Dear Amy: A few weeks ago my husband and I invited some of our friends over for dinner. I made a wonderful meal, only to have our friends bicker with each other at the dinner table. My husband tried to cut things off at the pass before it got too out of hand.
Last night we were invited to dinner at another friend’s house. Dinner was wonderful until her husband started to drink too much. Before we knew it he marched himself upstairs, which left my husband and me with my friend, who was crying her eyes out because her marriage “sucks” (those were her words).
My husband and I have a wonderful marriage. We don’t know how to react to this type of behavior.
My question is, what do we do and how do we make a quick exit and still be polite? — Frustrated With Friends
Dear Frustrated: I vote for making a comment to put the offending parties on notice, and then — if that doesn’t work — getting your coats.
You or your husband can say (a version of), “Watching you two argue is like having dinner with Joe Biden and Sarah Palin. Can’t we find a topic we can all argue about together?”
Dear Amy: My 68-year-old mother is getting married again. It is a substantial wedding with a sit-down dinner and a dance. I am the matron of honor and the only bridesmaid.
Because it is her third marriage and they do not want gifts, do I need to host a bridal shower for her? I have two small kids and work full time. We are watching our finances.
I would like to do the right thing, but I’m not sure a shower is necessary, and I do not want to embarrass her. Any suggestions? — Julie
Dear Julie: You should ask your mother what she would like — if anything. If she wants to get together with some of her women friends before the wedding, you could host a tea or dish-to-pass lunch. You can keep costs down by asking guests, in lieu of gifts, to bring their favorite kind of tea and sweets to share.
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