topic Re: FAMILY REUNION.......AND I HAD TO COME HOME AND COOK!!! in Community Chat

FAMILY REUNION.......AND I HAD TO COME HOME AND COOK!!!

bootsanne — Sun, 29 Jul 2018 23:11:52 GMT

My husband's family reunion was today at the farm where many of them were born. Very nice setting, quiet and peaceful. The host said in the invitation that she would provide hamburgers, hot dogs, chicken and all paper products and soft drinks. People were to bring casseroles or a dessert and they would collect $20.00 per couple to offset some expensives. That's fine. Reunion started at 2:00 and because his brother wasn't going to be there til 4:00, we got there at 3. There were no hot dogs, hamburgers, napkins, paper towels and almost no side dishes. There were 2 pieces of chicken that were slightly younger than the average age of the people there..which was around 80. Now people were still coming in after us, so they really had nothing to eat. My husband's chicken was inedible and mine was only slightly better, but we did find a piece of paper towel that I tore in half. Nobody made an effort to go to the store and get more food. I'm Italian and I know we go overboard with the food, but to invite people to a reunion, charge them and run out of food an hour in, I would have been mortified. Plus, I had to skip another party--my side--which I had to send a gift anyway. So now I'm cooking and blowing off steam.

Re: FAMILY REUNION.......AND I HAD TO COME HOME AND COOK!!!

shortbreadlover — Sun, 29 Jul 2018 23:15:30 GMT

i don't blame you. i would have left too.

Re: FAMILY REUNION.......AND I HAD TO COME HOME AND COOK!!!

Mom2Dogs — Sun, 29 Jul 2018 23:17:04 GMT

Wow, poor planning by the host!

Re: FAMILY REUNION.......AND I HAD TO COME HOME AND COOK!!!

Catiele — Sun, 29 Jul 2018 23:19:50 GMT

I thought we had been to a bad one but yours beats ours. I also am Italian and there always was more than enough.

Re: FAMILY REUNION.......AND I HAD TO COME HOME AND COOK!!!

Burnsite — Sun, 29 Jul 2018 23:25:25 GMT

@bootsanne, I hear you!

We had a family reunion among the numerous elder cousins and their kids two years ago. One of the cousins said she would bring the food, but the hosts (my brother and his wife) like to give parties and provided lots of food anyway. I brought mass quantities of my mother's pasta sauce, which was devoured by my siblings.

Attendance was about 100, for unlike me, most of the cousins have large families.

The cousin who said she would bring lots of food brought . . . one prepared supermarket deli item, about a dozen lonely shrimps. And she is very well off! We all had a wonderful party, even the shrimp bearer (whose son redeemed the family honor: though not requested to bring anything, he came with six pizzas anyway).

Thank goodness my sister in law is so foresighted.

Re: FAMILY REUNION.......AND I HAD TO COME HOME AND COOK!!!

AuntG — Sun, 29 Jul 2018 23:24:52 GMT

That surprises me. Most reunions are overflowing with food. I guess it all has to do with the planning. Our dues are $5 single or $10 family, although we all bring our own plates, napkins and forks. (pop and beer is provided).

Re: FAMILY REUNION.......AND I HAD TO COME HOME AND COOK!!!

nana59 — Sun, 29 Jul 2018 23:24:56 GMT

you can't fix stupid.......

Re: FAMILY REUNION.......AND I HAD TO COME HOME AND COOK!!!

JeanLouiseFinch — Sun, 29 Jul 2018 23:26:56 GMT

Wow! I really don't get how people can be so bad at planning a party or ordering enough food, it's not that hard. I would much rather cook/order more than I anticipated needing just to make sure we wouldn't run out. Leftovers would get sent home wiith someone or we'd eat them another day. The number one job of a host is to make sure their guests are comfortable and fed.

Re: FAMILY REUNION.......AND I HAD TO COME HOME AND COOK!!!

ValuSkr — Sun, 29 Jul 2018 23:27:04 GMT

Wow, I wonder what happened. Why no hot dogs and hamburgers? I guess it's the last time they'll host!

Re: FAMILY REUNION.......AND I HAD TO COME HOME AND COOK!!!

bajsf — Sun, 29 Jul 2018 23:29:10 GMT

it happened to us too...at a childs first birthday party!!

Re: FAMILY REUNION.......AND I HAD TO COME HOME AND COOK!!!

Love my grandkids — Sun, 29 Jul 2018 23:29:47 GMT

I would have told whoever was in charge to give us our money back. Seriously. No food? What was the money used for?

