dinner party

Don't be confused. It'll probably be more of a party than it is dinner. Really it'll be a a supper-gathering-drinking-game-playing-get-together, but dinner party has a nicer ring to it.

We're going to have my favorite Nana Soup, baked apples, and salad... and a bottle of pinot noir. I've cleaned; there's still clutter, but it wouldn't be *our* apartment without it.

The Hater doesn't understand that we're going to put a plate under the soup bowl. I told him that we would use it because soup drips. He doesn't get it, but that' s okay. We have a dish washer, so it's not like he's going to have to wash them...

Which made me think of this picture. This way if you want to have a real dinner party, here's an idea of how to set the table. My table will look nothing like this tonight. However, my mother-in-law has a more detailed picture that I'm sure she'd be glad to share with you if you want more intricate table-settig instructions.

She likes to impress her mother-in-law, too, who has a master's degree from UT in home economics (and taught there, too). Every fork must be in its place when she comes over. I think that's why The Hater and I get to use the special chart to set the table when we visit and we know Granny's going to be there.

One of the last times we visited The Hater's parents, his Mother was very worried about where to eat supper -- at the kitchen table or in the dining room. I voted for the kitchen, and told her that she didn't need to do anything special for us. I told her we'd rather spend our time visiting than washing china and silver.

We ate in the dining room. She said, "Sometimes you do things for your mother-in-law."

Point taken. But I told The Hater that we would be eating in the kitchen with the everyday china and stainless steel. She'd be lucky if we used cloth napkins... We were really amused by the whole thing. Quietly amused, but amused nonetheless.

My last table-setting story: I won a 4-H blue ribbon in demonstration for a "how to set the table" speech and display. At least, I think that I did. It could have been Sister's speech. Either way, one of us won a blue ribbon for setting the table with very fancy plasticware.

So anyway, if you're around tonight and you're hankering some Nana Soup, come on over.