tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4904021173466473381.post6654334247682083761..comments2023-10-11T04:09:53.564-07:00Comments on materfamilias writes: Party Time -- What Size is Your Festive?materfamiliashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16062766947897513369noreply@blogger.comBlogger30125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4904021173466473381.post-20316801938805423252013-12-11T16:19:47.962-08:002013-12-11T16:19:47.962-08:00It's been my conscious resolution over the las...It's been my conscious resolution over the last few months, trying to rebuild my social life in small, meaningful, workable ways. I'm pleased with the results so far. . . materfamiliashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16062766947897513369noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4904021173466473381.post-57206428801423725562013-12-11T16:18:35.281-08:002013-12-11T16:18:35.281-08:00Wow! That's a lot of cooking! What a good idea...Wow! That's a lot of cooking! What a good idea to hire some help, especially trusted family help. materfamiliashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16062766947897513369noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4904021173466473381.post-4957750309120337822013-12-11T13:14:07.592-08:002013-12-11T13:14:07.592-08:00We don't host nearly as many gatherings as we ...We don't host nearly as many gatherings as we used to (or that I'd love to) due to the current challenges with jeune homme, but the gathering you've described above is my favorite kind! Not too much pressure, keeping things simple enough to actually be able to mingle, and not too much onerous scheduling or cleanup....I think I know what my first New Year's resolution is going to be... Susan Bhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16005855250089328310noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4904021173466473381.post-21000736097786997772013-12-10T20:26:55.836-08:002013-12-10T20:26:55.836-08:00Thanks for the extra peek into your life on the is...Thanks for the extra peek into your life on the island.ilonahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09549380953245364444noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4904021173466473381.post-78083434384381668802013-12-10T07:47:27.941-08:002013-12-10T07:47:27.941-08:00Oh, I've entertained as many as 45 and did all...Oh, I've entertained as many as 45 and did all the cooking and clean-up myself! This time I had a good friend who had flown in for the party; she helped out in the kitchen--AND I hired my youngest daughter and her husband (the only kids who stayed 'local') to serve and clean up. Boy, was it worth it!<br />pattihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07666392421747356240noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4904021173466473381.post-59967598288821912572013-12-10T07:43:55.247-08:002013-12-10T07:43:55.247-08:00Ah, so you know exactly the problem. We academics ...Ah, so you know exactly the problem. We academics are not in the best position for Christmas anything, never mind entertaining. Smarter, like you, to put our entertaining eggs in a different basket (and even better if we can count on a spouse -- mine is a great cook and I think I might take more advantage of that for entertaining). Your party sounds like huge fun, and that supper sounds almost manageable (30?!!) since you wisely keep the menu simple.materfamiliashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16062766947897513369noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4904021173466473381.post-51678488449106278562013-12-10T07:41:06.257-08:002013-12-10T07:41:06.257-08:00Aw, thanks. But by my own nature, cool is just not...Aw, thanks. But by my own nature, cool is just not achievable . . . ;-)<br />As I commented above to Patricia, it's interesting to see the entertaining patterns change depending on our life passages. For me, it was the return to school, especially grad school, that pushed entertaining out of the way. Then work, which leaves little social energy. And now the pull in our kids' and grandkids' direction. But I've been finding little ways to add it back in, and I hope to build on that. I suspect you'll be doing the same, and then some!materfamiliashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16062766947897513369noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4904021173466473381.post-16041535011094549002013-12-10T07:38:20.197-08:002013-12-10T07:38:20.197-08:00Thanksgiving-to-Christmas is a difficult time for ...Thanksgiving-to-Christmas is a difficult time for us to entertain. My husband is an academic and the term ends this week--his son typically comes in before Christmas, and we then travel to see my daughters and their families. I tend to throw one large gathering sometime in the fall. This year I hosted a salon built upon the theme of World War I literature. We had 30 people, live music, a simple supper (soup, 2 breads, 2 desserts)--and lively, provocative conversation.