the Summer of twenty-ten (part II)

the only one missing is brother DQ - too ill to drive down from Davis that day

The season began innocently enough. We had a very, very cool spring, with only 3-4 warm (over 65º) days in the course of months; and everyone was looking forward to longer, warmer days - even me. This has been the Year of Milestone Birthdays in the Q family: my brother PQ and sister in-law CEQ turned 60. Brother CQ turned 50, and his son KMQ turned 18. Niece GB turned 21. And Mom turned 80 on Memorial Day. So the next weekend we had a party at my sister's house.

just part of the great room. what lines the wall to the left, not in this shot,
and the wall behind the photographer, are floor-to-ceiling windows. spectacular!

NJQB and my brother in-law GB have the house where the parties should be. It is on the coast, on the top of a mountain, and (before the trees grew up so tall) overlooking the ocean. It is a humble home, built into the crook of the mountain, but with a wonderful kitchen and a great room that fits all of us. All 20 (or more) of us!

despite my sister's protests, there is a LOT of room in her tiny kitchen for many hands!


a good family philosophy has served them well - for over 30 years

We usually pot luck these things, and I was asked, as usual, if I'd like to make the cake. Of course! With so many people, though, and for such an auspicious occasion, a simple cake would not do. And, being my older sister, NJQB had to be certain to tell me what to do. ;o) "Make a sheet cake", she said. "Do you have a sheet cake pan? Borrow mine", she insisted. I told her I could handle it. Her response: "be sure there's enough cake!" It was Mom's 80th birthday, of course it had to be special, and I had an idea in the back of my head.

so innocent, so trusting... and, by the way, on the inside? it was lemon cake,
with a layer of lemon curd, and frosted with an unbelievable amount of cream cheese frosting

Could I pull it off? Yes. (There are battle stories, but that is perhaps for another time.) No one knew... the cake appeared to be an elegant (but boring) white-frosted cake, decorated with (real) gold flakes. When asked what flavor it was, I answered truthfully: lemon. Although as the baker of the cakes, I am usually the person who also carves them up, I asked that Mom cut her own cake this time. "Just the first slice", I said. Oh, no...she was having none of it. I insisted, and persisted. The surprise was worth it!

PQ and NJQB got creative, cutting it up. I'm glad - it looks so pretty like this!

an extra, gratuitous photo.
my folks are so darned cute together!

Next up: not so fast, my dear.