_{^{~Groovin' With Soccamom~}}

I've started this post a few times but could never seem to get it to seem coherent, so if you decide to read, you'll just have to muddle through.

Traditionally my parents have a cookout at their home on the Sunday of Memorial Day weekend and this year was no exception. In more recent years we've also incorporated my niece's birthday celebration into the mix as she was born June second. One might think that since this is becoming a tradition, that the dual event would take little planning other than the menu and carry-in items, but apparently this is not the case at all. It took a few phone calls back and forth between my mom and sister to hammer down the details of the day. The details being yes we'd do the cookout thing and the birthday thing together, food at one gifts and cake afterwards.

I live two hours away from Mom. My sister lives one hour away from her (in another direction) and various other guests included my uncle from Ohio, my sister's inlaws, our grandparents, my mother-in-law who was meeting my family for the first time, and various other cousins from at least an hour away. Get the picture? Nearly all of us travelled a distance to get to this thing. Let me clarify another point. At Mom's house, if she says food is served at one then at 12:59 you should be at the buffet table, plate in hand ready to eat.

Knowing this and also knowing that my mother-in-law would be a little early, we'd arranged to meet her at a designated location so that she could follow us to my parents. We arrived around 11:40. Got the MIL settled in, helped Mom with setting out some veggies then at about 12:20 started calling my sister. No answer. I finally got ahold of her at 12:55.

"Where are you?"
giggling "Well, the car is loaded..."
"You haven't even left yet? We're getting ready to eat!"
"Don't wait for us." Ummm, duh!

When the four of them finally arrived an hour later, there was much giggling, no apologies and no explanation. I asked my older niece what the hold up was and apparently she was ready, but no explaination as to why the adults weren't able to get around. From a couple of things my BIL said, I really think he just didn't get up in time.

Then my sister says, "Oh there were plenty of times when we all still lived around here that you guys would be rolling in just about the same time as us or a little after." Um, yeah, but that was still managing to be there before the party started or food was served.
Needless to say, I'm completely appalled. Appalled!
*
5/31/2005 07:28:00 PM



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