I'm in a puddle over here. I mean I've melted into a puddle, not that I'm standing in a puddle. It's dampish here in the mid-Atlantic region, sure, and going to get downright wet tomorrow when the hurricane remnants arrive. Rain is a bummer at the beach during the last big hurrah of the summer. Especially when I have company coming.
Yep, company. Yep, I'm a puddle. I love all of the nice stories you tell me about company and how I shouldn't melt into a little puddle and how to Get Over It, oh how I love those stories. I read them and I think The Internets are right. Next time I will handle this company thing with aplomb. And then it comes time for company again and I before I know it I am all Wicked Witch of the West, "Look what you've done! I'm melting, melting." Only I melt with a lot less smoke and my puddle isn't so sticky looking.
It doesn't help that last week I committed a gaffe resulting in some considerable embarrassment to me. That I have a long history of trying too hard and saying just the wrong thing. Gah. It makes me queasy as I sit here and review all of my social blunderings. Honestly I shouldn't even be permitted to talk publicly without some sort of conversation buddy/translator.
Me: Is that your real hair?
Translator: What Amy meant to say is your hair looks lovely today. Have you done something different with it?
Me: Um yeah, what he said. So is it? Your real hair?
Translator: Amy, let's go stand in the corner for a moment.
Because I know that I suffer from Social Awkwardness I do my best to overcompensate. For this particular visit I have:
N.B.: The cookbook was an act of desperation. What am I going to feed them? All of my good cookbooks are in storage. And then the lovely guests called and asked what could they bring and I said nothing, just your lovely old selves and they said no, no we want to and eventually they said we are bringing a breakfast, lunch, and dinner. See you Friday. Which was all well and good until I thought about it and they are bringing a breakfast??? Isn't breakfast the meal where you run out and buy donuts or heat some frozen pancakes in the microwave or let the kids eat the tiny bits of sugar-coated goodness called cereal? Now I have to come up with something for breakfast too?
I think that pathetic list speaks for itself. I am going to ooze around the floor for a bit a hopefully avoid the drain in the bathroom.
Doughnuts and bagels. Works for me!
I always panic with house guests too...
So what's the story with the sheets? And where are the Z and E photos?
Posted by: spacemom at August 31, 2006 4:21 PMI love people, but house guests are hard. Why is that? I try to say to myself not to go to overboard or you'll be tired before they even get here, but I'm always trying way too hard right up to the minute they arrive.
Doughnuts and bagels were made for cottage living. If you want to get really exotic, do some sliced fruit and maybe some cream cheese with a bit of flava. Anyway, I've always liked puddles. Good for splashing.
Posted by: Katie J at August 31, 2006 4:44 PMHi,
Fresh fruit and bagels are great. If you feel more adventurous. Here are a few make-ahead ideas.
Breakfast Casserole
1 lb. sausage
5 slices bread
5 eggs
2 c milk
1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 c shredded mild cheddar cheese
Layer a 9x13 greased pan with cubed bread.
Brown sausage and spread on top of bread.
In Mixing bowl blend eggs, milk and salt and pour over all.
Sprinkle cheese over the top-refrigerate overnight and bake at 350ยบ for 30-40 minutes or until eggs are set.
Here's one that is supposed to be a blast. It comes from a good source, but haven't had a chance to try it myself yet.
OMELETS IN A BAG
Have guests write their name on a quart-size freezer
bag with permanent marker.
Crack 2 eggs (large or extra-large) into the bag (not
more than 2) shake to combine them.
Put out a variety of ingredients such as: cheeses,
ham, onion, green pepper, tomato, hash browns, salsa,
etc. Each guest adds prepared ingredients of choice
to their bag and shake,
Make sure to get the air out of the bag and zip it up.
Place the bags into rolling, boiling water for
exactly 13 minutes. You can usually cook 6-8 omelets
in a large pot. For more, make another pot of boiling
water
And, if I'm not too obnoxious yet, here's one more idea.
Breakfast Pizza - put out ingredients and let everyone make their own.
Get small Boboli crusts, use sausage gravy (can buy it frozen or canned, it's also easy to make if you want recipe) as sauce, top with scrambled eggs and cooked breakfast sausage or diced deli ham or crumbled bacon. Top with shredded mozzarella cheese. Bake at 400 for about 10 minutes. You're just really heating the crust and melting the cheese.
Posted by: Magi at August 31, 2006 6:57 PMHa! Yes, yes, and yes. Me too. You're not surprised, I know.
When people come visit us, I usually just put a bunch of stuff out on the counter for breakfast, like (store-bought) muffins, cereals, a bowl of fruit, bagels, etc... and tell them to help themselves. Same for lunch with sandwich makings and (store-bought) lunchy salads. Then I make D cook dinner. Something easy, like grilled fish or chicken and steamed/grilled veg usually works well. That takes the stress out of the food thing.
You'll be great. Remember, they're there to see YOU, not have a 5-star lodging and dining experience.
Posted by: mrs figby at August 31, 2006 7:25 PMThank you Mrs. Figby! I always panic when I have company coming over too. You're reminder is most timely, as we have the whole extended fam coming this Saturday for two kiddos' birthdays. Uggg!! I will do my best to remember!
Posted by: Blaine at September 1, 2006 2:35 AMYou & K are nothing if not gracious hosts. Don't worry about this. I wouldn't expect anything other than cereal, bagels, & donuts for breakfast - you're at the shore! I agree with Mrs. Figby, just set things out and let people help themselves. I'd do lunchmeat for lunch. Just get some good rolls from Whites & everyone will be happy. As for dinners, grill one night, get take-out one night, just easy stuff. You will be fine! The rain really is a bummer though and there's not much to do about that one. I guess just get out all the games & movies.
Posted by: heather at September 1, 2006 8:11 AMI have to agree with Heather...you and Kevin are VERY gracious hosts. And you always go out of your way to keep the kids entertained. Seriously, I looked at that car wash in the Family Fun magazine and thought "What a great idea!" And then we get to your house and there it is! I've made the breakfast casserole Magi suggested many times and it is always a hit. The nice thing is you put it together the night before. Then you just stumble out of bed and throw it in to bake. Who are the lucky dogs anyway?
Posted by: Dana at September 1, 2006 9:07 AMI'm impressed you are having friends come for the whole weekend. I'm stressing out about having a couple of friends over for dinner for goodness sakes! (Doesn't help that he is deathly allergic to animals and we have, um, 4 cats and a collie... yikes)
Posted by: Christina/Mrs Broccoli Guy at September 1, 2006 7:38 PMI entertain the same way Mrs. Figby does. It's hard dealing with people's various food prohibitions, so just laying stuff on the table and letting them choose works well.
Mmmm, breakfast casserole. I like the omelet in a bag idea too.
Posted by: Sister Carrie at September 5, 2006 12:13 PMYou are all very lovely hostesses. I normally sleep in and leave a note saying "there is a very nice coffee shop across the street. Please bring me some coffee when you return. Cream and one sugar. thanks!"
And anyone who makes me that breakfast caserole is okay in my book. That is some seriously good comfort food.
Have a great visit, Amy. Just hanging out with you should be enough for them and I am sure they think so too!
Posted by: Toni at September 6, 2006 11:51 AM