Block Party 2006
I never....ever thought I'd utter these words. And I cringe because by even just thinking them I feel my energy being zapped from me. Now I know how Superman felt when he came in to contact with kryptonite. But I will say it anyway: I. Am. Partied. Out.
Yesterday was my block's annual block party, and this year I decided that we would invite a load of people. We always participate in the block party...But this year I wanted to have PEOPLE. So between mum and I we composed a nice guest list of friends and various family members. And we agreed to go SIMPLE: burgers, hot dogs and chicken kabob's. ( wanted the kabobs.) Pasta & potato salad and we bought a HUGE peach pie from Costco. Drinks consisted of soda, beer, and Pink panty Pull-Down's. That was it...done. No fuss, no muss. Right??? WRONG!!!!!
We ended up having 23 people attend the party at our address. Not too bad. One of mom's friend's is a chef at some swanky restaurant, so he made an awesome salad, and a chicken dish thing. Cousin's brought more dessert...And a few friends brought arbor Mist. I had planned to man the grill and was quickly ousted by 'the men'. Ok, no sweat...that meant I could drink and socialize. Only it wasn't as easy as it sounds. People were so helpful...They disrupted how I had planned to set up. They converged on the kitchen to take things outside, as well as packing up. Gang! I can't even open my fridge without having leftovers spilling off the shelves in tupperware and baggies! Everyone wanted my attention. My one friend told me her parents separated, so I tried to be there for her. My other friend is getting married in October, and I tried to be there for her. My friends from work wanted to participate in the balloon toss and Cowboys and Indians game...We did. The last of our guests left some time after midnight...and my mother and I tumbled in to our kitchen, wired yet exhausted. Ida was already snoozing on the couch with the mc-kittens.
But that isn't it. The block party is exhausting because our neighbors who plan the annual block party are exhausting.The (3) women who are on the block party committee have children. {Children who yell and scream from 7:00am until 8:00pm as the frolic on their front lawns...and that is a totally different story}. Anyway, these three women...only one of them is NICE, all but keep the block party events a secret. And if you do not decide to participate (as the house next to me does not) you are blacklisted, and glared at for the rest of your days. Nice huh? These are people you want to block party with huh? Anyway, yesterday mum and I are setting up the tables in the street in front of our driveway, so our guests would be sitting. The one committee lady (whose first name and last name rhyme in some funky way) comes over and begins to tug our tables in the opposite direction informing us 'you can't put your tables there as the bouncy kid thing will be there'. I wanted to hit her over the head with one of the tables, and told her we paid our fee, we can put our tables there. She then said she would 'help me move the tables' and got pissy when I told her 'I don't need your help because I'm not moving my tables.'
The rest of the block party went off without a hitch, and we all had a nice time. Exhaustion be damned! But between mum, Ida, and me...and I think the mc-kittens by the look of it...it is unanimous that we will NOT participate in next year's block party. And I informed my mother we're not signing the petition to have the street closed either next year. Yeah...I can be a bitch, and I admt it freely. After the whole table incodent though, my mother agreed with that too. And just out of curiosity....How much do people normally chip in for block party participation? Because we seem to pay A LOT....And we don't even have kids.
So since I just woke up from a nap...Another nap sounds really good. Because I am exhausted. Exhausted from being the hostess with the mostest...and from battling evil block party committee people.
Yesterday was my block's annual block party, and this year I decided that we would invite a load of people. We always participate in the block party...But this year I wanted to have PEOPLE. So between mum and I we composed a nice guest list of friends and various family members. And we agreed to go SIMPLE: burgers, hot dogs and chicken kabob's. ( wanted the kabobs.) Pasta & potato salad and we bought a HUGE peach pie from Costco. Drinks consisted of soda, beer, and Pink panty Pull-Down's. That was it...done. No fuss, no muss. Right??? WRONG!!!!!