<br />pattihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07666392421747356240noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4904021173466473381.post-87224386920232176342013-12-10T07:37:49.301-08:002013-12-10T07:37:49.301-08:00It's interesting how the entertaining patterns...It's interesting how the entertaining patterns change depending on ages and stages and living accommodations. Ours has been oddly lopsided what with our adult children all living in another city now. Lovely, but lopsided. <br />Glad to hear you found the island talk interesting. . . materfamiliashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16062766947897513369noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4904021173466473381.post-77208827280455757572013-12-10T07:36:30.304-08:002013-12-10T07:36:30.304-08:00I love, love, love this kind of tradition, and I w...I love, love, love this kind of tradition, and I wish I could do more (some? any?) of this. I'm always so impressed when you talk so casually about the entertaining you do on what seems to me a massive scale. There's just such a satisfying buzz that builds over an event like this -- quite different from the more intimate events, much as I enjoy the latter. . . materfamiliashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16062766947897513369noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4904021173466473381.post-10373839228849763602013-12-10T07:34:31.539-08:002013-12-10T07:34:31.539-08:00See, 6 to 8 guests for dinner sounds like a big de...See, 6 to 8 guests for dinner sounds like a big deal to me. I'm impressed!materfamiliashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16062766947897513369noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4904021173466473381.post-1502425859711378202013-12-10T07:33:58.664-08:002013-12-10T07:33:58.664-08:00We love the balance as well, but it's not for ...We love the balance as well, but it's not for everyone as the logistics can be complicated. And you're very welcome -- thanks for commenting!materfamiliashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16062766947897513369noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4904021173466473381.post-42735641975280742802013-12-10T07:22:50.691-08:002013-12-10T07:22:50.691-08:00Well you're cool to me:).
And I love get-toge...Well you're cool to me:).<br /><br />And I love get-togethers like that. I used to entertain so much. Then the divorce ended all that. Now I'm thinking that maybe, just maybe, we will build up to it again. Might have to decamp to SF altogether though to make it happen.LPChttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18209861350905135093noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4904021173466473381.post-63044668367917244372013-12-10T05:29:10.413-08:002013-12-10T05:29:10.413-08:00By the way, fascinating to learn more about your l...By the way, fascinating to learn more about your little island!Patriciahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05504513116873595049noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4904021173466473381.post-88252503500473195022013-12-10T05:27:08.422-08:002013-12-10T05:27:08.422-08:00Hi Mater, your little get-together sounds perfect....Hi Mater, your little get-together sounds perfect. We really haven't entertained at all at this house, apart from one buffet party for my husband's colleagues from across the country, when they came for a conference. However, when the children were younger, and we were in smaller communities in Alberta and Ontario, we did do a Christmas buffet party for a few years. That was a lot of fun. We will get back into entertaining when we move next year - we are probably going back to the Ottawa area. Patriciahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05504513116873595049noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4904021173466473381.post-63588736717443825272013-12-09T17:35:33.525-08:002013-12-09T17:35:33.525-08:00Thank you for helping me understand how you live. ...Thank you for helping me understand how you live. My husband and I live on our boat in the summer so I believe our lifestyles are similar. I so enjoy that "getaway" feel from May until October but I need a place in the city for the winter to regroup and revisit civilization. There definitely is a commitment needed to achieve this unusual balance but it is so well worth it and I feel so fortunate. Thanks for your response!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4904021173466473381.post-13631220646205772542013-12-09T14:08:16.353-08:002013-12-09T14:08:16.353-08:00I love throwing parties but we have found that in ...I love throwing parties but we have found that in the lead-up to Christmas we're competing with so many other events that it's not really worth trying. Instead, for about 11 years now we have hosted a Chilli Crab lunch in the week between Xmas and New Year. There are usually 14-16 adults and almost as many kids, we set up the marquee in the backyard and feast ... Start time is normally around 1pm, and we're often seeing the last of the guests out the door at about 9pm! Although there's a lot of prep involved for the Chilli Crab, I've mastered it (but cleaning 5kg of crabs first thing in the morning is still not my favourite thing!). We always have a simple starter (sorbet, chilled soup, etc) and a cold dessert (homemade ice cream or the like) so I get those done well in advance. It's one of my favourite days of the year.Tiffanyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11536212906241844509noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4904021173466473381.post-83217985222249381272013-12-09T13:24:42.058-08:002013-12-09T13:24:42.058-08:00Your Friday gatherings sound like a really fun and...Your Friday gatherings sound like a really fun and relaxed way to end the week and begin the weekend. <br />We are planning a dinner party or two, but small - 6 - 8 guests - we both do better in smaller gatherings. <br />That savory loaf sounds really delectable. Lorriehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03653026442945027184noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4904021173466473381.post-67941658315283579612013-12-09T13:23:24.689-08:002013-12-09T13:23:24.689-08:00There's no question that a mailed invitation h...There's no question that a mailed invitation heightens the occasion, particularly in the anticipation. And I'd probably do at least individual emails if I were planning more. But this is sort of a "rolling event" -- I'm trying to make it happen semi-regularly, with people dropping in whichever Friday they can manage (although I've been busy or away for 4 or 5 weeks now, so have lost continuity). In fact, I did hear back from everyone I invited -- two were away, one was celebrating her husband's birthday with him, one hoped to be finished meeting with a client in time to join us but didn't manage that. And to clarify, I used FB's IM function, just tapping into a list that's already set up for my island running buddies and then augmenting that. materfamiliashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16062766947897513369noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4904021173466473381.post-6604002240375534112013-12-09T13:19:10.471-08:002013-12-09T13:19:10.471-08:00Thank you -- you're too kind!
Our island is r...Thank you -- you're too kind! <br />Our island is really tiny, about a kilometre out, in the harbour of a city of about 80K. A floating pub, a private ferry (passenger-only, no cars). We bring all our food over "from town" and bring our own garbage back across. We do have a small volunteer-run museum and library, a fabulous volunteer fire department, and a community garden. There are cars, but many drive golf carts -- we obtained special permission to run them, licensed and insured, on the island's dirt roads (the perimeter road is about 4km. My husband and I have owned our place here for 21 years and have managed through that time with just bicycles and a wheelbarrow. . . .materfamiliashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16062766947897513369noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4904021173466473381.post-26599105192725476352013-12-09T13:15:23.903-08:002013-12-09T13:15:23.903-08:00It's sooo savoury!It's sooo savoury! materfamiliashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16062766947897513369noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4904021173466473381.post-57524922727284553352013-12-09T13:15:10.658-08:002013-12-09T13:15:10.658-08:00I don't have emigration as an excuse although ...I don't have emigration as an excuse although sometimes I feel as if I've immigrated to a career world with a completely different Constitution. . . . and seriously, if you ever feel inclined to hop that ferry, I'll have a big glass of red poured.materfamiliashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16062766947897513369noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4904021173466473381.post-89214418160404023752013-12-09T13:09:50.665-08:002013-12-09T13:09:50.665-08:00Crowded and casual with fabulous food (I know your...Crowded and casual with fabulous food (I know your hostessing skills will ensure that all is yummy!) . . . all the perfect ingredients! And you're very welcome to adopt my neighbour's idea -- it's delightfully easy and festive indeed!materfamiliashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16062766947897513369noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4904021173466473381.post-49919635884680376932013-12-09T13:08:33.015-08:002013-12-09T13:08:33.015-08:00That sounds like a wonderful, wonderful day, Eliza...That sounds like a wonderful, wonderful day, Elizabeth! We so seldom get to enjoy this kind of impromptu event anymore -- how magical!materfamiliashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16062766947897513369noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4904021173466473381.post-88643515037942346822013-12-09T12:29:20.460-08:002013-12-09T12:29:20.460-08:00What a beautiful assortment of treats! I find peo...What a beautiful assortment of treats! I find people just don''t respond to Facebook invitations the same way as a posted (yikes, that dates me) one, or even the ubiquitous e-vite. So I am curious if you knew you would have but three guests, and if there were responses from the entire invited list.Duchessehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09986153653120526776noreply@blogger.com