House Party B-B-Q

Hosted a B-B-Q yesterday, my first in 15 years or so. The last time I did this we weren't married but a couple of years and we invited my inlaws. It was a January or February and it was a cold sunny day so we were all cooped up inside. This time I did much better.
Invited a group from work and their friends and a family from the taekwondo school we're with. Actually this is a sort of summer house party series we've been doing with people from work. One of us will host the get together, every one brings something, and we sit around drinking beer, eating, shooting the shit, playing card games and scrabble and such. I invited my taekwondo instructor and some people from the taekwondo school to even out the guests. Mostly it's just people from work who show up at these things. The takwondo instructors didn't show but one of the families did and they brought this delicious bean dip and cheese/sausage sauce.
I marinaded two briskets overnight, one in italian dressing and the other in teriyaki sauce, wrapped them up in several layers of aluminum foil, threw them on the fire ring out back over some charcoal and some scrap wood and six hours later the meat was tenderly tearing up on a fork. I also boiled up a big batch of beans seasoned with onions, tomatoes, bell peppers and garlic powder and pepper and oregano and parsly. The rice came out a little sticky. Everyone raved about the food but the real star was my mothers homemade tortillas.
I had made a batch of masa the night before but my mother was not satisfied with it, I had used self rising flour. The tortillas were coming out crispy and not soft, a cardinal sin committed moments before the firsts guests were supposed to be showing up. She through me out of my own kitchen, flew out of the house bought some all purpose flour and whipped up homemade flour tortillas. They were to die for. Between the tender juicy brisket and her tortillas and cooperative weather, it was a good time had by all.
The last guests didn't leave until 2:30AM or s0. I'm not used to staying up all night like that, even though I work nights. I'm beat today and spent most of the day napping and snacking off the left overs. I drank beer and wine last night but not to excess so no wicked hangover to nurse. Sucked back a couple of coronas left over from last night and picked up the backyard. Everything back to normal.
By far the worse part was getting everything together and motivating Dana and the girls to clean up the house. Once people started showing up it all flowed smoothly. Can't wait to do it again. Next time I'll start earlier and have everyone out early so I can relax or I'll just fire up the fire pit for us here at home on a weekend. Staying up to 0300 is for the birds. I just don't do that all the time. After everyone had burned off I laid out a moment thinking in my hammock. The stars are really pretty in the early morning quiet and no more self rising flour for my tortillas.