1) The ACTUAL BBQ takes place Sunday, May 25th. We begin the grill at about 1PM, and we expect people who are coming just for the day to arrive no earlier than 10AM. Anyone who is coming JUST for the day on Sunday is welcome from 10AM to very late at night. If you are coming just for the day and have not arranged crash space in advance, we will NOT have room for you to stay over. We have something like 15 people already staying over between Central and Booville, and we're pretty tight. (there are area hotels if you want information on sleeping nearby and not making the drive all the way back to wherever.)
2) (deleted and Avie's too lazy to renumber the other 10 points)
3) Sunday food will include famous Vinnyburgers(tm), hot dogs and possibly smoked sausages from the grill. In addition, we will have salads and vegetables, and many desserts. Several people have asked us if they can bring something, and we will tell you what we've told everyone every year. DO NOT BRING FOOD. The reason for this is twofold: First, we are very careful about what gets served, and we do not want to be in a position to vouch for someone else's food. If you find a really cool condiment or small something or other that you want to share, and it is SEALED, then go ahead and bring it. Second, we have SO MUCH food that anything that gets brought will likely get lost in the shuffle, leading to hurt feelings. DO NOT BRING FOOD. Avie and her crazy crazy crazy food safety issues will be MORE distressed by food showing up than any imagined bad manners for showing up with empty hands. We swear - it's worse to bring food than not. Did we mention, DO NOT BRING FOOD. Please. Please?
IF Mommy taught you never to show up at a party empty-handed, and somehow you are genetically required to bring SOMETHING, ANYTHING, ice makes a LOVELY hostess gift. Seriously. We always go through more than we expect to need.
4) For those of you staying over Saturday night, (You already know who you are. Saturday is an invite-only gathering where DE folks discuss businessy stuff, and get put to work scrubbing chairs, and generally getting ready. No insult intended to the folks who aren't part of the Saturday list - we just don't have time and space and energy for everybody all weekend) we will have something else to eat for dinner. We do NOT plan to have a heavy breakfast Sunday morning, but if you are staying over Sunday night, we will probably do omelets Monday morning before we kick you out. Food on Sunday, post grilling, has historically revolved around leftover hamburgers, poker salami and whatever you were wiley enough to find in the cabinets.
5) We will have two poker games: Hold 'Em Saturday night and Fannish Sunday night, both starting fairly early in the night (maybe 6, maybe
. We do NOT expect to have a second game running, because we need the space in the back bedroom for other activities. We will also have the full array of Double Exposure boardgames to choose from. The weather should be very nice this weekend, so we expect to make full use of our backyard. Speaking of which...
6) Anyone who is coming by car on Sunday MUST find parking on the street, rather than in our yard, because we need the space. There is legal parking across the street and on both side streets on either side of us. Those of you who are staying Saturday and/or Sunday night can temporarily park in our yard but must move the cars on Sunday morning. Bring your cell phone if you have any trouble, ask us. YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR OBEYING ALL PARKING SIGNS. If you wish to park overnight in a spot that is not ordinarily overnight parking, you can call the city police and they will record your plate number and try not to ticket you. WE DO NOT TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR COMMUNICATING WITH LOCAL AUTHORITIES REGARDING YOUR PARKING. (emphasis Avie's)
7) We have plenty of alcohol at the party, but we will cut anyone off whom we think is not drinking responsibly. Please regulate yourself so that we do not have to.
Obviously, we have some of the latest releases on DVD, so we will very likely run at least one or two movies in the living room. We will also be doing short stuff, such as Bullshit! If you bring your wireless laptop, you can have wireless access through that. Please respect that our computers see a lot of use and understand that we have decided NOT to make most of them publicly available.
9) Other than Avatar System play, which we expect a lot of, we discourage spontaneous role playing games. They tend to take up way too much time, and unlike board games, people are not able to just walk away when it is not their turn, etc.
10) We expect people to treat our house with respect. Please do not litter, please do not run through the hall, please do not stomp around and scream your brains out. Keep your hands, feet and a**es off the cars - they aren't yours, you don't pay for them, and they are not part of the furniture. (I don't remember who it was last year, but somebody plopped themselves on the hood of Dad's car. Not. Cool.) Remember that the upstairs has parentfolks, and while they love the sound of laughter emanating from the downstairs, there are limits. Dad will most likely be down to enjoy a burger or two with the crowd.
11) On the same track as item 10: This gets said every year, and it is intended as NO insult to anybody. No illegal activity. No underage drinking, no illicit substances. Be smart - we enjoy throwing these parties and really, there's no reason for us to be at risk for tangling with the Rockefeller laws in NY. (somebody on the property possessing illicit substances means the property could be claimed by the state as part of the "process". It's a really drastic law but fighting it is a pain the butt. so, if that's your idea of recreation, leave it at home this weekend.)
12) For those of you who have never been to the house (or anyone who has forgotten), PM one of us for the directions.
13) If you have any questions or comments, please send them publicly so that we don't have to repeat the answers several times. If you are UNSURE whether or not you have secured crash space Saturday and/or Sunday night, please contact us immediately (that can be privately).
14) If you are a brand loyalist when it comes to refreshments, give us some warning. Non-carbonated only, or no aspartame or no caffination - give me warning so we can be prepared. :-D
We look forward to seeing everyone this weekend!
