Hi mosaic
Thank you so much for your reply. There are so many helpful tips here, I really appreciate them. Great idea to talk to family/friends beforehand. And I love ‘don’t cater pud for me’ when I get to step 6 I’m using that! It also sounds like your journal is a real help to you, I still need to get to that stage. I’m working on it!

I’ve got a couple of special meals out coming up. I love starters but most people go for main course and pudding. So I’m thinking of having main course and then a starter as pudding! Why not.

Thanks again for all the tips and for sharing your experiences

Fiona (Rosie)

: I always found family things fairly
: easy because I have very amenable
: relatives They never mind me
: phoning ahead to check the menu,
: or turning up with extra dishes or
: accompaniments to fill a gap.
: After all, they have seen me
: though a million mad diets over
: the years so this is really calm
: and peaceful LOL

: doesn't always work out , there was
: one time that my hostess decided
: lasagne didn't have wheat in it
: She had made such a
: thoughtful effort and was proud of
: catering for me specially

: ( I choose gluten free as that suits
: me best) So I decided to be polite
: and put a note in my journal.

: it was holidays and travelling that I
: found a real challenge. The first
: few times were a disaster, I got
: pretty much everything wrong :)
: but it was from those times I
: learnt well. Nowadays its a
: breeze. Its like the steps, little
: by little. Sometimes things aren't
: perfect but I have learnt
: that sometimes good enough is good
: enough. Journal is my best friend
: in this instance.

: For family things, I found that a
: chat ahead of the event was good.
: Mostly, people just want to help
: you out . If left to when you
: arrive, its no good.... I say,
: just checking what are you
: planning foodie wise? Don't cater
: for pud for me, but would you like
: me to bring anything along?

: theres several standby dishes that
: are really handy to bring to
: buffet type do's, like falafel,
: hummus, roasted peppers, cheese
: board, chicken tikka bites,
: stuffed eggs

: manys the time Ive had a substantial
: snack in handbag for just in case.
: And its good to remember, that
: before step six, to just to do the
: step you are on..... go for the
: good brown, the protein thing, and
: pudding is fine. With all the
: steps in, there isn't that pull
: and magnetism. So choosing gets
: easier, theres no battle then, it
: is a different situation

: another good one is if you are
: meeting half way in a restaurant
: is to enthusiastically suggest
: your favourite ones. Not only is
: it great for us, you also get a
: reputation for good taste I always
: do well at harvester, any Indian
: restaurant, Italian.....the only
: ones I haven't got the hang of is
: Chinese or fish and chips.
: Sometimes theres no starter that
: appeals, but then I get to choose
: something from the vegetable
: selection like garlic mushrooms or
: asparagus, I ask for that instead
: as a starter and they always help
: so that's nice. And my family are
: well used to this dance

: but these are all things that you
: find out bit by bit as you step
: along. You'll find different ones
: from me and then you can
: share them right back