blue moon (2)

Monday, July 30, 2007

Food For Thought ©

Hello all. I hope you all had a nice weekend.
The weather here was brutal still, it’s the humidity that’s bad.
I went to the engagement on Saturday night and it was a bash like we expected it would be.
A third of everyone got drunk except yours truly; I got drunk on food besides I’m still pissed from last week but I ate and ate and ate more and more………the food just kept coming.
My father got up at one stage and returned his food complaining he had no room in him for more and they should give it to someone who could eat more then him
We were all stunned; my father is a big eater and has never refused food LOL.

They started with an anti-pasta dish that was filling and followed with an order of lasagna.
I think most of us would have been happy if it ended there but it didn’t, it just kept coming and coming
After we got a plate of jumbo shrimp, calamari and smelts.
I love shrimp, calamari to but shrimp Mmmmmmmm

Most people were running outside for air and to walk some of the food off probably.
Salad came next, which usually signals the end of dinner because Italians usually eat their salad last but I didn’t think this was the case because the shrimp couldn’t have been the main course and I told my parents that.
My father said I was nuts and they couldn’t possibly have more food.
He got up and went to the washroom and by the time he got back there was a place with 12 ounces of fillet minion sitting there for him with potatoes and carrots.
I was laughing my butt off just with the look on his face.
My mother was just sitting there asking who wanted her food because she couldn’t eat it.

I managed to eat mine, the SIL didn’t touch hers, my brother is a garbage disposal, he just swallows food without chewing I think.
Then we got cake followed by a plate with 10 different kinds of fruit.
I asked my father if he remembered when we used to have a soup, salad, and roast beef at these things and he said yes as the brought out pizza to finish us off.

I must have managed to walk 5 miles that night also.
Every time I stepped outside and someone saw me alone I ended up walking to the other end of the street to talk in private, family business, which translates to people trying to make their point the right point and justifying their action.
No sooner than I would get back with whom I was talking to someone else would see me talking to that person and automatically want to talk to me and tell me their side even though they didn’t hear the conversation they assumed they knew I was being brought up to speed and wanted me to know their side of the story.

I took that walk five times that night and heard five different versions of the same story and little did they know I have the real story from the main source and it doesn’t sound like any I was told by these people.
It only goes to show you that everyone has his or her version of events.
I know who is really to blame for some of the problems poisoning this part of our family but not wanting to rock the boat anymore I just told them all the same thing.
Money isn’t worth loosing family, which is something I believe in.

When I wasn’t eating or being dragged off down the street for a conference I sat at my table looking around.
As I was sitting at my perch I looked over my surroundings and I could see how old I was.
The young are getting younger and the old, older.
At the beginning of the event everyone was sitting at the tables with their families together and by the end of the night the room was split in three.

On the right were the young, 3-35 years of age.
For most of their life they relied on the handouts of others until they are old enough to make money so they can fend for themselves and get the things they want that will make them happy.
For the first twenty years of their life someone else was telling them what to do, how to think and how to live then when they gained their freedom, life becomes a really big party.
Work all day and then at night go out to hook up with friends.
The weekends were spent clubbing or on trips far from home.
They were having a great time dancing, laughing and bringing life to the party with their youthful energy.

To the left were the older crowd 55 and up.
They worked most of their adult lives, raised families, now they are all retired for the most part and are spending the rest of their lives reminiscing with the others they know about the past.
They rarely left their seat other than to go to the washroom and when they did go to see someone at another table it was usually on the way back from the washroom and mostly because they were tired and couldn’t make it back to their table so they looked for someone they haven’t talked to in a while to sit with and catch up.

I have become more conscience of my parent’s age and I would be lying if I said I wasn’t worried about them.
My mother hasn’t been easing my thoughts much either lately with her “ I want you to take this next door now before I die” BS
Like I give a fuck about crystal glasses, china or furniture when I think about the day when I won’t have them here to even argue with them.

Then running down the center were the 36-54 year olds, they are to old to be with young crowd and to young to be with the old bunch or as I like to call it, the confused crowd.
I watched as many tried to dance with the same energy as their kids and their younger relatives but as young as the heart felt they ended up at their tables tired exhausted and watching the babies.
When they sat with the older crowd they spend a lot of time taking care of them, running to get pop, or desserts from the dessert table for their parents.
These are the guardians of the young and old with no real place but stuck in limbo.
I sat with a woman I have known for 20 years talking.
There was a time where she almost became my wife but I wasn’t up for it, then she married one of my friends instead.

She was drunk as a skunk and sat outside telling me how much she hates her life and wishes it was different.
I don’t know if it was her life she hated or the fact that she was getting older and couldn’t do what she used to that she hated.
I think many people miss their youth and blame their current state on their partners instead of trying to adjust to life as it is now.

As I was sitting there minding my own business I spotted the parents of my other cousin’s wife talking to the bride’s parents that put on this party talking and pointing in the direction of my table.
The future bride came by to and they all started walking towards our table.
I thought “great” now what?
They all knew my parents but they didn’t know me because yours truly likes keeping a low profile and leaves they rest of the family do the family until I am forced to crawl out of the shadows,

The bride was surprised to know that my brother had a brother and wanted to know why I never came to the other stuff held by other family members.
I told her I was on a diet and only had room in my stomach for special functions.
They sat for a while talking to me before they took off and she said that she understood that they were coming to my bbq.
I said yes they were all invited, as we were all becoming family now.
When we were leaving she came to me and gave me the centerpiece that was on our table and told me it was mine, which I thanked her for then she gave us each a gift.

