Family Throws '2nd Quadrennial Dessert Party' in Fairbanks

December 2003 - Fairbanks, AK

John climbed his old wooden stepladder (a yard-sale score), a couple roofing nails in one hand, a hammer in the other.

"How's that look?" John asked, adjusting Myles' party poster that Myles had been working on all week. It had taken the entire family to decide the best place for guests to spot Myles' creative contribution to the family's "2nd Quadrennial Dessert Party" in Fairbanks on June 14, 2003.

After no little debate, the family decided on the tree just outside the cabin.

Myles made his party poster in Penny Wakefield's "surface design" class at Fairbanks Weavers and Spinners' Guild. Any town without a cadre of whimsical, uncommon-zest-for-life artists such as the vivacious Penny Wakefield is operating under a serious deficit.

By summer 2003, all four Creed kids were partaking Penny & Co's artistic instruction. Over the years, Myles and Tiffany, with the twins starting in 2003, have explored numerous artistic pursuits at Spinners and Weavers, located in the Lathrop Building in downtown Fairbanks.

"Penny loves and respects children," said Susan. "In Kotzebue, the kids spend hours cutting, pasting, drawing, coloring, and generally creating things to entertain themselves."

"Please Join us in celebration of Friendship, of the Gentle Warmth of an Evening i June," read the invitation to the family's party. "And if it rains, be prepared to see how many people we can squeeze into small spaces as we did at our previous dessert party (1999). Experience the tacky ambiance of 'Our Big Green Tent,' dragged out of retirement exclusively for this special occasion. Dance to classic rock 'n roll. Be mesmerized around the fire pit, staring at the burning wood of shipping pallets imported from Seattle."

No one was predicting who would show up during Alaska's busy summer season spent catching fish, running rivers, entertaining visitors, and so forth.

"Nevertheless, the sun was shining on a warm summer evening," said Susan. "I think everyone enjoyed themselves."

The Creeds got to try out their new "fire pit," a round piece of heavy steel with handles and grated air holes, all custom made to.the family's specifications at Fairbanks Welding on Van Horn road.

"Everyone enjoyed sitting around the fire," said Susan.

Party guests included: Elizabeth Belknap and Larry Freeman; Tom, Barbara, Dylan and Mariah Bradley; Will, Mary Pat, Wendy, and Sarah Boger; Julie, Bob and Alexis Burton; Chuck Carpenter; John Davies and Linda Schandelmeier; Larry Fogelson; Karen Stomberg and Will Schendel; Glynn Hoener and her foster child, Lenny; Ron and Margie Illingworth; Diane McClure and her parents, Dot and Otto Moravec; Dan O'Neill and Sarah Campbell; Mickey, Andrew, Ashley, Issac Paris and Rachel Garcia and Isaac and Rachel's infant son, Miro; Tood Paris and Carly Sween; Bill and Willa Schneider; DeAnne Stokes; next-door neighbor Dale Toenies; Penny Wakefield; and neighbors Don, Melissa and Doug Weist.

"We set up our big wall tenet especially for this but since it wasn't raining, nobody even entered it!" said John.