Seeking Family Transplant

Ugh. Again, I am so sorry you have to go through this.

I know that I what I am going through does not in any way come close to having a teenage boy who ran away again (Not gonna lie, T's comment made me laugh. There, I did it for you.) but I guess it's all relative and my day kind of sucked, too. And it's all so utterly ridiculous. Getting "the girls" together for brunch while one of my cousins is visiting from California has become this huge issue that's frankly not worth recounting--although you might get a kick out of reading the email trail, if I haven't deleted it out of frustration. Okay, I will try my best at summarizing:

Cousin D1 suggests getting together while her sister J visits. We narrow down best times to next Sunday. We decide on brunch. Sister L suggests a place.

I offer to host instead.

Everyone is happy.

I realize I have bitten off more than I can chew, when the guest list is growing, and I'm not really cool with that (um, since I'm hosting) and I'm spending the few days before the brunch in Boston. So, after private consult with my sisters, send the I'm sorry email, can't host after all, not getting back from Boston till Sunday morning. Let's go back to plan A and go out. I even send a link to the restaurant and the menu, giving a tax and tip total in advance so we don't have to deal with awkwardness of splitting the bill on the spot for 12 ladies.

L, M, cousin K, with whom I normally don't gel, and I are all in agreement, psyched for going out, getting out and having someone else do the cooking and serving.

D1 emails late that she can't afford the brunch for her, her daughter, and son's pregnant girlfriend. (Lots of issues there, the least of which was, okay for me to spend 75 to host everyone--if not more--but you can't ? Meantime, Why can't they pay for themselves? Why are they even on the list?) Apparently D1 has phone calls or private emails with her sister in law D3, and says we've now moved a pot luck brunch there. An hour away.

K, who is more on the going out page asks respectfully--since she's having pins and screws put in her collar bone TODAY--emails this morning that she'd like then to have it at her house as a compromise. If people bring dishes and help, she's happy to host and she'd appreciate not having to do the traveling.

D2 (D1's sister) emails back that we should keep it at D3s, clearly showing an utter lack of regard for K's feelings.

And that's when I take a deep breath and look in my purse in case a pill has magically appeared. And since it hasn't I decide that my exercise today will consist of shaking coffee cocktails in my new shaker and lifting a lovely etched glass to my mouth.

I didn't even include the whole child part of it. The now the kids can all hang out together at D3's and I'm sorry, but what's the point of a girls' night out if the kids are in the next room? That's just another family holiday to me. Whatever. Maybe I'll just stay in Boston longer and have me a little more chocolate cake for brunch instead.

I'm glad my mechanic story made you laugh last night, and that you felt inspired this morning. I'm ready for another cocktail (seriously) so I'll sign off for now, hoping all is well.

Love you, too,
Barb