Fear and Loathing in Thanksgiving (or, How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love Cold Food)

[good_ol_don]

As a starting, blanket statement, I would like to thank all those who helped to make Thanksgiving at our house a success this year. I certainly wasn't among them, but I'd like to thank those who were.

That said, allow me to regale the rest of you with the events of Thanksgiving at the Ford House this year.

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Comments

[galanadra]

If you didn't have a mess happen the first time you threw a holiday bash, I'd be jealous. At least it was your friends that witnessed it and not like some in-laws that are so distant you've barely met them. That was my first Thanksgiving at my house.

As for your rules:
1. Make between ONE and TWO pounds of food PER GUEST ACTUALLY COMING.
Just send out real invitations, if you're planning ahead (computers are made for this, too :-P) and then they really feel like they have to RSVP, and make no more than you think you can eat or give away in a week. Depending on dishes, of course.

2. Bake some, save some.
Don't think fridge, think deep freezer. There are some great recipes you can make that can be cooked directly from frozen, and the leftovers keep better. Plus, deep freezers are cheap.

3. Schedule definitive times.
Well, don't exclude people because they come late, just let them know when they come in that they should nuke a plate if they're late. On time=hot food. And putting dinner in the oven on warm for about 30 minutes usually works, but I would say no longer than that.

4. Pick group activities that ... I don't know ... involve THE WHOLE GROUP.
Yeah, but you can't please everybody. I would just pick a few things (2-3) that are ready to go right away and then majority vote wins. Yeah, you actually do need to let other people pick, though.

Anyway, you know me. I don't know everything, but I can sure act like it. I might, though, have a little experience under my belt.

Really, I'm sure your friends will forgive you if they felt it was that bad, and you didn't lose out on trying to wow family, right? Oh, and always invite whoever you want to come, but make sure they have a map in their hands before the event, or are at least proficient at using internet map stuffs.

Oh, and with the neighbor, if there was a pre-existing fence, and he had that to keep his dog in, and now he doesn't know when you guys are likely to be finished... Well, think about how you would feel. Maybe he was genuinely wanting to help, which I don't think is a reason to be mad, and maybe he just wants a little bit of estimate on how long the work will take so he can look forward to when he has a complete fence again. I understand that you're the ones paying for and doing the work, but when you come to expect a thing to be there and then it's gone and you have to wait for it someone else to put it back again, well, that can be frustrating.
As far as the car goes, though, I would think that if it prevents him from exiting his drive safely, he has a valid point. If, on the other hand, he just wants the view from his living room window to be clear, screw him. Er, I mean, politely explain that your cars are going to be in your driveway.

You are never rid of that neighbor who thinks you're doing something wrong. How you deal with it, and how much you let it affect your daily life is the key, right?

Whatever, off the soapbox now.

*hugs* I'm sure that you'll outgrow the rookie mistakes like the rest of us do... sometimes... when we feel like it.

[good_ol_don]

Well, the only reason we're behind on the fence at all is because we had to shift fence posts, due to the previous owners not concreting properly. Like, two-fucking-feet of concrete?!?!? Do you REALLY need that much?

So, we couldn't oust the old posts. And I used mathematics to shove everything over five feet so as not to interfere with old posts AND not to interfere with outdoor standing electrical box ... that my neighbor needs for some reason.

And, in so doing, we now have a three-foot gap at one end and a five-foot gap at the other. And an eight-foot section of fence that needs to be cut (see above).

But, yeah... rookie mistakes. You totally called me on all of it. Besides, though ... how much longer have you been married and owned a house? AND raised a child, no less?

Oh... and you think I don't call you enough now? Wait until I have a kid. All you'll get from me are phone calls requesting parenting advice. Trust me.