I don't know what to do. [View All]

Problem:
My dear friend (3 generations of family friendship growing up) invited me to Thanksgiving dinner in Houston.

However, her house is a mess, not big enough for many people and she does not have a working stove. She has a microwave and a turkey roaster. She has a stove and I asked her if it worked. She said "the gas was cut off and I don't have the money to wire the place for 220." She has a husband who I think comes and goes and I do not know if he is working or not. I assume that if he is working he could do something about the stove but he has a whole lot of problems and her life has been a soap opera ever since I've known her, the farthest back I can remember is about 1960. Her mom is extremely bright but wacky as well (dropped out of Rice University, math major, and had my friend as her oldest child).

She wants everyone to bring something from home. I really don't think she can pull off a dinner without a stove. She was planning on eight or ten guests.

I live in the middle of east Texas and I am 150 miles from Houston and Dallas.

I have invited my friends here from Austin, Houston and Dallas, several times. Including Thanksgiving. What happens is I end up fixing lots of food and nobody shows up. It is nearly impossible to get people up here on weekends.

DUer Kentauros has been to my house. (He's a nice guy!)

However, people in Texas don't seem to mind driving long distances so I don't see why 2-1/2 hours' drive is a big deal. I guess people are too busy working. I'm retired.

The only close relative i have is my grown daughter who does not have a car & rides a bicycle around Houston (a dangerous thing to do). DH has two grown boys in Tulsa he is not especially close to.

:shrug:

So it's either not enough room, and not enough cooking facilities, or my place with lots of room, an adequate kitchen, and nobody showing up.