The BBQ Package

How do you differentiate between a long weekend and a long weekend? I guess I could use text treatments? A long weekend would be the act of adding a day or two on the end of a weekend, and a long weekend would be a weekend that just seems longer than normal; the equivalent to a long commute. I guess it doesn't really matter, since this past weekend was both.

On top of the fact that my office closed in celebration of Memorial Day on Monday, I decided the take Thursday and Friday off as well. This extended weekend/mini-vacation was much-needed, and well used. However, we were pretty much non-stop the whole time. Basically we just packed too much into the five days, and forgot to leave any time to really take advantage of the time off.

Thursday we spent the day running traditional errands: groceries, lawn care, taking the car in for service, cleaning. Not that much fun. Totally necessary.

Friday and Saturday we had Trisomy 18 Foundation meetings at our house. We had guests from Canada and DC, and we got a lot of work done over one and one half days of pretty intense planning.

Saturday afternoon we had a BBQ; we'll come back to this.

Sunday we went to visit friends in their new house.

Monday we (actually it ended up being just me but don't get ahead of yourself) went to visit other friends for parade/BBQ.

Some other things were mixed in there as well.

For example, Friday Molly had to go to the GI doctor down in south Jersey. They changed one of her medications, and increased the dosage on the other; If that doesn't work we're supposed to try continuous feeds; If that doesn't work we're supposed to consider a j tube.

Molly was miserable for the trip home from the doctor and, in general, wasn't herself. She had a fever Friday night of around 102.

Saturday morning Erin took her to the doctor even though her fever had gone down. He said she might have a virus that's been going around and to come back Tuesday if her fever was still hanging around. She seemed to be feeling much better and gradually started working back to normal.

Saturday afternoon we had a BBQ; we'll come back to this.

Sunday Molly was pretty much her normal self again. Also, she started tolerating her feeds a bit better. The new medication hadn't been filled yet, so this was with just the alteration of the dosage of the other. In fact, I am pretty sure she only spit up once between Sunday afternoon and Tuesday afternoon. For reference, in a normal day she spits up four times minimum.

Monday Erin and Gavin woke up sick. They both had terrible coughs. They both stayed in the house all day, leaving me to play "single guy" at a family outing. I got a taste of what it's like to be the unmarried, non-parent in a house full of families. So I played the part: I drank a dozen beers, wiped sauce on my jeans, and gave the kids all the Skittles and Coca-Cola they could handle. Then I went home to my real life. Gavin actually stayed home from school on Tuesday, but both he and Erin seem better today.

Oh yeah, we had a BBQ on Saturday afternoon.

The BBQ Package

We were anticipating about 15 people; four of whom were children. I love a good cookout, and I know my way around a grill. But we figured since there were going to be several people we don't know that well, it would be better to spend more time mingling and less time cooking. The BBQ Package has it all, so why not.

Now if you haven't clicked the link to see what it consists of, please do. I mean they thought of everything. We didn't even have to buy napkins.

So I go out to pick it up at 4 pm (everyone has been there since 3) when it seems everyone will be good and hungry. We didn't put any appetizers out because it's all taken care of with this huge order.

I put the huge bags down on the floor and begin to unload the endless trays of food. To my surprise, the meat is all raw. Actually not all raw; the chicken and sausage is cooked and just needs heating. But the steak, burgers and dogs are all raw.

Are you serious?

Now please, people, give me your honest opinions: should I have known this would happen? I've told this story to several people and there have been plenty who think I should have expected raw meats. I am just wondering if there is a majority vote.

To me, you buy raw meat at the grocery store or the butcher. Restaurants sell it to you cooked.

No big deal, I lit the grill and got to work. But it wasn't part of the plan. I love the place the food came from and I am not about to boycott them or anything, but I just feel like something should be said. At the very least they need to make a change in their promotional poster to indicate the meat is raw.

Unless I am the only one who wouldn't know that already?!