You could make trifle too. That's really easy to do. If you don't know what a trifle is just say so. I and a few other dwellars do and we can tell you what sort of stuff to put in.

faces are a popular thing to put in trifle.

Unfortunately, fans of faces in trifle are not also fans of decent quality video. this is the best i can find, but there are lots out there.....

How about some grilled fruits and veggies? Guac to go with you salsa and chips?

Well, talked to the birthday boy and figured out the final menu:
- The cod is being replaced by hot dogs and brats.
- The goat cheese is out and will be completely replaced by chips and dip
- The dessert is going to be a cake that my mother makes split into cupcakes (made the night before).
- Coleslaw has been included because the BB loves mine
- Debating right now between veggie dip (homemade dip) and salad
- Possibly skipping the corn on the cob unless I use the microwave kind, but not a fan of that idea

All the food will be prepared at least the night before so all I have to do is set up the day of and the cupcakes will definitely be made a day or two before. I am actually thinking of taking half a day Friday. That way it won't be a mad dash after work all week and I can actually enjoy putting all this together!

good for you bbro. :) I hope it all turns out just perfectly.

Thanks Ali!

The next stop is shopping for what I need. I think I am going to go to the dollar store (for plates, etc), Aldi (for bread, canned items), Wal-mart or Target (for the brats and dogs), and a seafood merchant for the shrimp. That is going to start tonight, then continue tomorrow when I am off work. Yay!

Sounds like fun bbro. :) Enjoy yourself.

I guess I shouldn't have worried. Out of all the people I asked only three showed. And only one of them ate something other than shrimp. One guest could only stay for a bit, so he got a to go box. The one that only ate shrimp apparently thought going to sheetz for a meatball hoagie later that night was better than the food I cooked.

I guess the upside is that now I have food for the week and don't really have to cook which is good since it is going to be HOT!!

I'm really sorry your friends let you down bbro. It's always disappointing when that happens, but it does happen to all of us.

I remember one new years eve I invited two couples over for dinner and drinks to see the new year in and only one of the couples showed up. I'd gone to a lot of trouble with dinner (baked a whole king snapper along with the rest of the meal) and at the time I was really pissed off, but then I realized that the friends I really cared about had arrived, and the other couple were just peripheral anyway, so they've faded out.

I hope the important ones were there for you. They're the ones that count. :)

Thanks Ali. I am still a little steamed at some of them. Not only for me, but for the person that the party was for.

You know what? I'll bet your friend really appreciated the trouble you went to, and after all, it's your friend who really matters isn't it? Forget about the rest of them. I'm sure they'll show up next time round...if you get more booze. ;)