Re: FAMILY REUNION.......AND I HAD TO COME HOME AND COOK!!!

Nataliesgramma — Sun, 29 Jul 2018 23:32:37 GMT

My brother and his wife are like that.....they will schedule a 'doings' at dinner time and have cold cuts and chips.......maybe fruit

I always bring 2-3 dishes even though they tell me they will have enough food........I always bring home empty containers...

Re: FAMILY REUNION.......AND I HAD TO COME HOME AND COOK!!!

Sooner — Sun, 29 Jul 2018 23:34:37 GMT

I can see why they would want to eat at 2 if it started at 2. But they should have specified they would eat at 2. That being said We never count on a potluck thing. We eat before we go and nibble at the event. That practice has served hubby and me well

Re: FAMILY REUNION.......AND I HAD TO COME HOME AND COOK!!!

house_cat — Sun, 29 Jul 2018 23:40:39 GMT

@bootsanne

Omg! I hear ya!

I happen to be of Italian heritage, also, and running out of food is surely one of the deadliest sins! You would think my brother would know that, but evidently, he didn't get the memo, lol.

Every year, he has a pool party and invites all of my cousins, so it's like a family reunion. I've never been able to attend because I live on the west coast and he lives in NY. Well, last year it turned out that we were in town the week of his party. I was staying with my inlaws, who coincidentally live a block from my brother, so I had access to a kitchen. I asked him and my SIL several times to let me know what to bring - they know I love to cook and bake and I would have been delighted to do that. They insisted they needed nothing.

Well, whaddaya know... there was barely enough food for everyone to get a bite. People were whispering about it behind his back. My cousins all live in NYC and he lives on LI, so they had a long drive to get there and back home. I overheard a couple of them making plans to stop at a diner on the way home. I was so embarassed and hurt for him, because I know his intentions are good. I have a good relaitonship with my brother, and I thought I should find a way to suggest that there wasn't enough food, so he would know better for next time, but DH told me to butt out... so I kept my mouth shut.

I just don't understand it. When I plan a gathering, my worst nightmare is running out of food. I guess not everyone feels this way.

Re: FAMILY REUNION.......AND I HAD TO COME HOME AND COOK!!!

Carmie — Sun, 29 Jul 2018 23:41:01 GMT

I would be steaming mad too. What was the $20 used for? Was it supposed to be used to buy the meat?

At our Italian family reunions, we always have so much food that everyone gets to take home a huge doggie bag afterwards.

Someone didn't do something right. I would pass on the next invitation or eat before I got there.

This happened to us one time at a graduation party at my BIL's house for his wife's daughter. His wife's family are gluttons when food is free. Everytime more food was brought out, they would descend the table like locusts. We were there for about three hours and had nothing to eat yet.

My kids were younger and they were getting hungry. We stopped at a restaurant on the way home.

Re: FAMILY REUNION.......AND I HAD TO COME HOME AND COOK!!!

blackhole99 — Sun, 29 Jul 2018 23:42:53 GMT

My nephew and his wife would have a hugh birthday party every year for their son when he was small. They would invite both sides of the family and their friends. There was never enough food and not enough birthday cake for everyone. We put up with that twice and then declined the invitation after that.

Re: FAMILY REUNION.......AND I HAD TO COME HOME AND COOK!!!

lovesrecess — Sun, 29 Jul 2018 23:43:46 GMT

I hope you didn't give the hostess $20! Were there ever any hamburgers, etc at all and they ran out? I would have kept my $20 and spent it on your own food on the way home.

Re: FAMILY REUNION.......AND I HAD TO COME HOME AND COOK!!!

haddon9 — Sun, 29 Jul 2018 23:47:37 GMT

I would have gone to a restaurant and skipped cooking!

Re: FAMILY REUNION.......AND I HAD TO COME HOME AND COOK!!!

OnlyShopsOnline — Sun, 29 Jul 2018 23:50:08 GMT

Over the last three years, I’ve found a lot of family members that I never knew existed. (long, strange story). Anyway, when we all get together, we do it at a local restaurant. We usually have enough people so that we get to use one of their private rooms. And we always request ahead, when the reservation is made, for separate checks. Works wonderfully. No cooking or cleanup! No stress!

Re: FAMILY REUNION.......AND I HAD TO COME HOME AND COOK!!!

qbetzforreal — Sun, 29 Jul 2018 23:51:38 GMT

@bootsanne- Did anyone ask where the hamburgers and hot dogs were? Did you have to pay the 20.00 in advance? If so, will monies be refunded?