I'm new at this....can I get you a drink?

Well, our little Canada Day bbq ended up turning into a neighbourhood get together, with the majority of people here being our new neighbours from up and down the street, plus some other folks who I've met cuz they have kids the same age as lil'ReRe. This was great, cuz I got to finally meet a bunch of people I haven't met yet, and also to thank the people (our immediate neighbours on both sides) who have been unbelievably friendly and welcoming. It turns out that many more people know about us (particularly me and ReRe) cuz of all the morning walks we take around the neighbourhood. One couple told me that they have been thinking about doing something like this for years, but never got around to it, so I guess it really did look like a neighbourhood bbq, so I'm sure we'll try to do it again next Canada Day.

HOWEVER, THAT BEING SAID.....

I have a lot to learn about entertaining. Like how to organize the food and drinks to make them accessible, how to make sure that all the food is ready and the right temperature when people arrive, and to keep it fresh and the right temperature the whole time. I also have to keep a tally of what is popular on the buffet, and what isn't. This always surprises me. You know, I still don't see why it was funny that Lisa Simpson made gazpacho for a bbq, I love gazpacho, but I know I'm in the minority. So I tried a couple different dishes, but I also learned, you don't make friends with Salad. Evidently, you make friends with meat (but not friends with animals). The burgers and chicken wings flew off the table; the homemade coleslaw, not so much. I got Canada Day cupcakes for the kids, and the store-bought brownies seemed to go well, but the rice krispie squares were hardly touched. I don't get it. What am I missing here?

One area where I really scored, without even trying, was getting my husband interested in entertaining FOR ONCE. Getting him to help out with these things is like pulling teeth, but at the end of the day yesterday, he was talking about, maybe next time, we rent some lawn chairs and a couple serving tables, and put the drinks out on a table on the lawn, and a few other things that would have made it better yesterday. This is fantastic, since it means that, next time, I'll be able to count on his help.

So friends, just in case you have a second to give me some suggestions for future reference, what do you love to see at a bbq? Plates stacked with fried chicken? This would be a stretch for me, but if it makes people happy, I may try it.....