Claire
Master Chef
Once upon a time, many years ago, I was in the final throes of planning a (for me) big party; my annual tree-trimming party. Out of the blue, a few days before the party, I got a call from a woman I didn't know too well; the wife of an officer who worked for my husband.
They had some personal problems that year; a child they had adopted had been torn from them. So they'd volunteered to serve food at a local shelter. They thought they'd volunteered to SERVE the food. As is often the case with volunteer work, they got taken for a ride ... they were expected to PROVIDE THE FOOD.
This acquaintance found a corporate sponsor to buy the turkeys, but was getting desperate. She called and asked if I could buy something. I heard out her list and said I'd buy all the Stove Top she needed. Then I went about, planning for my party in three or four days' time.
An hour a light bulb went off.
I called her back, and asked for the list of food.
I called everyone who had RSVPd on my guest list and asked for an item (even if only one can of cranberry sauce!!).
An hour later, my husband's commander called and said he'd heard what I was doing. I replied, NOT ME, I'm just helping out. He asked for the list of food, posted it on the bulletin board with a box beneith it.
Many of you don't know what a bulletin board is (or at least was) in military life -- you HAVE to read it.
At my tree trimming party, there were boxes and boxes of food. Ever since then I've "charged" admission to my Xmas parties.
To my great embarassment, I've let my own tradition fall by the wayside since we've moved here. I'm resurrecting it this year. Many times a group (usually 20-40 people) have filled two or more grocery baskets of food. Many times people who couldn't come to the party dropped by to give us food.
I always remember the name of the woman who got me started on this.
Her name is Joy.
They had some personal problems that year; a child they had adopted had been torn from them. So they'd volunteered to serve food at a local shelter. They thought they'd volunteered to SERVE the food. As is often the case with volunteer work, they got taken for a ride ... they were expected to PROVIDE THE FOOD.
This acquaintance found a corporate sponsor to buy the turkeys, but was getting desperate. She called and asked if I could buy something. I heard out her list and said I'd buy all the Stove Top she needed. Then I went about, planning for my party in three or four days' time.
An hour a light bulb went off.
I called her back, and asked for the list of food.
I called everyone who had RSVPd on my guest list and asked for an item (even if only one can of cranberry sauce!!).
An hour later, my husband's commander called and said he'd heard what I was doing. I replied, NOT ME, I'm just helping out. He asked for the list of food, posted it on the bulletin board with a box beneith it.
Many of you don't know what a bulletin board is (or at least was) in military life -- you HAVE to read it.
At my tree trimming party, there were boxes and boxes of food. Ever since then I've "charged" admission to my Xmas parties.
To my great embarassment, I've let my own tradition fall by the wayside since we've moved here. I'm resurrecting it this year. Many times a group (usually 20-40 people) have filled two or more grocery baskets of food. Many times people who couldn't come to the party dropped by to give us food.
I always remember the name of the woman who got me started on this.
Her name is Joy.