Unending Parties

This is me today:

It is over a week later - what a 90th Birthday celebration!  I wound up with 10 gallons of gumbo (took two days to make), 3 dozen steamed crabs, 30 pounds of marinated shrimp, and a bushel of oysters done up every way you can think.  And somehow, a different dinner party every single night until Saturday.  That is 8 days of cooking, cleaning, and hanging out with family - in addition to going to work every day!  Good Lord.
So today is down time, and I've been browsing through books, mags, and blogs that I love, trying to gear down.   Except I've been invited to a North Carolina Spot Fry over at Jamie's, to celebrate HIS mom's birthday.  Maybe a little nap, then off to another party!

Shrimp Throwdown!

Today is the big Cooking Day for Grandma Mac's Birthday Party - which is tomorrow evening.  My house is spic and span, and my husband's bubbly cousin is going to stay with us.  I think the rest of the crowd is spreading out into other homes, including the house next door that our lovely neighbor turned over to us.  Take a look:

I will be cooking 40 pounds of shrimp today, and peeling most of it for a marinated shrimp dish, and should sign off now and get started!