{"id":564,"date":"2023-08-25T06:46:00","date_gmt":"2023-08-25T06:46:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/marcielsims.com\/?p=564"},"modified":"2023-08-15T21:50:56","modified_gmt":"2023-08-15T21:50:56","slug":"ilona-cole-guest-author-story-144","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/marcielsims.com\/index.php\/2023\/08\/25\/ilona-cole-guest-author-story-144\/","title":{"rendered":"Ilona Cole, Guest Author, Story 144"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Hal\u2019s Birthday Celebration<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n

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My husband Hal\u2019s birthday present was a great success. His birthday celebration with friends tonight will equally be great. We invited his dear old friends who also have keen interests collecting antique guns, beautiful old rifles or pistols. Kurt and Ruth, Ronnie and Esther, Richard and Marilyn were our guests. I had the narrow pull-out table brought up to my husband\u2019s library, it will easily seat eight people.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On Hal\u2019s desk I displayed the beautiful mahogany box with the two John Manton dualling pistols and all the tools in pristine condition in it, next to it, the leather case for the boxed set. For my Hal and for our guests this will be an unbelievable treasure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The friends of Hal\u2019s could not believe how easy it was to secure this set and how lucky Hal was with the amount of his bid.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Everything worked like clockwork, once Hal decided to take this chance. It was easy and not stressful to work with the Auction House Christie\u2019s in London by phone or fax. But more precise, prompt and accurate than now with e-mails and internet. No glitches like now with temperamental computers, one could miss the time for the bidding and be disqualified. The description in Christie\u2019s catalogue about these fine dualling pistols was not overstated they are exactly as they were pictured and called: \u201cProperty of a Gentleman\u201d, precious old guns, even still the key for the box, all in pristine condition.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hal was like a little boy, who peeked at his Christmas present to find out that it was what he wished for.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

By the side of the desk on the floor I had a most beautiful Haviland floor vase. In it I purchased white lilac branches and with it five beautiful pink \u201cBird of Paradise\u201d flowers from Hawaii. On the white tablecloth I made a bed of white lilac branches spread out on the table and into the lilac I pulled a celadon green silk ribbon and inserted pink roses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

By every serviette I put a pink rose bud, the guests could take home. I used my white Rosenthal China \u201cMagic Flute\u201d all white with a sculpted rim of the images of characters from the operetta and underneath these large dinner plates on the rim the Libretto text of the operetta \u201cZauber Floete\u201d (Magic Flute) with gold handwriting by the designer of this awesome China, Bjorn Wiinblad.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Beautiful glasses and silver flatware added sparkle. My table was inviting and ready. My dinner, prime rib with all the trimmings, a wonderful sauce, made with half a cup of fine \u201cOpus One\u201d wine and white asparagus and little potatoes, braised in clarified butter on the side. For this tasty dinner my Hal opened a bottle of an elegant, full bodied \u201cOPUS ONE\u201d. Everyone enjoyed the dinner, one could tell, it got very quiet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For dessert I had made from white Toblerone chocolate a creamy mousse and served a Melba sauce (fresh raspberry sauce) on the side and my wonderful Jamaica Blue Mountain coffee.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Owning these precious old pistols, this excellent dinner and the wine and sharing it with wonderful friends, what more could a Gentleman wish for?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Hal\u2019s Birthday Celebration My husband Hal\u2019s birthday present was a great success. His birthday celebration with friends tonight will equally be great. We invited his dear old friends who also have keen interests collecting antique guns, beautiful old rifles or pistols. Kurt and Ruth, Ronnie and Esther, Richard and Marilyn were our guests. I had … <\/p>\n

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