BBQs from hell

pacific breeze · May 31st, 2006, 05:05 PM

Ever had a barbecue that didn't turn out as planned? We want to know all about it.

I agreed to host a big 40th birthday bash for a friend of mine. I rigged the big back yard with Japanese lanterns, tea lights in paper bags up to the front of the house, nicely decorated tables, massive amounts of food and drink, about 4 bbq's borrowed from friends, even an awning to cover the food and bbq's -- I was all set to go. It was a beautiful day, not a cloud in the sky and perfectly still. It wasn't muggy -- it was just a gorgeous day and I was so happy about that.

People started arriving about 4 p.m. The party was going great and about 6 the bbq team wanted to start the first round of goodies. No sooner had the steaks, salmon, chicken and chorizo been slapped on the bbq's when the wind started to blow and tore the awning off the bbq area. It started raining, hard. Everybody scrambled to move the food inside. Good thing too because about five minutes later the rain turned to snow. July in Calgary. Gotta love it.

My house was smaller than my back yard but the party continued with about 50 people crammed inside and the bbq team kept working in a cramped area beside the house where there was a little shelter.

It ended up being one of the best parties I ever had -- we rolled outside naked in the snow before it was over -- and it is still talked about to this day.

BUMP. Let's hear those stories!

SammysMom · June 2nd, 2006, 03:00 AM

One 4th of July we had a BBQ at my sister's and BIL's. Everything was going good, food was being cooked, everyone was having a good time. Well a friend of my sister and BIL was drinking quite a bit but no one said anything. I didnt even know this person, first time meeting him was that day. Anyway as it got dark he insisted he was going to be in charge of the fireworks. MISTAKE
First, he caught the neighbors garden on fire. Then got into a fist fight with my sister's 25 yr old stepson because he(the friend) decided to profess his love for my sister. You talk about everyone's jaw dropping. He proposed to her and had bought a ring. Yes my BIL was standing right there totally unable to say or do a thing. Ended up the neighbors called the police mainly for the fact he was drunk and had started a fire in their yard. Funny thing the next morning I had to work and at the time I worked in an ER. I go in and holy heck "the friend" is laying on a stretcher, hancuffed to the stretcher mind you. Seems he had to have stitches and had burned his hand, 2nd degree burns from the fireworks. He was so drunk he didnt remember a thing when I talked to him, he said he vaguely remembered me. He didnt remember asking my sister to marry him but he had the intention of letting her know he had fallen in love with her. Good Grief.
My sister still gets razzed about that BBQ/4th of July.

twitchy · June 2nd, 2006, 09:31 AM

Back in my student days, a group of us drove down into a consevation area one evening, lit a bonfire and were having what might have been a lovely barbeque if it hadn't been for Jay. His girlfriend had just dumped him and he decided to get plastered. He was wobbling about unsteadily telling anyone who would listen just how beautiful, intelligent, sweet, etc she was when he either lost his balance or passed out and fell into the fire. My then boyfriend and I put him into the car and set off for the hospital. We were nearly back at the highway when the car got stuck. The bf was helping Jay walk the rest of the way and I ran ahead to try to flag down some help. I got a truck with two guys who looked like extras from Deliverance. I knew the shortest way to the hospital, so I ended up in the cab of the truck giving directions. One guy kept turning to leer at me and I was trying not to stare at where his teeth ought to have been. I had a very uneasy feeling for the entire ride even though nothing happened. Jay ended up second and third degree burns to his left side with scarring that was surprisingly minor. Party on!!

A*O · June 2nd, 2006, 09:44 AM

It's a well known fact that Brits are clueless about BBQs. The technique seems to be to pile the Weber full of charcoal, spray it liberally with that squirty BBQ starter liquid (or petrol) light it and then start cooking immediately. The food is instantly burned to a crisp on the outside with an extra coating of kerosene, smoke and other toxins, while the inside is totally raw (and often still frozen, Brits don't understand defrosting either). I cannot tell you the number of BBQs we went to and left hungry because the food was completely inedible and probably a health hazard too.

Of course, now we live in the homeland of the barbie all is well.

Tenaj · June 5th, 2006, 05:07 AM

^^ Hey!! I take offence. Although I do agree with everything you just put.

Our neighbour did tell us once that we are in danger of blowing our house up as we made the barbecue under a vent where gas is expelled after using the hot water. Hmm.

aabbcc · June 5th, 2006, 08:05 AM

Back when I lived in a tiny little place with absolutely no yard of any sort, I somehow managed to set fire to my front step while attempting to barbecue with a hibachi.

After that incident, I wasn't allowed to barbecue anymore. Hehe.

Voodoo Child · June 13th, 2006, 06:44 PM

Rolled around in the snow naked? Holy!

Pandora · July 7th, 2006, 02:24 PM

It was cloudy, the air saturated with humidity, and I had the "brilliant" idea to grill beef in the improvised BBQer my father had made (bricks, coal, and a grill). "Smart" little me tried to make those sucker damp pieces of coal light up... miraculously, they did, but wouldn't last long that way. So I threw in tons of cleaning alcohol to keep the fire going... that also didn't last long. My beef ended up in a frying pan and it tasted like ashes and eucalyptus from the alcohol. Yuck.

LynnieD · July 7th, 2006, 03:30 PM

Just had one! It turned out amazingly well (in my opinion)....we went way overboard as usual. Ended up buying one of those big blow up Waterslides to keep all the kids occupied and to tucker them out. It was fun!

Goose · July 7th, 2006, 03:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LynnieD

Just had one! It turned out amazingly well (in my opinion)....we went way overboard as usual. Ended up buying one of those big blow up Waterslides to keep all the kids occupied and to tucker them out. It was fun!

Those things are the best though. I have neighbors that have one, and my step daughter practically drools when she sees it - especially if she can't go on it!

LynnieD · July 7th, 2006, 03:52 PM

^They're pretty cool! Hate to admit it! And really hated to part with the money to buy it, but those kids loved it. And my daughter, who is 2, likes it, but will really love it next year.

How much would you have loved to have one of those when you were younger??? I would have FREAKED! FREAKED!!!

Goose · July 7th, 2006, 04:29 PM

^^More than freaked, I think! Our biggest joy was getting to run through a sprinkler when I was a kid...and not those nice little misty ones...these were the POWER ones.