Birthday Party for Ingrid Thursday, 2/17
 

This Thursday, 2/17, would have been Ingrid's 83rd Birthday. Her wish, following her death was to have a party. So, in her honor, we are throwing her a party "in absentia".

Things will be as if Ingrid had thrown the party herself. Her favorite way to celebrate was to do a "fondue". A Fondue involved people sitting around the table for hours, talking, laughing and cooking meat in broth. At the end of the meal, brandy was put into the broth and the broth was then consumed.

We're going to change things just slightly in that we're going to do the Fondu open house style. We'll also have all sorts of food that Ingrid would have provided - brats, potato salad, German breads, hot mustard, meats and a Black Forest cake. (Not much is vegetarian, which is why my own vegetarianism ended when I met Chris ;)).

Please join us at our house if you can anytime Thursday, February 17th between 3 pm and 10 pm to celebrate Ingrid's birthday and her memory. Maybe, if you're lucky, you'll even get to do a Polka or two.

(Ingrid requests no gifts - she has everything she needs.:))

What a lovely tribute. I'm in and will come up after work.

Wonderful tribute to a wonderful lady.

We will be there to celebrate her.

Bill and I will be honored to come by after I get off work.

How wonderful!

I'll be there also in absentia.

Have a brat for me, Lisa.

We will be there.

Please accept our apologies, but we will definately be there in spirit. Dip a brat in for us...

Wish I didn't have to work but I do. :(

We'll be there around 7'ish to raise a glass and bratwurst! :)

I wish I could be there, and I really wish I'd met her. Happy Birthday, Ingrid. I hope the beyond is as great an adventure as your life appeared to be! Thursday, one of my German clients, Inge, will be coming in. She's awesome- brings me modern architecture mags, goodies from Germany, and treats me to some of the best conversation of my career. I will be thinking of you.

Lisa, would you like us to bring anything along? Extra noms or anything?

Heh, I first misread "noms" as "moms" and was going to say yes, we're down a couple.

But per Lisa, bring "noshy noms" if you like but nothing is required.

My mom had this habit of continuously bringing out one food item after another until you ate - so it would be somewhat appropriate.

I sincerely regret that we can only be there in spirit. Much love to both of you.

Brendan will be taking off early, look for us in the afternoon.

Sounds lovely and fitting. I'll be by after my market in Century City. Let me know if you need anything "farmer's market fresh."

I don't know, how fresh are the farmers?

Ingrid's sister, Wiltrud, lives in Switzerland and, while visiting, we were introduced to "Farmers Air". Have you ever driven by Harris Ranch? That's Farmers Air - and it's Fresh.

Haha, my parents (one who grew up on a dairy farm) called it Dairy Air. Get it? Smell that fresh Dairy Air?

Love that name!

It makes me think of her:

We just used to call it, "Smells like Chino."

We used to call it "Smells like Norco"

Well, having grown up in Souco, er, Corona, I never noticed that Norco had the same, um, particular smell of Chino. Maybe Norco's upped it's game?

For us it was Tulare, on the way to Sequoia.

Lisa, is there any suggested dress code, or colors Ingrid liked?

Reizende Tradition! Gute Gedanken zu Ihnen, zu Chris und zu Lisa.

(Did babelfish do that right?)

Well, Google translation (from your German to English:

I will be pleased and honored to attend Ingrid's Birthday party. Thanks!

Please try to stay alive until then. We don't need you steeling Ingrid's thunder.

It sounds like a wonderful Birthday for a wonderful lady. I will be with you in spirit tomorrow.

Ingrid would want everyone to be completely comfortable and casual. She would probably be fine if everyone were naked. Not that I'm suggesting that......(Kevy, Steve et all)

Susan will be there in the afternoon. As usual, I have no idea what my work schedule will be like.

I'm leaving work at noon or 1. Going home, eating, changing in to something comfortable and casual, visiting my dad and then going to LB. So I'll be there around whenever I get there.

I've got a cold that's akin to the plague so I'll be keeping my germy self away. I'll be thinking of you guys.

wish I could attend, but I'll be there in spirit. my condolences on the loss, but my heartfelt 'well done' for the celebration of life.

Wish I could be there tonight. I hope you all have a fabulous celebration.

What a wonderful celebration of life.

:cheers:

Lovely party. Chris, thank you for sharing with me some of your mom's incredible history.

A big thank you to those who came to Ingrid's Birthday Party and those who raised a glass from afar. The party was exactly the way she would have wanted it. There's nothing she liked better than listening to good conversation and feeding people. She would have been thrilled.

Thank you also for your support. It's been a bit tough for both Chris and I the last few months, and it was amazing to be surrounded by so much love and friendship. We have great friends!

It was quite the wonderful shindig! I had some food that I never knew existed, and loved hearing about her. I left feeling like I got to know her a little bit. :)

We were so glad to be there with you to celebrate her. And to show you - we're all here for you. We have your back. And your front.

I'm so sorry I missed all the Ingrid stories, but I was so honored to be part of the birthday celebrations. What a warm and lovely gathering. Testament to Ingrid and her loving son, whom we all love so very much.

It could not be possible for me to say it better :snap:

It was such a lovely idea to honor Ingrid's memory with a birthday party. I kept having the feeling that she was just in the other room, or had gone into the kitchen to get more food. Having never met your mother, Chris, I still felt as if I was a welcome guest at a party she was hosting, and being encouraged to "try a little of this, maybe a little more of that."

Danke.

The party was a lovely send-off for a truly fabulous lady who taught us how to drink and be merry well before we were of age. Bravo Chris and Lisa for creating such a memorable occasion.

It was nice to see so many old friends as well...