Well, the party was somewhat undervisited, but other than that it was great. The kids were disappointed because in the end the eagerly expected children didn't show. I learnt a couple of things:
1) Listen to Judith: get confirmed specific yes we come results out of your conversation regarding teh invitation
2) Expect less people and just have one backup in case everybody does show
3) Don't be disapointed about who doesn't show: be happy about those who do (and they were great indeed)
4) Don't set up too many things in advance you'll only have to do it all over again.
5) Never forget to invite a bard to run the party. :)
6) If you want to talk to somebody intensely invite them seperately.
7) I had a couple of very successfull and cheap foods that would qualify as (undocumented) A foods (including a lemon cake.
8) *Pasteten* (covered pie like dishes, usually not sweet) schould be used more in feasts: They are a reatively cheap meat dish and very (documenetd) period. also they can be used for the *I am not what I look like* removes. and a little unusal meat (in my case it was deer) can go a long way. the meat pieces (deer and chicken) and some fried mushrooms were embedded in a liver cream that was tasting of liver (but not too strongly) Sherry, herbs and buttermilk and serves in the form of a fish. The great thing is it can be prepared in advance and serves well hot and cold.
9) everybody having their own feast gear is very cool and reduces the work of the host(ess) considerably. Not having that during a full day event with more than one meal increases teh work of the host(ess) at least threefold if not even more.
premade pies, frozen in the pizza pans I got fort a steal on ebay were a great Idea. for parties having more freezer space would be a definite increase in both life and party quality for host(esse)s. If pizza dough based or pie shell bases *spicy cakes* both kinds freeze well. and you take em out and just bake it when the need arises. one could even shop for the nevessary groceries during teh season and prep stuff for the rest of the year. YAY even unperiod muffins :)
10) getting a massage bench for B day and having it stand around is a very *relaxing* thing. I got three massages and my husband too and so did everybody else who wanted to :)

Lady Anya had graced our table and, before that, our kitchen, the weekend before last for some Rennaiscance cooking. We decided to have chicken with raspberries out of one of her lovely cookbooks.

Her and me, we loved it, the kids loved the bird, so did hubby and he liked the sauce too, but the stuffing was possibly tooo clovy. next time we might do better.
The thing was, it was a sour-y gravy and the raspberries were added as you can see right before serving. It was dellllllliscious


I also found out that I have been ripped off my entire life.
Pudding.
DID you know that Pudding is nothing but milk (or soymilk works just as fine I haven't tried almond milk but I see no reason that it shouldn't work) and thickener meaning: starch. you boil milk, add aroma (leftover xmas chocolate, some vanilla extract, take nesquick you name it) sugar to taste and stir in starch  for the right consistency ,maybe one or two egg yoks  or some beaten egg whites if you like it. instant pudding :O Pudding is nothing but starch :O I cannot believe that I paid so much money for these packages :O:O over the years.(rant end)