4-letter word

There are several choice words that contain four letters that I tend to utter on a regular basis lately, but for the past week or so I've been hung up on one ... and it's not really a word, per se ...

RSVP

Yes, four little letters that are really getting on my nerves. Why is it so hard for invitees to "repondez, s'il vous plait"? It's not like I'm asking in a foreign language!

But seriously ... More than three weeks ago I mailed out invitations to a bridal shower I'm hosting a week from today. There were 22 invitations sent, and so far I've only heard back from four people - one of which isn't going to attend. And there are two ladies who are "iffy" according to the bride's mother (whose home the shower will be at).

I've got to order a cake, buy groceries and try to figure out how much of what to cook. Then there's favors and prizes for games.

The really bizarre thing about this shower is that I don't know any of the guests except the bride, her mother, grandmother and an aunt. The rest are a mystery, which makes getting in touch with these folks all the more difficult. And a bit irritating, considering they were the ones asked to RSVP, dammit.