# MEMORIAL DAY PICNIC



## Luciledodd (Sep 5, 2009)

This Saturday over a 100 people are coming to my house. I wish I could leave. This started out as just a small gathering with friends and family. Then the oldest son got all enthused as said great but we were catering the barbeque and sides for a 100 people. I got all upset and said that they hadn't invited over 15 people how could it be 100. Well the tally as of tonight is 102. Naturally tables and chairs are being rented. What is the purpose of vacumning and mopping floors when probably 20 or more children will tract through going to the bathroom and there are a lot of women coming that I don't even know and they will want to see the house and of course they will notice that the floor needs mopping and the carpets vacumned. What to do? Thee butthole that started all this is in St. Louis this week so hasn't been here to do the last minute cleanup outside. 

We have done this nearly every year for 20 years, cooking a whole hog and staying up all night tending the meat, people in tents, etc. But we are all getting to old for that. We skipped the last two years because of my health, so I shouldn't complain. JUst wish I felt better.

Well since all this people are cominig any of you out there that want to come just come on. What would another 100 people be. lol


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## Kathie (Jul 31, 2008)

Oh, Lucile! I think I would run away from home! Seriously though, just don't worry about how everything looks - just concentrate on enjoying your friends and family and getting to know those women you don't know! Tell them the upstairs is off-limits.....haha


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## morriscsps (Aug 17, 2010)

Oh dear...

Our house gets used for family affairs all the time but I am blessed with an amazing Mum-in-law and her two sisters. Between the 3 of them, all I ever have to do is make sure that the bathrooms are clean. They organize all the food, drinks, plates and etc. They even bring ziploc baggies for the leftovers. Usually the house is cleaner after the party than it was before.

Would it be evil to have a "collection" jar so a maid service to come and clean up? If everyone tosses in $2, I bet that would cover it. Then you won't have to worry about cleaning.


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## motherslittlehelper (Mar 18, 2010)

I agree with Kathie. Make the upstairs off limits and just enjoy it. In the scheme of things, the fun times with friends and family is what is important. To heck with the house. Make those memories and have a good time! I would love to come!! :biggrin1:


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

Oh, Lucile, it sounds exhausting just HEARING about it! Tell them all that you still aren't all that well, and they'll have to just take you as you are.


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## davetgabby (Dec 29, 2007)

You kill me Lucile. But I know what you mean. Enjoy, the day, we want some pics though with you SMILING lol


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## StarrLhasa (Jun 6, 2010)

I wish I could come, Lucille. I would bring Buffy and Buster, and they could RLH with Rosie. That would entertain your guests so thoroughly that they would be too busy to ask for tours of your house.

I hope you can relax and enjoy being with friends and family. Have a great picnic .


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## Suzi (Oct 27, 2010)

Luciledodd said:


> This Saturday over a 100 people are coming to my house. I wish I could leave. This started out as just a small gathering with friends and family. Then the oldest son got all enthused as said great but we were catering the barbeque and sides for a 100 people. I got all upset and said that they hadn't invited over 15 people how could it be 100. Well the tally as of tonight is 102. Naturally tables and chairs are being rented. What is the purpose of vacumning and mopping floors when probably 20 or more children will tract through going to the bathroom and there are a lot of women coming that I don't even know and they will want to see the house and of course they will notice that the floor needs mopping and the carpets vacumned. What to do? Thee butthole that started all this is in St. Louis this week so hasn't been here to do the last minute cleanup outside.
> 
> We have done this nearly every year for 20 years, cooking a whole hog and staying up all night tending the meat, people in tents, etc. But we are all getting to old for that. We skipped the last two years because of my health, so I shouldn't complain. JUst wish I felt better.
> 
> Well since all this people are cominig any of you out there that want to come just come on. What would another 100 people be. lol


 I'm getting my whole clan together and well see you there!ound: I would just do a hr a day and surface clean. Maybe you could find a cleaning lady for a few hours to help. Do you have a older teen grandchild. When my kids were little I used a neighbor 16 year old once a week for about 3 hr at $8.00 she did a good job. Hope the day goes good and you don't over do it.


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## Carefulove (Mar 20, 2009)

I would just rent 1-2 portable potties and lock the doors to the house. :biggrin1:

I love family gatherings, but the most I have done is 15-20 people. I couldn't imagine 100, much less people I do not know.

Take it easy Lucille and delegate responsibilities on the young'ones.


