Michelle’s 25th Birthday Party!
One of the best parties I have ever been to has got to be Michelle’s 25th birthday party, August 2006. The photos here only tell part of the story, the beginning of the evenings adventures, at Twist in Belltown. Private room in the back, catered food, bottle service, we even had the service of one Ali Dudek, Waitress at Twist and Seattle Super Sonics Dancer.
Michelle went all out for her friends planning her own birthday party and inviting her 25 closest friends. I was honored to be included! You can only have a party like this though when former college cheerleaders are involved, and we were well represented with Mooses, Cougars, Beavers, Ducks, and Huskies.
But the best parts of the evening never made it on film!
I left my keys, cell, and camera in Jackie’s car when I loaded Michelle’s presents in it after we left Twist. She was driving Michelle home later that evening, and I knew that they weren’t leaving before me. I made sure to confirm with Jackie that she knew my stuff was in here car. No problem she said. We all went dancing at Tabella’s in Belltown. Everyone was having a great time for a couple hours, and people started heading home around midnight. We were scattered around the dance floor, and at some point Michelle and Jackie disappeared. I looked around for a while, then caught up with Damien, the Mariner Moose Mascot, and he pointed to the door, said they left 15 minutes ago!
I run up to the parking lot, sure enough, Jackie’s car is gone. Found out later, Jackie, not Michelle, got “sick”! And so Michelle took HER home! I head back to Tabella’s where Bill and Michelle Nelsen were just leaving. They drove me up to Michelle’s apartment in Fremont, where we called and buzzed Michelle’s number repeatedly, to no response. They were both out cold!
With no way into the building, and no other tenants coming home, I was getting desperate. I needed my keys! I wanted to go home!
Michelle lived on the 2nd floor, and shared a common balcony with 6 other units. The only way up to that balcony was to scale a 2 story rebar trellace. Seems simple enough, until you get up close and see that the builders had covered the rebar with chicken wire to PREVENT intruders from climbing the trellace. AND, the bottom of the rebar trellance was 8 feet off the ground. I tested it a couple times, and figured I could reach it if I committed.
With no other options, and Michelle not answering, I took off my shirt to keep it from getting ripped and took off my shoes and socks to try to wedge my toes into the chicken wire and got ready to do my best imitation of Spiderman.
I lined up at the base of the wall, jumped up and caught the bottom “rung” of the rebar trellace and the chicken wire immediately cut into my hand. But I was up, so I started climbing, arms only for the first 6 feet till I couple get my toes on the trellace. Then it was 20 feet up to the 2nd floor, with the wall behind the rebar coming flush with the trellace duing the last 10 feet, leaving me to climb with litterally only my fingertips and toenails. I hauled myself up and over the railing, then looked down at the distance I had just scaled. Sure, nothing for a 160lb rock climber, but I’m 240, and NOT a rock climber!
After banging on Michelle’s window and waking the dead, I finally got my keys and cell and was on my way back to my truck and then home, thanks to Bill and Michelle Nelsen. All that excitement and I’m the only person who was sober to truley appreciate it all!
Oh well, it made for a great story the next day!
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| From 060812 Michel… |
The birthday girl Michelle and I! Love you Michelle!
Andrew and Michelle
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| From 060812 Michel… |
Me with the delicious Sara! Yummy!
Andrew Gustafson Sara Winkleman
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| From 060812 Michel… |
Super (Hot) Sonics Dancer Ali Dudek hamming it up with me!
Andrew Gustafson Ali Dudek
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| From 060812 Michel… |
This classy woman is beautiful inside and out! Lucky me got to dance with her the rest of the night!
Andrew and Jackie
Check out all the photos from the party at Twist here:
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Andrew,
I knew that was you at Tabella’s the night of the 12th I was there for a Bachlorette Party funny seeing my daughters ex coach dancing it up same place I was. I had a great time that night I should have had the nerve to come say hello to you. I miss cheerleading so much we live in East Wenatchee and they don’t have comp. cheer so Miranda is doing horse back riding instead and hoping for her own horse someday . So your living in Hawaii is that right well looks like you have a great life maybe I will see you on the dance floor again someday soon.
Ex cheer mom Sharon Muth
Comment left on October 10, 2006 @ 6:35 pm