By the end of the last school year I was on my way to making senior preparations for Cindy. We had Senior pictures already taken, had kicked around post high school options, we were considering, planning, asking questions, reconsidering, and planning some more. I thought that I had it all under control and I did. One of the things that we had spent a lot of time on was starting to plan a Graduation party. Though we looked into the possibility, a home graduation party was just not feasible. I don't have the yard space nor the parking space. We decided to rent a hall. My little brother, Curt can get the hall of the union to which he belongs for a good price so we thought we would book it. I was warned to book early from the parents of a friend of Cindy's who ended up having their son's party on a Tuesday last year. It isn't that I didn't listen but first of all Mike wondered if we needed as much space as this hall provided. Then I asked Curt to check on it but we didn't solidify a date . Then came Michael's second surgery with it's complications followed by Mom's complicated surgery. Life happened and we never booked it. I remembered this last Friday when Cindy brought home the order form for announcements. Curt stopped over on Sunday and I asked him to, against the odds, check on availability. Monday he did and as I feared there was none. I immediately started calling halls. Booked booked and booked was what kept coming through my phone. Finally one hall was open. The catch was that you had to use their caterer. I got three or four of these. Though I pride myself on my cooking abilities and had planned on doing it all myself, I considered it and asked questions. Most were fifteen dollars per person. OK I decided to pass on that. Next there was a hall open where I could do my own food. For eight hundred dollars. Oh my I don't think so. I felt defeated. What to do ? I called Mike and Cindy into the room to help brainstorm.
We came up with a local restaurants breakfast buffet. It is less expensive than the catering estimates and if I didn't go too overboard on the guest list it wouldn't be much more than if I rented the hall and did the food myself. I called and yes they had an opening ! I started on the guest list and found that I didn't even have to cut it down much from where it would have been in a big hall. I put the deposit down and that is that ! Now all I have to do is show up and set out some pictures and everything else will be done for us. yes it is odd and different but so am I ! Thank God that I came came up short . He knew all along that I wouldn't need the huge hall and all of the work that would go with it . The only thing is that I am limited to one hundred and twenty guests, but realistically looking at the list, that should be just fine !
