'Meat' me half way!

We are lucky to be able to BBQ outside in our apartment complex. So the husband will cook the meat, ribs, or chicken outside.  I on the other hand will be inside cooking up some sides to go with the BBQ. I figure cooking on a BBQ should take no more than 20 mins or so....I'm always wrong for some reason! When my family comes over....its like the BBQ takes hours to be cooked. Oscar and my dad are out side and about a 6 to 12 pack of beer later the BBQ is finished. During this whole time....the sides I made are now cold and the rest of us are starving! Tonight we decided to make a BBQ.  Oscar took the meat out to be cooked and said start cooking in 15 mins. I did wait...and then made the sides.  He was done 5 mins after I had started cooking! I give up...next time there will only be BBQ and no sides. Yes, I said it...no sides...my husband has a two sides with his dinner rule....trust me I snapped that right out of him when we got married.  If I'm going to have to wait 1 to 2 hours for BBQ then no sides will be served!