Hi @junebride, yes it is, I guess that's the new normal. There were silences sometimes, and we thought about my friend's husband who was usually the initiator of such gatherings. He brought people together and he's terribly missed.

For being a part-time vegan, we eat plant-based meals at home but when invited by friends for meals prepared by them, we eat whatever is served. My friends at the barbecue were open and understanding about the plant-based thing. We had lots of choices so I stuck to the vegan dishes that weekend. But in other cases, we're prepared to be more open to avoid adding stress to the host. Thanks so much for reading.