We ended up having 23 people attend the party at our address. Not too bad. One of mom's friend's is a chef at some swanky restaurant, so he made an awesome salad, and a chicken dish thing. Cousin's brought more dessert...And a few friends brought arbor Mist. I had planned to man the grill and was quickly ousted by 'the men'. Ok, no sweat...that meant I could drink and socialize. Only it wasn't as easy as it sounds. People were so helpful...They disrupted how I had planned to set up. They converged on the kitchen to take things outside, as well as packing up. Gang! I can't even open my fridge without having leftovers spilling off the shelves in tupperware and baggies! Everyone wanted my attention. My one friend told me her parents separated, so I tried to be there for her. My other friend is getting married in October, and I tried to be there for her. My friends from work wanted to participate in the balloon toss and Cowboys and Indians game...We did. The last of our guests left some time after midnight...and my mother and I tumbled in to our kitchen, wired yet exhausted. Ida was already snoozing on the couch with the mc-kittens.
But that isn't it. The block party is exhausting because our neighbors who plan the annual block party are exhausting.The (3) women who are on the block party committee have children. {Children who yell and scream from 7:00am until 8:00pm as the frolic on their front lawns...and that is a totally different story}. Anyway, these three women...only one of them is NICE, all but keep the block party events a secret. And if you do not decide to participate (as the house next to me does not) you are blacklisted, and glared at for the rest of your days. Nice huh? These are people you want to block party with huh? Anyway, yesterday mum and I are setting up the tables in the street in front of our driveway, so our guests would be sitting. The one committee lady (whose first name and last name rhyme in some funky way) comes over and begins to tug our tables in the opposite direction informing us 'you can't put your tables there as the bouncy kid thing will be there'. I wanted to hit her over the head with one of the tables, and told her we paid our fee, we can put our tables there. She then said she would 'help me move the tables' and got pissy when I told her 'I don't need your help because I'm not moving my tables.'
The rest of the block party went off without a hitch, and we all had a nice time. Exhaustion be damned! But between mum, Ida, and me...and I think the mc-kittens by the look of it...it is unanimous that we will NOT participate in next year's block party. And I informed my mother we're not signing the petition to have the street closed either next year. Yeah...I can be a bitch, and I admt it freely. After the whole table incodent though, my mother agreed with that too. And just out of curiosity....How much do people normally chip in for block party participation? Because we seem to pay A LOT....And we don't even have kids.
So since I just woke up from a nap...Another nap sounds really good. Because I am exhausted. Exhausted from being the hostess with the mostest...and from battling evil block party committee people.
posted by Orelinde_03 @ 5:04 PM
2 Comments:
At 11:39 AM ,
Piccu said...
It seems that the host always pays the most and has the most headaches. That is why I never host anything. I only travel, I have no home games.
You yankees need to chill, your neighbor ladies need to realize that a Block Party should be a good stressful event, not a bad stressful event. Try beforehand to sit down with one or two of these crazy ladies and work some stuff out, because even though you might have had a rough experience, your friends and family proabably had a great time. Who doesn't like to hang out all day and eat and drink with friends?
At 12:15 PM ,
Orelinde_03 said...
It really was a nice day, and we all joined in on the games and didn't throw fists. Instead we threw smiles at one another and head nods.
The psycho lady who demanded we move the tables is just one of those pushy people. She enter's houses without knocking, and her daughter who is 6 or 7 will show up at my cousin's house and ask for food (my cousin lives across the street from me.)
They actually lowered the rate this year. Two years ago it was $70.00 per house, last year it was $65. per house. Now what the amount is for is: a kiddie bouncie, face painter, glow necklaces, cotten candy maker and kiddie tattoos. And a d.j.
Last year I asked if we had to pay the $65. because the only thing we benefit from is the d.j. and why should we pay for kid stuff when I don't have kids nor invited people with kids. So I was told I could pay $30. last year, and got THE EVIL EYE.
This year we paid full price without any thought to give question to the price...but it has been coming down.
And yes, it is always better to attend a party than host a party. Because the host never gets to rest. But it's also nice to be the host and do for others. So either way I am going to find something to gripe about. What can I say?
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