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## The Laughing Magpie (Aug 20, 2009)

Lucile, I can understand how you feel, you want to see people but the planing etc is so tiring even when we're healthy. You need to have a talk with family members. You need a maid service before they come, not because your house is dirty, but you have set a certain standard for 20 yrs and you want to maintain it. Also someone needs to be there to help you supervise. After the party you also need a cleaning crew, if family members want to do it, fine but it all must be to your expectations. Also even just making for sure things are being done right and visiting, everyone needs to know that you many need to go up for little naps or rest, this is not anti-social, but these days you get tired easily after all you have been through medically, and as we age it takes longer to fully recover and this means our energey level. Even the anticipation of a happy event can make us tired after a long illness. You are still recovering and trying your wings to see how far they will open and how long you can keep them open.

It is very hard to delegate for some of us esp. things in our home. After all you have been through you need the help, I learned when my late husband was very ill for five years, sometimes you must ask for help, it is the hardest thing for some of us, just a little help can mean all the difference. I learned that friends and family do want to help but often just don't know what they can do, they know how to say the words but are truely at a loss at what they can do.

Have that talk enjoy yourself, selfishly and completely, you have fought a hugh health battle, enjoy your victory do thing for you.

Also if you get the maid service they will not do it as good as you, because no one can, so just let them do what they can.


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## Luciledodd (Sep 5, 2009)

Thanks everyone for the encouragement. But all you ladies know that men don't see the picture that is hanging crooked or the little hand prints on the glass door and or course the nose prints from you know who. And Suzi, have you been around teenagers lately? They all do a little bit then disappear when I am not looking. But I will stand with a large stick in my hand Sunday morning and make sure they are policing the grounds. At least it is not supposed to rain so we are not putting up tents.

It will be fine, it is my husband's birthday along with my eldest son and one or maybe two of the grandsons (all within a day or two). So we have a giant birthday cake coming. And with it being Memorial day we of course will be thinking of our son and all the others who are in Afghanistan. On Monday, my husband leads the ceremonies at the courthouse. He is a member of the TN State Guard, mostly old soldiers under the National Guard. They do a lot of funerals and provide honor guards for ceremonies. Also do security of large events. The National Guard is so strapped for men and money, they can not provide the necessary soldiers for the military funerals, so the State Guard takes up the slack because they serve free of charge.


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## morriscsps (Aug 17, 2010)

My sons are in Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts. On the Sunday before Memorial Day, the scouts go and put flags on all of the veterans' graves in the cemeteries in town. I think that is more significant than the parade. Both my father and grandfather were veterans. 

Good luck this weekend with your crowd. Yikes! That is more people than we had at our wedding.


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

Carefulove said:


> I would just rent 1-2 portable potties and lock the doors to the house. :biggrin1:
> 
> I love family gatherings, but the most I have done is 15-20 people. I couldn't imagine 100, much less people I do not know.
> 
> Take it easy Lucille and delegate responsibilities on the young'ones.


LOVE the porta-potty idea! While we were doing this addition, there was a porta-potty in the yard for workmen. (I guess it's required by law) When they finally took it away, my boys complained, "Awww, we're back down to only 2 1/2 baths!"

We often have BIG cook-outs in the summer, but it's pot-luck. We know everyone, and everyone brings something, including whatever they want to drink. We make a BJ's run for hot dogs, hamburgers and turkey burgers. If someone wants to grill something fancier, they can use our grill, but they have to bring their own food!

We have a half bath between the back door and the kitchen, so there is no reason for ANYONE to go deeper into the house than that. If it rains, we move the cars and tractor out of our large garage, and the party moves in there. We've had a NUMBER of "garage parties" over the years.:rain: The funny thing is, the rain never kept the kids out of the pool. The only thing that kept them out was thunder and lightning, and then, only because us "mean grown-ups" MADE them get out.:biggrin1:

I would NOT want to have to worry about huge numbers of people wandering through my house... especially people I didn't know!


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## Carefulove (Mar 20, 2009)

krandall said:


> ...We have a half bath between the back door and the kitchen, so there is no reason for ANYONE to go deeper into the house than that...


We have always done these parties in the yard with the basement doors open during the summer and just in the basement during the winter months. But this house had an unfinished basement so we haven't had any indoor parties for a while. DH is been working non-stop on the basement and is almost done, then we can start the parties again and I'll have a full bath in the basement!:whoo:


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## Luciledodd (Sep 5, 2009)

I am going to designate the bathroom at the guest house as men and children. My bathroom downstairs for women only. Unfortunately one has to walk all the way through the Kitchen and LR to get there. And it is white. I just got through cleaning it and told the men and boys in the house to stay out. I hope we don't divorce over this. My DH just left to go and buy Mutton--can you imagine? I don't know what he intends to do with it. Years ago I made Irish Stew with mutton, but only once or twice. It tastes like goat which I only tried once. Won't even eat goat cheese. Men can't live with them and sure don't want to live without.


