Dinner for 9 = Table for 2

How a week's worth of anticipation deflates in a single phone call

Published on April 30, 2004 By citygirl In Home & Family

So pops called and cancelled. Baby sis is sick.
This doesn't phase me.
It could explain why I wasn't going crazy coordinating and planning this shindig. (My rants the last few days on the meal, ain't nothing.)
I guess I knew he'd cancel.

Why?

It's been a trend whenever we invite them to dinners, family functions or anything that deals with family.
My husband acts like it doesn't phase him.
And I guess it doesn't. Well, it did for a while. Then he went off on his pop's one day about his feelings of abandonment and how he's watching his sister lose valuable family ties. After that, these cancellations just roll right over him.

In fact, I think I get more upset than he does. Hubby has said that. He asked me once why I have such a grudge on his pops. It's not so much of a grudge but an anger. But that has sort of passed as well. I was angry that his pops has hurt him as a child and how he comes in now and continues to treat him like a child. That has passed though. Now, I guess I've realized that 1) I can't be angry for something that happened to my husband that according to him, "I'm over it.". And

You can't live in the past. You can only hope for the future.

So here I am hoping that the future (baby sis) gets to learn the value of family and the love of your extended family. Every Christmas, every Graduation, I find myself wishing and hoping they'll appear. I grew up in a family where once a year, all cousins, aunts, uncles, so called aunts and uncles, came together once a year. It wasn't always fun and games. You always have those "drunk uncles" and "gossiping aunts" but we knew that we were family. For better or for worse, these are the people that will love you and help you if needed. (Sure, they'll bitch or gossip about you but you're bound by blood.)

Back to pops.

So my husband told me they aren't coming because she was up all night with a cold or some allergies of some sort. I tried hard but I made a face. You know that tilt and eyebrow that says "Are they for real?" But imagine it soaking wet. (I had just washed my face.) He immediately retorted, "No, I think they are for real." So now he has to call his aunt and uncle to cancel and it's been over an hour and he still hasn't called. I guess he's preparing himself.

Now, that I can't make my strawberry shortcakes [hubby doesn't eat any desserts that are not pudding (chocolate) or ice cream (chocolate)], I'm off to figure out what my new dish for the week will be.

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