The past two weeks have been tough! Part of my family celebrated Thanksgiving here, so we started about a week before, cleaning and decorating. The day was quite a success.
Then, we had ten days to prepare for an open house for my mother, who will be 88 on Tuesday. Of course there was more cleaning, but we also needed to take down all the Thanksgiving decorations and put up most of our Christmas decorations. The Christmas tree in the living room will wait to go up until close to Christmas Eve. The house is so dry that a live tree turns to tinder in less thatn three weeks. So, we put up wreaths, stockings, Christmas quilts, and decorations, and I put garland around the front door, and swags at the carriage lights.
Early in November we sent out invitations to our family, to the Empty Nesters group at church, to our entire exercise group, and to a wide range of friends. She even invited her favorite doctor and her pastor.
Without an incredible amount of help from my nieces and one of my sisters, I could never have pulled it all off. My youngest sister and one of her daughters came Saturday and we prepared the ubiquitous toasted cereal mix. (I have TONS left!) We vacuumed and cleaned, and set up coffee, tea, iced tea, soda pop and wine stations around the outside counters of the kitchen.
Two of my nieces work for a large grocery chain and they arranged nine trays of finger food and 8 of desserts. We had dips, veggies, fruit, cheese, lunch meats, shrimp and taco salad. There were tortes, cookies, cakes, and fruit tarts. We covered the center island of the kitchen, and a good part of the dining room table. No one went hungry, and we encouraged guests and family to take food home.
The house was crammed with visitors. The Empty Nesters came early and departed in about 45 minutes, because they had to go to choir practice. The exercise group came next, and they stayed and chatted for most of the afternoon. Then family came in several waves. It was wonderful to have a full house!
Everyone gravitated to the kitchen, or to the two rooms off the kitchen. It doesn't matter who we invite to parties....they all end up in my kitchen. It was a great party.
Most of the food has been refrigerated. I'll wash wine glasses tomorrow, and I'll get Dear Husband to take the recycling stuff out to the bins, and we'll try to get back to normal.
Now, I need to get my Christmas shopping done. I wonder if I could do it by proxy???
Comments (10)
3 points:
Food, Food and more food - jeeze I'm hungry already!
Tell your mom Happy Birthday for me (not that she has a clue eho I am . . .)
Internet shopping, the only way to go!
Posted by bogie | December 6, 2004 4:36 AM
Posted on December 6, 2004 04:36
I know. You have to make it a point to visit here just after a meal! lol
My mother knows who you are....sorta! lol
YES!!! After I pay my bills tonight, I plan to do a little on-line Christmas shopping.
Posted by Buffy | December 6, 2004 7:59 PM
Posted on December 6, 2004 19:59
Well, of course you've been harried and hurried. All of this is enough to send anyone into a tailspin. If I ever give a large to-do, I'm hoping that you'll come organize me for it (if it's possible!) Well done!
Posted by Cop Car | December 6, 2004 8:50 PM
Posted on December 6, 2004 20:50
I could do for you what my family did for me. Just having someone to give a second opinion about things.....and someone to help with set up, and making sure your guests have something to drink, and a place to lay coats... that assistance is priceless. I'm good with the lists of things to do a month, a week and a day before the event, and then I need a little help the day of the party. Dear Husband is astonishingly good at the day of the party assistance, but hates the lead up (I think).
I can be your concierge!
Let me know when you're going to throw a bash and we'll come out.
Posted by Buffy | December 6, 2004 9:05 PM
Posted on December 6, 2004 21:05
Keep in mind thatI don't do picnics or hot weather.
Posted by Buffy | December 6, 2004 9:05 PM
Posted on December 6, 2004 21:05
The last big to-do that I recall giving was nearly 40 years ago (Dudette & Bogie helped in the coats/receiving guests department--they were so cute in their turtleneck sweaters and ankle-lenth gingham jumpers of red/white for Dudette and green/white for Bogie--at a Christmas party for about 40 women), so let's not hold our breath. I keep thinking how nice it would be to see people; but, I am intimidated by the thought of actually getting everything together to effect the plan. I had a grand scheme in mind that, when I retired, I'd start having "at homes" on Sunday afternoons. Well, it's still an idea!
Posted by Cop Car | December 7, 2004 3:50 AM
Posted on December 7, 2004 03:50
I think my real problem with the "at home" idea is the nagging fear that no one would show up.
Posted by Cop Car | December 7, 2004 3:51 AM
Posted on December 7, 2004 03:51
Silly woman!
I think the idea of an "at home" is lovely! Once people got in the habit of coming to visit, word would spread and it would run on it's own. You'd have to work it, to start.....but it would be well worth it. You and HH have hordes of friends and acquaintences who would visit. I can see you off in a corner talking "technical" talk! lol
Posted by Buffy | December 7, 2004 9:35 AM
Posted on December 7, 2004 09:35
Since only a couple of my friends are non-technical people, it is the non-tech talk that would be in the corner--LOL. They will feel like subversives!
Posted by Cop Car | December 7, 2004 10:58 AM
Posted on December 7, 2004 10:58
SABOTAGE that tech talk! Tell awful jokes!
Posted by Buffy | December 7, 2004 4:20 PM
Posted on December 7, 2004 16:20