An Apology to All my Readers

It seems my family has begun to use my Blog as our own private family Chatroom, only not so private.

Deanna's birthday is Saturday, and we're trying to plan a Family Function to celebrate. It all started when I asked her what she wanted for dinner Saturday night. After some thought and concern that "we can't possibly afford to eat out - you just threw a party for Daddy", I finally convinced her that it was not her decision whether or not we could afford to eat out. She's a sensitive child and has a fair understanding of what things cost. And we almost never eat out, so she has this idea that it's horribly expensive. We don't eat out because my husband's a home-body and hates the hustle and bustle of restaurants. He wants to be able to sit when he wants, eat what he wants, leave when he wants, and not have to pay for the pleasure. So my children all labor under the thought that we almost never can afford to eat out.

Don, of course, fuels this fire. He loves that the children think this way - it's his easy way out. He can smile and say, "Yes, it's expensive. We better stay home."

Once I convinced Deanna that it wasn't her concern, she QUICKLY responded that she wanted to go to Veracruz for dinner. Veracruz is our local hole-in-the-wall Mexican restuarant where nobody speaks English and ordering requires much pointing, grunting, and smiling. But the food's great, the restaurant is clean, the fare is cheap, and the help attempts to be very accomodating. Not to mention the sombrero you get to wear and the song they sing to you on your birthday.

I asked if she wanted to invite her aunts, cousins, and grandparents, and she said, "Of course." So I started the calls. The first family member contacted asked what time we would be eating. Knowing that my father prefers to eat early, by about 5:30 because of stomach problems, and keeping in mind that my children have church the next morning and need to be in bed early, I decided we'd shoot for 5:30.

Herein lies the problem. GA is playing a "very important game" Saturday and it doesn't start until 3:30. One of my nephews is a UGA Grad, another is still in school there, and my niece is a huge follower of the Bulldogs. My father, also, watches every GA game and won't be pulled away from the TV for such an important game. Thus all the comments back and forth.

To complicate things a little more, my nephew from Alabama is supposed to be coming for a visit. Up till now, we've only seen him when he came with his parents for Christmas, but is now on his own and is planning a trip to see his cousins and grandparents. We don't know for sure when he'll arrive, but everyone wants to be sure we plan our day so as to include him. In addition, my sister, Toni (the fast, fun and friendly one), is working on Saturday, which is opening day for Target. Her schedule says she works from 4 - 11, so dinner for her would be out of the question, but Target is notorious for changing her schedule at the last minute, and I would hate to plan dinner at lunchtime so she can be there only to have them switch her hours to 8 - 3 and have her miss after all.

We also have the little issue of the fact that we were planning Deanna's birthday dinner for our family and, somehow, this has snowballed into everyone throwing in their bid for what time suits them best. I'm afraid, before long, the family will have changed the location, also, and we'll all be going to lunch at Sconyers, the local barbecue restaurant, for Deanna's Mexican birthday dinner. Maybe that would be better. Then we could take her to Veracruz for dinner and the entire problem would be solved.

Or, better yet, maybe we should plan two separate meals - lunch and dinner at different restaurants, and family members can choose which one suits them the best.

Ah, the joys of a large, close-knit family.