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## The Laughing Magpie (Aug 20, 2009)

Maybe a childhood craving...yuck! I dislike both mutton and goat, hate the smell of the kill and the smell of it cooking. Spring lamb now that is a whole different thing! I find the lamb where I live is too fatty, so I buy the New Zealand. 

I am glad you are getting in to the spirit of the picnic, there are probably many people that want to see and visit with you. Don't forget take time for "you". If you have to crack that whip!


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## Carefulove (Mar 20, 2009)

Lucile, the Portuguese cook Goat with some Balsamic Vinegar, it cuts down the flavor (making it sweet) and the smell.
I don't really eat goat, unless my husband cooks it.


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## Luciledodd (Sep 5, 2009)

Lamb is certainly a one of my favorites. I wanted to put lambs (sheep) where my calves are and raise some lambs. But then I would never eat lamb again. That little maama they do will get you every time.


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## Becky Chittenden (Feb 4, 2009)

Just now reading this and hope you weathered it ok. I'm impressed you'd go through a gathering of that many people, not just of all the health problems you've had, but that many people. Of course, I hate having people over. The most here were perhaps 20 a couple times for a meeting. I do have relatives in Memphis who like to entertain, must take after my late grandmother who had all of us relatives at Christmas ( and there were alot), but not me. I'm not antisocial, just don't like to entertain.


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## Luciledodd (Sep 5, 2009)

It is after 7 central time. People started showing up this morning before 10 am. Thank got the only ones left are family and I can ignore them. Someone started a sign in sheet and I just counted the lines which was 50. There were maybe 10 people that came alone. The rest had spouses and or children. Two car loads came from Memphis. People I have never seen. One old man dressed poorly cornered me and started talking. I couldn't get away from him without being rude, but no one knew who he was. I think he must have been a neighbor from way up the road. What fun. My feet are swollen and I am so tired. Got to go get my pj's and get in the bed.

Oh my husband is such a romantic patriot, that he had a speech prepared about our veterans and had our 13 year old dress in his Civil Air Patrol uniform and play Taps after the blessing. Course we all cried. But Taps, well it is why we celebrate Memorial Day for those veterans that have gone before. I never want to hear it again though.


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## Suzi (Oct 27, 2010)

Glad you got it done with and can put your feet up. Hope you ate a piece of cake for me and enjoyed yourself. The new store that I got a job at opened up on Friday. My shift has been 4 am to 1 pm. I'm a walking zombie. A bug bit me on my eye lid and I woke up with one eye swollen shut I look like hell. Too bad we don't live closer we could lay around and eat bom boms and rest our ache feet Have a good rest tomorrow.


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## clare (Feb 6, 2010)

I am exhausted just reading about this!I don't know how you begin to cope with it all,these things sound great on paper,but actually doing it is quite another thing.I get stressed when it is just our family numbering about 15,but I'm lucky as DH really helps out.Have a well deserved rest now!


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## ShirleyH (Sep 13, 2009)

Lucille, all I can say is 'God Bless You and Keep You'. Hang a sign near the back door that reads 'my house was clean last week--sorry you missed it' and then to heck with it.

Keeper's Mom


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## Luciledodd (Sep 5, 2009)

Shirley what a wonderful idea, just wish I had the energy to post the note. I have been in the bed all day. The house and pool are still full of family. Thankfully I have a large bedroom upstairs with my computer and bath and a door at the bottom of the stairs. When that door is shut no one is allowed to come up. It has been shut all day. lol My daughter put up pictures on the L. I. Smith facebook page. My DIL videoed the prayer and grandson playing taps. Wish I knew how to put it up on U-tube.

Oh and the high-light of the day was my son called in on skype from Afghanistan. When it was announced outside, a lot of close friends and all of the family members lined up in my kitchen to talk with him. I's sure it was a poignant for him as it was for us. But being me, I told him that I had his little son calling Patrick (my oldest boy) dada. The child is close to two now, but as soon as he saw his daddy, he wanted out of Patricks llap. Terrible of me, I know, but just part of Mother's revenge for the teenagers that nearly killed me.


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## Becky Chittenden (Feb 4, 2009)

Glad you made it through all the people! I'm impressed. Don't you love skype?  Wish they'd had it when my son was in Iraq and Afghanistan. Hope he avoids the "hot spots" until he retires.
Now, with my daughter in the DR and next they will be in Kenya, we not only get to talk, but see her children and DH. Love it.


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