Thanks, nyctea! I’ll do what I can to party-hop.
Not real crazy with the runaround this place is giving you, Katherine. We did say we’d be there, right (including Bugface)?
Yeah you said you were coming. Didn’t know you were bringing Matthew, but it shouldn’t be a problem. Kids are small. And we can scoot around if need be.
Sure, count me in.
(We are set for up to like 20-something people now that we have 2 tables, btw)
I have to work on Saturday, so unfortunately I won’t be able to make it, so, Anita, please accept a heartfelt “Happy Birthday!” in lieu of my appearance.
Thanks for working out all the details Opal! I know that can be a pain, dealing with reservations and an ever-growing party. So can I go ahead and take dibs on sitting next to the birthday girl?? 
P.S. We are formulating plans as we speak for fun and merriment after dinner, so if you can hang out after dinner, please do! Tell your babysitters, etc., you won’t be home until midnight 
Okay, an update on my situation. At this point (given to change at the drop of a hat), we are a “probably not”. We found babysitting for the younger two kids, but can’t find anyone reliable to leave the oldest one with, and she has a habit of threatening suicide whenever we go out of town. So, unless something gives and we find somewhere good and trustworthy to park her, we won’t be able to make it. 
If things change, I will let you all know.
Why not bring her? Ginger and Dave are bringing thier kiddo…
I’m bringing Aaron, too.
Robin
Norine’s oldest is 16. She doesn’t want to hang out with a bunch of her parents’ friends.
shrug I always did when I was a teenager.
Can’t a 16-year-old take care of herself for the evening? Can’t she go out with her friends and do something? You know - steal a car, get thoroughly drunk and/or stoned, get into a drunken fight, run over the other party in the fight with the stolen car, and, to end the night, get pregnant by some anonymous stranger? Surely she’s old enough to amuse herself.
Actually, guys, my oldest would love to come, but the way we had it worked out is this: hubby has a trade show to work Saturday in Winchester, I was going to go with him to the trade show, and then go right to the party. Otherwise, it’s just too much driving. Oldest Daughter would not be happy hanging out with us from 6AM until 10PM.
Wendell Wagner, yes, 16 should be old enough to entertain herself for the evening. Unfortunately, her ideas of entertaining herself include swallowing 30 or 40 Tylenol and then calling 911 and going to the hospital. She’s gone to the ER for suicidal feelings and attempts so often when hubby and I go out of town that I’m afraid Child Protective Services is going to start looking at us closely if it idoesn’t stop. Also, I believe these suicidal tendencies when we leave town are designed to manipulate us. And it pisses me right off that it’s working, too. She did have an offer from a friend’s grandfather last night that she can spend the weekend with them. I’m going to talk to hubby and see if he thinks that will work.
In other news, even if this one doesn’t work out for us, I think the next one that’s held at someone’s house, we might just bring all the kids! My 13-year-old wants so badly to be a Doper that she’s foaming at the mouth about it! (She’s technically a teenager, but still thinks everything I do is cooler than cool!)
Email received and confirmed. Thanks again, nyctea!
Okay, update from the home front. We’ve found someone reliable to keep the eldest kid this weekend. She’s staying there tomorrow night and Saturday night, so that simplifies things a lot! We’ve got a reliable sitter for the 13 and 4 year olds, too. So all is well. I doubt we’ll be joining in the after-dinner festivities, though, as it’s a darned long drive home, and hubby works the trade show on Saturday and Sunday this weekend.
Just wanted to post and say that I’m not avoiding everyone, but I don’t think my plans are firm enough that I can commit to Saturday at this point. I’m still waiting to hear back from some people that may or may not want to come with me Saturday. Is it a cardinal sin against The Melting Pot if I reserve a space and don’t show up at all?
<sniff, sniff> We hope you can make it, Mike!!
With the reservation now being for two adjacent tables, we can seat 20+ so a tentative yes is fine, Mike. 
Here’s who is coming, correct us if we’re wrong:
AnitaVacation
OpalCat
nyctea scandiaca
nyctea’s friend Brian
MsRobyn + Aaron
Ginger of the North + weirddave + son
Olentzero
ultrafilter
RTFirefly
dwalin
danceswithcats
Wendell Wagner
norinew + husband
gobear
That is a total of 18. I have a question though. RTFirefly and Ms Robyn, are your spouses coming?
And av8trmike is a maybe. And Scuba_Ben might meet up with us afterwards.
Anything different from above, let us know! See everyone Saturday! 