We Are Having a Dinner Party Every Tuesday Night

"What?" asks my husband Jason.

"We are having a dinner party every Tuesday night."

He looks at me like I'm crazy.

I respond that I want to start cooking more, that since he is not working right now we had more time, we had to eat and so we might as well invite friends and make it fun. I used to have dinner parties for friends all the time and I missed it. I had chosen Tuesdays because Monday was my grocery shopping day. It all made perfect sense.

Jason is still looking at me like I am crazy.

"What is the big deal? We don't have anything better to do. (Sad, but true.) I'll have everyone come bring a beverage to share. That way it won't get too expensive. I already posted it on Facebook." I say.

"You what?!?" he asks incredulously.

"Yep, I posted on Facebook that I am having a dinner party every Tuesday night at 6 pm and the first 6 people to RSVP get to come."

I had in fact posted my invite on Facebook on Sunday around noon. I then compulsively checked for responses every half hour or so. By Sunday night all my friends to respond were busy this Tuesday but wanted to come another time. The pessimist in me was now was convinced I was going to end up having a dinner party for just my husband and myself--what a couple of losers. That's depressing. I figured it may end up that way a couple of times and that would be alright. It was NOT alright for the first one though!

I decided to tempt people by sharing the menu I had chosen - Stewed Chicken with Andouille, salad, homemade baguettes, and a traditional 2 berry buckle for dessert. That should get some takers, right? I thought some of my not so close Facebook friends might be a little timid about RSVPing, but I wanted them to. I wanted an interesting mix of people every week. Stir things up a little. It does take a while for things to catch on sometimes. Just in case I sent out a handful of emails inviting people. A more personalized, if still technological, approach might be the trick at first.

It was the emails that did the trick. Two couples were available. Yay! I then remembered that I had lent my friend our extra chairs for her Thanksgiving event so we could currently only seat 6 for dinner. I posted to Facebook that I was no longer taking reservations. Dinner for 6 would be just fine. I now felt optimistic and not at all like a loser. That was good.