Looking at the engagement as a whole it was a great party but a big waste of food as most of it went back to the garbage because people couldn’t eat it all.
Extravagance has become the norm and waste is its by-product.

I like the future bride, she seems to be a happy person as is my cousin and I hope they have a long and happy future together.



Life moves on and I’m getting older as my life rewinds slowly past my eyes until one day it will all flash forward before them to remind me how good it was before I lay down for that big sleep.

Have a nice day.

Walker

24 comments:

Jenny said...

I'm actually full reading about the amount of food.

Isn't it odd at our age to see the past and the future generations?

I liked your observations.

Vickie said...

One question---was there any chocolate there---I mean with a bunch of females around---there must have been chocolate...LOL

We are of the age where many are still taking care of kids but also taking care of their parents---The Baby boomer's---where do we fit in life?

Hope you have a good week take care and enjoy life.

Walker said...

Anonymous Boxer: The food was fantastic but to much, I don;t see the need for so much.

Yes I have been noticing more and more the rift between all ages and the ones inthe middle seem to be the ones carrying all the weight and responsabilities

Walker said...

Vickie: There was heaps of chocolates of all kinds. The dessert table had lots of cakes and various pastries, Italian and Greek.

Jenny said...

Yes we are, I agree.

GAB said...

Wow thats alot of food. Good thing there was Chocolate!
Ive updated.

Caretaker says said...

Enjoy the moment when food is at stake :)

Peter said...

Hi Walker, certainly sounds like over-kill with the food, perhaps trying to justify the Gift list?
I had never thought about the 3 sections within a group before but you are right there is a "young", "old", and "middle", thank the lord I've moved out of that "middle" one where all the responsibility and the trying to keep up happens.
You are fast becoming "The Godfather" of your family and I can't think of anyone that will handle the job better than you.

nachtwache said...

They could have saved a lot of money (their own and yours)having a more low key affair and used that saved $ to buy some of their own expensive wants! In Switzerland engagements get celebrated too, but with much less expensive presents and parties. Maybe now they've become excessive too. It's nice to read that you've had a positive impression about the bride, that's promising for a happy marriage and dealing with the future SIL. My stomach hurts just reading about all that food! Wise advise to all those people ! Anyone ever tell you that you have lots of wisdom? :) Take care!

Walker said...

gab: There is always chocolate and in many forms lol

Walker said...

Caretaker : I always enjoy the food, its one of my passions vbut to much is to much.
Thanks for stopping by

Walker said...

Peter: I don;t to be the Godfather I try and get out but they keep dragging me in LOL

I think extravegance is becoming the norm. I se it every where and over doing the next person is becoming a sport to many people

Walker said...

nachtwache: Lots of wisdom means twqo things, I am getting older and I have screwed up so much I have learned my lessons the hard way LMAO

I don;t think of it as wisdom or beingh smarter than the next person because i am not. I like to think of it as common sense.
If people would stop trying to win the fights and thought it out they would see the same thing as I do.

BlazngScarlet said...

Beautiful center piece ... and very sweet of her to give it to you.

I don't feel the age difference as much because I've always been the outsider and oddball in my family.
Ok, black sheep is more like it.
I never fit in anywhere .... still don't.

But I DO see the differences.

BlazngScarlet said...

Hey .... where are the pictures of you dancing with knickers on your head?
I have been waiting patiently (LOL) for over 2 weeks to see them!

Walker said...

Blazngfyre: I see it all the time because of my brother. He had a kid and all of the sudden my parents became a nanny more than a nana.

I try and keep up with the younger crowd and I know they like hanging out with me and listening to Mike and I talk about the past.
One of my nieces last year introduced us to her friends as her cool uncles which I think we both got a kick out of.

Walker said...

Blazngfyre: Umm the only pair I found were occupied and I havent been able to dance with that much weight on my head plus I don;t think her hubby would have appreciated it lol

Karen said...

Hey Walker,

I thought I would stick my head in as I couldn't resist coming to see whats going on in the land of Walker, I've missed you.

As you know, I used to be engaged to an Italian and went to many of these types of functions. It seemed that every one that followed another had to be bigger and better than the last. I used to fast for a week before going and even then ended up with a belly ache...lol.

I belong to the middle crowd you described but still secretly think I'm a youngster. Maybe thats why I'm having a mid life crisis. I'm delusional.

I'll keep checking in for my Walker fix. Take care.

Shaz said...

Love Italian parties they are always the best of fun and oOHhhh the food gotta love the food.

Monogram Queen said...

Ooh my tummy hurts just thinking about all that food. I truly aspire for Stacy & I to come to one of your bbq's one day. Maybe I should hook up with Vickie & Monica as they are in GA & (soon to be) TN respectively and we could do a caravan :)

Walker said...

Gypsy: There is alot you could get from a wedding LOL
Its about having fun and you did just that.

You are welcome here any time for what ever fix you'd like

Walker said...

Shaz : I like them to, but its a toss up between the sexy women or the pastries.
I guess you would get a tart either way lol

Walker said...

patti_cake : If you are ever in my neck of the woods you are welcome and we could have our own bbq :)

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