Arrrgh!!!

I have to admit that I've just done the beginning preparation. This year our family will be split up, celebrating in several different places. My oldest sister's family will be joining us, and for the first time, Dear Husband's children will be here. My sister took on the chore of polling the family to be sure that we didn't have any last minute surprises. It seems we might have one anyway.

Normally, one of my nieces does Thanksgiving for her husband's family. His mother comes to them from the East coast. Unfortunately, she is not sure of her plans, so my niece is not sure whether she will join us or not. That means I have to plan for an extra five people who might not come.

It's not a big problem. There's ALWAYS too much food. Everyone who comes will contribute to the menu. I need to be sure we have enough tables and chairs, and place settings and glasses. Today I'm working out what we will use to decorate the tables. This weekend we will start washing glasses and platters and china, and I'll double check the linens. I'll count chairs to make sure that we'll have enough seating for 22 people, and check the candle stash to see if I need to buy any for the tables.

Next Tuesday the window washers will come, and Wednesday the cleaning lady will give me a hand. I'll bake rolls and quick breads, and tear the bread for stuffing. Most likely, DH will do a pan of lasagna, for those who aren't fond of turkey.

This week is the last chance I will have to put the lawn and gardens to order.
I'm incredibly lucky! We are going to have four days of sunny weather in temperatures up to 65, so I ought to be able to get most of it done in time!

I love getting ready for Thanksgiving! I like having the house in good order, and it's a joy to have family join us. The extra effort is minimal and the return is well worth it. For me, it's the perfect way to start the holiday season.