"The Dinner Party" finds the Evans family getting ahead financially, the children's part time jobs leaving them an extra $35 at month's end. Florida decides that Thelma can take singing lessons with neighbor Gertie Vinson (Frances Foster), only for Gertie to announce her unexpected retirement. Willona delivers the news that Gertie has been forced to give up teaching to avoid cuts in her social security check. Michael learns something even worse while taking out her garbage, that Gertie has been reduced to eating cans of dog food. The family invites Gertie to dinner with them but she has other ideas, bringing her famous meat loaf with her. Assuming that it's made from dog food everyone scrupulously avoids the meat loaf, JJ saying the grace: "the Lord is my German shepherd!"