Remember THIS last year? Yeah, I am doing it again! Today is the day of this years annual Flower Parade that virtually passes 10 steps from my appartment building…

Last year I had some foreign employees of the dept over who had tons of fun watching the Flower Parade. Honestly, it is not reaaaally my thing but doing stuff like that with foreign friends is always fun and I love having a reason to have friends over and hosting a little party. It’s also a great way to get to know eachother a bit better outside of the workplace.

So this year, I invited some new foreign employees. I am having a Chinese couple over: she works at our lab, her husband at the lab of the dept that I used to work at before I started here 12 years ago. I am having an Indian guy over that started as a PhD student at our dept a few months ago, and the German girl that came to see the Flower Parade last year, is coming over again. The Rumanian guy that joined us last year wanted to come over again too, and bring his wife, but they were otherwise engaged. And alas, La BraDutch can’t make it this year either, due to some medical problems (feel better soon girl!). Maybe 2 of her Brazilian friends will still join us, but not sure yet. And mmaaayyybee one of my US friends, a colleague researcher of The Chief from Seattle, is joining us as well, but not sure about that one yet either.

Still, we’ll have fun with the people that are joining us. The fridge is stocked with white wine, beer, soda, juice. I made sure I made icecubes in the freezer last night. I got three huge bags of groceries for the lunch buffet that I will be making: Couscous salad, Greek salad, an attempt at ZenBitch’s potato salad recipe, chicken wraps and bread.

After lunch we’ll go out in the street to join the tons and tons of tourists along the roadside to watch the parade and after the parade we’ll go back to my place for drinks. Hey… what else to do if the roads are clogged up and you have to wait until things clear up and my friends can travel back home? Right?

The Kid loved having those people over last year and had a ball, and told me that he was really looking forward having people over again this year. I love it that he loves that and I think it is a great way for him to get in touch with people from all over the world, seeing as travelling for us is financially impossible. This way he meets up with people from all over the globe, learns to interact with them, in a fun fun way.

While we are all doing that, The Sis is in the medical center, trying to have labor induced. She hasn’t given birth yet… but hopefully this weekend! Yay! UPDATE: My brandnew little niece is here! She has entered the world at 6 a.m. this morning. I am an aunty again!!! Her name is Luca!!!

OK, gotta skoot… Drinks to mix, food to prepare, friends to meet up with!!!

UPDATE: CLICK HERE TO SEE SCRUMPTIOUS LUNCH BUFFET I MADE :)