovated a little at a time, which enhanced the courtly theme.
As I was saying, everyone was very close to wearing elegant attire, the dining room table was laid out with delectable and appealing appetizers, and wine and champagne flowed in abundance.
Before dinner was served, a married couple, Vic and Martha, took on the roles of the engaged couple, and proceeded to tell the happy couple's life stories in a most entertaining and comical way. Added to the mix was a "mediator," whose job it was to keep them on track and prevent them from going off into tangents. How entertaining! Afterward we were all directed to head upstairs, following a candle-lit path into a make-shift dining room. It was all very exquisite, with white tablecloths, gold-plated silverware, fine china and long, tapered candles. We were served by a "wait" staff (the hosts), and again champagne and wine were paired with a wonderful meal of roast beef, combination Alfredo and Marinara Ziti, stuffed rolls and Cesar salad. Many toasts praised the couple, and, to tell you how close-knit and fun this group is, the soon-to-be groom tapped his wine glass with a spoon to announce that he and his fiancee were going to the restroom, and would return very shortly.
After dinner Vic played tunes on the baby-grand while Norm and Jackie danced, which was smashing since they are accomplished ballroom dancers. And to wrap it all up, we all had an opportunity to share notable quotes and poetry.
Norm and Jackie...congratulations!

Open forum for anything not covered in the other categories. Go ahead, tell it!

Talk about your Charlotte experiences, including food, spirits, shopping and entertainment.

Harper's Restaurant at Southpark has the best deep-dish apple pie (topped with ice-cream, of course!) I have ever put into my mouth, and I salivate just thinking about it. This dessert is worth making a special trip for, and I would be happy to make it my meal! For five bucks, you can't beat it.

Want to share your love stories? Do it here.

Have you ever had a feud with a neighbor? Has it resulted in fear, resentment or uneasiness? Share your stories here.
Please do not use anyone's name or location.

Here's a good one for you. When my dog goes out to pee at 7 a.m. and barks a couple of times, my neighbor blasts an air horn. Now that's the way to show who's boss!

Preview of "Love Valley."

Prologue

 

            The shrouded figure waited in fervid silence. Each slowly drawn breath a fiery burst of flames, stoked with dark anticipation. A gloved fist clenched the weapon, eager to deliver its deadly assault. An obsessive goal would soon be realized.

            Here he comes. Watch the shadow. Wait! Wait for him. He’s close! So close I can hear his breathing. One more step...

             A silent lunge brought their bodies together,touching almost, to engage in a strange dance of death. An upward thrust, an eager delivery, and the knife surged into the soft flesh. The razor-sharp blade punctured the heart and severed the pulsing aortic valve. A sudden twist of the handle completed its deadly plunge. The blade slowly exited the wound, while the precious, life-sustaining fluid spread silently downward. The wounded man’s brow creased sharply, his eyes pleading with bewilderment as he crumpled to his knees, his voice silenced by the blow. The strange sensation of impending death engulfed him; warmth and chill all at once and the sudden awareness of searing pain. Confusion clouded his mind, but it was soon replaced with stunned awareness of his fate. His limbs tingled and grew unresponsive; his grip on the killer’s arm slowly loosened. He moaned softly and looked upward, beyond the face of his murderer toward the starry heavens. He tried to utter a prayer, but his lips remained silent. His final thoughts were of forgiveness, praise and thanks, while the meaningful remembrances of his life floated across his vision. He drifted into unconsciousness and finally, the eternal sleep of death.

            The body was rolled onto a wooden pallet that had been emptied of its load. Sacks of sweet feed were placed gently, almost lovingly, over it in their original basketweave pattern. It was nearly dawn, and the body would have to be disposed of later.

            The culprit slithered past the barns and tossed the weapon to the ground in haste as a car approached on the road nearby. Its brilliant headlights seared into the murderer’s eyes, arousing alarm and dread of capture. Ducking to the ground with breaths coming in great gulps, the perpetrator’s chest heaved with torrents of nausea. When the road cleared, the executor leapt into the darkness of a densely wooded hillside as the first glimmers of light crept slowly over the treetops.

I welcome your comments about "Friend of the Firm."