Tuesday, June 1, 2010

Played for a fool by Mother Nature

I get that the party planning process is a back-and-forth thing. You find the perfect party favors on-line. Then you find out they are sold-out until next January. You discover the perfect chicken enchiladas recipe. Then half your guests suddenly and inexplicably go vegetarian.

But this party for my niece’s graduation is just working my last nerve. I thought we were heading into the home stretch. Cleaning is done. Menus are planned. Guests are confirmed. I have created a handy spreadsheet that details the critical timing elements over a 4-day period (arrivals, departures, events, tide schedules). The D-Day invaders? Amateurs.

Then there is my old nemesis – Mother Nature. We’ve had an unusually mild spring, which as developed in to a cream puff early summer. Until last week, the forecast for Saturday was for 89 degrees. Oh, this would be the Saturday in which we were planning to use the patio as strategically planned overflow for a full house. You know – rock music outside, easy listening inside, beer outside, wine inside, with a free exchange of ideas. Now the forecast is for – wait for it – 102. A hundred and freaking two. Damn you, Mother Nature (who I now picture as that snotty bitch from the tampon commercials, rather than the snotty bitch from the margarine commercials). Everything was going fine, and then she had to go fart in my elevator.

Not that everything is ruined. We’ll be fine. I’m on Amazon and HomeDepot.com investigating mister options and looking for a good beer sangria recipe. We can all just get along. But I do have my Hannibal Smith moments. I really prefer it when a plan comes together.

4 comments:

glorm said...

Sorry to hear about this cog in the wheel.

It does seem as if, in a lot of places, it got hot suddenly. I think you're right about just who Mother Nature is.

FirePhrase said...

Hotter 'an a 2 dollar pistol. And now they're talking about record breaking temps by the weekend. That would be this weekend. The one with the party. Pooh.

WashingtonGardener said...

well, "they" can be wrong about Mother Nature so hope it works out. Meanwhile, tell guests to "man up" and Texas in June SHOULD be hot.

FirePhrase said...

The weather report has been as high as 105 and as low as 101 for Saturday. I'm thinking we're cracking triple digits one way or another. We found a cheap misting tower for the patio, so hopefully that will help some. Fingers crossed that if it is hot that it isn't also humid.

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