Since When Did I Become The Bartender For All?

FireWoman
Originally uploaded by duncandavidson

This holiday was a little annoying.In the past when I was flush with funds,energy, and generosity I would always bring some Liquor ,wines,etc and make cocktails for the family get togethers. I even underwrote the booze portion of a cousins Bridal shower , and kind of regret it now due to her attitude. I'm inherently a giver. In my main line of work I get annoyed when people try to lure me into giving freebie advice on makeup and style. Who wants to talk shop in their precious free moments? It's like a doctor being bugged all the time.Now that I'm in the food industry as well , I would like to relax and just be a guest for once with no responsibilities. So you can imagined how annoyed I was when over the course of two days I was called and approached by lots of family members as to what cocktail I was bringing this year. I was instructed by my hosts that I didn't need to bring anything except what I would consume with Certain Someone. So I just planned on wine,that I get as a perk. I even planned to bring a few bottles to the gatherings. Well at the first gathering ( firework night at Auntie Mames)I got roped into bar tending with the existing ingredients for my cousins friends. She never made it to the event at my aunts. The friends ended up eating up our chicken ,etc as we we watched the fireworks and wondered where she was.Seems she was stuck in traffic because her stubborn Boyfriend wouldn't take the train . Everyone knows you don't drive in the city on the night of Fireworks. I tried not to be rude as Auntie Mame was watching, but it was odd. I figure you invite your friends ,you tell them to BYOB. At 7:00 am the next morning I was called my another aunt about what I was bringing and what to serve it in. I reminded her that I'm not a bartender and just planned on bringing some wine. She doesn't drink, therefore doesn't buy alcohol. Now we've been doing this for years,and everyone knows she has a 'dry' house. So if they wanted booze wouldn't it occur to them to bring it? I couldn't even cross the door before the 'Wheres my drinks ' started. The AWOL cousin offered up her Apple Martini Mix to me that she would have brought the night before. Mix , not Vodka.Auntie Mame brought her Vodka from the night before.I told my cousin she was grown and could make her own. She said she liked my touch. I tried to show her how to make a batch because 'I wont always be there'. She ignored my instruction and just wanted the drink. Another relation called another cousin and asked what I had made, and did I have 'bitters'. I told him to tell her if she wanted something she could make it herself and she had better pick up her bitters and anything else along the way. I didn't see anyone bring a beer ,etc. except Auntie Mame who brought the vodka from the night before.Do these people realize how expensive alcohol is and why should I carry the burden. Even if they brought their own, why should I be the bartender , when all I want to to do is relax and enjoy being a guest. I'm just crabby but hate being taken advantage of. My aunt says I should be flattered that people like my drinks. That's fine , but not when it becomes a expectation.