Family ties

I'm in charge of organising a family meal at some point in the coming months. Normally my mum would do it but she's protesting because last time she did, one of my cousins and my uncle weren't consulted about dates and couldn't make it and so sulked at her (at least, that's what my aunt says when she's being older sistery and critical). My dad just sides with my mum because he isn't blood related. My eldest cousin has escaped to China (a little extreme but desperate times call for desperate means) and is so laid back that he just doesn't get round to giving us the dates that he's back in England for or even to replying to emails half the time or breaking up with his girlfriend (but that's another story). My middle cousin is at university and hasn't spoken to his parents in about a year at least and I haven't seen my youngest cousin for two so goodness knows what's going on with him...

So I guess you start to see why I'm the one in charge. As the youngest in the family and the only cousin/ niece/ daughter I'm the only who no one wants to turn down. For everyone else it seems like a fairly solid plan... for me, well, I'm meant to be revising for exams (aka watching reruns of One Tree Hill and Friends - One Tree Hill helps with English because Lucas is a writer and I have to question whether half the stuff could happen in it which helps my critical thinking which is required for my history exam) so it's slightly annoying but hey, if it brings the family together then maybe it's a good thing.