Close but no cigar

So, what does this title have to do with all these lovely photos????  My sister last year was describing that traditional cultures have various things in common---one of them is "how to throw a party".

Now, let me start off with my defense.... Our family has been sick with a serious cold for over two weeks now-- various members hacking, dripping, crying, moaning, not-sleeping, etc.   Also, Mark's semester has been full and he's still working away on various work projects.  Also, Mark and I had planned a two-night, three day get-away.  Also, I always come up with great ideas and all too often, unfortunately, say them out loud (my plan for the new year is a great-idea-book-- write them down but don't say them aloud and then berate myself for my lack of follow-through).  These are some of the pre-cursors to the "Let's do a christmas party for our staff this year" but then "let's not allow enough time, energy, money to do it properly"....

So, the Saturday as we were leaving for Ft. Portal, I heard Mark on the phone calling Steven (one of our employees) saying, "Oh, and on Tuesday we'll have a christmas party for staff so tell them to bring family and come at four".  At that point in time, I should have said, "get back on the phone and say, "we're having a casual get together with a christmas cake, all families are welcome". But I didn't, and as Tuesday rolled around, I realized that what we were thinking and what they were thinking were probably not the same thing.  But at that point, the train had left the station and we had to move forward (that very day, i also told the kids they could help me go to the grocery store--not a quick affair here, and told a friend I could have lunch with her in town)

According to my very-reduced plan of what the "party" was going to be, all went well.  The families and kids had fun, the weather was lovely, the cake was yummy, etc.

But "how to throw a party" is not about these things: its about the food, the real food.   So, alas, if i was to do this again, i would figure out if we had time and money to have a good Ugandan buffet line-- matoke, rice, potatos, casava, sweet potato, greens, pumpkin, meats with sauce, groundnut sauce, fruits, etc.   And I would cater the party so that our workers weren't working or cleaning up the event.  And all people would have felt the party was properly consummated.

Note: The traditional party is also about music, speeches, undefined length of time, dressing well, decorating the affair well..... these were also all features of the party that also lacked cross-cultural gusto but the lack of a meal is the real kicker!