DailySusan Humor Blog

PEACHY PARTIES

I’m not the only nitwit who gets stressed out putting on a decent party. Last night at yet another graduation festivity, our hosts spent most of the evening peering suspiciously at the Sterno cans under the two buffet servers they had rented for their sumptuous Mexican buffet. They jabbed sharp things at the lids to knock them off the cans like shuffleboards, and lifted off various layers of pans and warmers, trying to adjust the heat.

What heat, though? Those Sternos were cold as ice. So was my enchilada. But yum! It was good, anyway.

Reminds me of one of my Great Moments in Dignity: for a past party, I rented a buffet server a lot like theirs, only the Sterno worked just fine. TOO fine, in fact. The problem was, there were about eight different pans and lids and servers and things. I’m remedial on how things go together, but I did the best I could. Little did I know that I’d put the lid with the black plastic handle upside down, under the food pan but over the base pan, but close enough to the heat source so that the flaming Sterno MELTED THE BLACK PLASTIC HANDLE. It stunk up the place for a while. Everybody thought we’d burned the barbecue, and avoided that pan. Ah, me. At least the rental place took pity and didn’t assess a Stupidity Charge.

Then another friend made me feel better about running out of most of the party foods at our daughter’s recent graduation party, and stopping myself just before serving age-old FISH STICKS out of the freezer.

She, you see, had a similar experience with hordes of graduation party guests. They wiped out her generous buffet in minutes and threatened to cut up her kitchen counter and eat that, too. She found herself in her pantry opening a gallon can of PEACHES. Now, what she was DOING with a gallon can of peaches in her pantry is another story. And yes, I’m sure they went fast, to her great relief.

Just shows to go you: the real entertainment when it comes to home entertaining is what’s going on inside the hostess’ head!