I don't really think we'll be swamped; gardening events don't really generate the kind of response that, say, a rock star concert would... & even if we do get swamped, we'll have the signs up about sharing & bringing a dish & so forth; Let's have tickets for the meal same as for the drawing: bring a dish, get a lunch ticket. bring Brenda a plant, get a lunch ticket. contribute supplies, etc, get a lunch ticket. We've always tried to set up near the gazebo (can't set up inside because it always seems to be reserved), since it's far off the street. I'll check with the parks people tomorrow & find out if there's anything going on that will make it impossible to get back inside the park. If there is, we'll just set up where we did last autumn. & I'll prepare some bright yellow signs to point the way! .

I agree with the other posters. It seemed like a good idea at the time, but now you know why more people don't try to give 2 parties in the same day! Basically, you set yourself up for 10 solid hours (plus pre-2:00 prep) of hosting, clean-up, re-set-up, and hosting again. Who could do their best with that kind of challenge? In addition, even though you are experienced hosts, I think you took on quite a bit here -- entertaining 75 people, including clean up and set up in between, without any paid help -- well, I am sure you must have been exhausted; who wouldn't be? And when you are that tired, it is indeed a big deal to have people stay late. If you had only one party, with either a smaller number or some sort of help, I bet it wouldn't have seemed so overwhelming when people stayed late. I am not sure why you are so outraged that people arrived at 2:00 for a 2:00 party. I agree it's nice to give the guests a little cushion and come a few minutes late, but you really can't get mad or be surprised if someone arrives on the dot. Sometimes people have to leave early because of another commitment, so they come as early as they can. (I've had people show up 30-60 minutes EARLY -- how would you like that? Once I was just getting into the shower!) I also don't understand this at all: "Almost everyone else showed up between 3:30 and 4:30 (the event was supposed to end at 5:30)." What is wrong with that? You said it was an "'Open House' from 2 - 5." My confusion isn't whether it was 5 or 5:30, it's that I don't understand what is wrong with coming between 3:30 and 4:30 for a 2-5 (or 5:30) open house -- isn't the whole idea that people come and go within the time frame? 2:00 is too early, 3:30 is too late -- and this is "laid back"? Regarding people staying late for the evening party -- well, they were having fun, so good for you! It must have been a good party. But here again, I don't understand a few things. First you don't seem to like it that many guests didn't come until 10 -- but you didn't plan to feed them dinner (and evidently were clear about that on th invitation), so perhaps they went out to dinner first or something. People come on time for a dinner party, but they don't feel they must be there at the very beginning for a munchies "shindig" -- four hours seems like a lot for that. Regarding staying past midnight: few adult parties (other than open houses; see above) set end times. Even if you'd put it on the invitation, I bet some didn't remember or even notice it. I also don't understand why you were surprised or resentful that you were in the kitchen: you invited a LOT of people to your home, and you started running low on food, so you did what any good host does: you got something for them to eat. If that happens again, spare yourself the work while your guests are there, and order a few pizzas. But as Lindac says: the most important thing is whether your guests had a great time. And it sounds like they did!

I downed a bottle of wine and cried all one day during the summer before my DS graduated. THOUGHT I had gotten it out of my system, but no! LOL I agree with Toni - it's not just your child, it's seeing all the other kids, too, that are like your own. You've watched them grow up, know their stories, they've spent time at your house, etc. At the end of my DS's graduation there was a standing ovation and it went on and on. The longer it went, the more I bawled. (Which is kind of ironic, because he was not a good student and was thrilled to be getting out of school.) He was just 17 and had not a clue as to what he wanted to do and I was just scared to death for him. Now, DD? That was a different situation. She was a great student, always did homework, no doubt that she would graduate, etc. I was very proud of her and shed a few tears, but knew she was going to move out and go to college, etc. We had had so many wars in the last couple of years before she graduated that I was just plain tired! Trust me, GrinchGut, from what I know from you on the KT - you better hope they put the levees up! LOL ((Stacy))

Oakley, "I think the room IS lacking in pattern." Really? IRL you can actually see colors in the houndstooth better. I think I'm about at my pattern limit but I like me some buffalo checks. :) Ha, I still remember when I put all the pillows on the bed and DH looked at me and said,"none of them match... ?" I like that rug in the inspiration pic but I'm not going to buy one for the room. Getting the right size could be tricky with the dresser location plus, you won't see it with the bed and I don't have the extra cash for one right now anyhow. Tina, the fabric I bought was only 3/4 yard but it's of the houndstooth pillows from the inspiration photo. I was going to wait to start a thread on that. I'd like to add it to the bed either with a pillow or on a throw... I don't want to find a bunch of the fabric (so please don't look or mention if you find it guys) because I have too much money invested in this room and want to keep all the pillows (except the red). It may not work at all to add that fabric back in but I think just touching it will somehow make me feel better, lol. I admit feeling disappointed looking at the original inspiration photo because I was just so excited about that fabric but I don't want to get into all that crap that went down with NH again. Anyhow, I'm using the original small coordinating houndstooth for the shower curtain base. Have to wait for NH to get more in. Was told by the end of the month. I bailed out on that calico corner plaid and housefabric houndstooth. I think they would've competed with the floral too much and I would've found them too busy. Bonnie, I actually wondered if velvet is dated too and maybe it can be when not used in the right setting. (such as my room):) I'll move on from that mainly because of the cat hair. Pal, That's a very, very good point. My head was really set on brown and brown curtain seems pretty easy to pair with paint so I wasn't too worried. I have that plaid fabric as a topper in my LR with a camel color cloth underneath and I like the combination. I realize the curtains won't be right against the fabric but I'm making the comparision that, my first thoughts for that tablecloth were so set on green, green, green that I couldn't picture the camel color. Turns out I like it much better. I won't know unless I try it. "Benjamin Moore complete set of fandecks has 3645 colors" :) I feel so silly. Returning curtains is much easier than repainting. They should make a t shirt that says that.