Hi, my friends! We are yet livin’ – just busy!
Elegante Mother has had occupational therapy, and physical therapy visits three times this past week. She is physically able to do all they are asking. We need to be better about doing the exercises when the therapists are not visiting, but EM is doing well.
Elegante Mother is still having memory problems, and will continue to have them. The medicine she is taking to forestall seizures could be part of her problem, and she may improve after September when she finishes this course of drugs. Or, she may not. We’ll just have to wait and see how things turn out.
This week has been CRAZY! In addition to all the therapist’s visits, Friday night was quilting bee. I love having these ladies visit, and needed the time, sitting and chatting with them, to recharge.
Saturday, we hosted a baby shower for one of my nieces. We have been participating in the trend where the prospective dads attend the baby shower, so this gathering was for both the men and women in our family. One of my nieces has been recuperating from surgery, and really needed something to occupy her time. We assigned the planning of the meal to her. Friday, she went with me to the grocery store to shop for the ingredients. What an eye opener! We had TWO carts filled with food, and managed to apply a 5% discount and a 10% discount to the cost. I was astonished at the savings.
Saturday morning, I started the day with my usual pre-party chores. I fed the birds, cleaned off the sidewalk, ironed the garage curtains,and made two pans of brownies (to be iced and decorated later in the day.) My niece arrived at 10:00, closely followed by My-Sister-The-Nurse, who was co-hosting the shower with me.
We began chopping, mixing, baking and generally preparing things, and then my second sister arrived. By noon, with the addition of Dear Husband, we had FIVE people washing, chopping, mixing and baking! It was just incredible! By 3:00 I went off to shower, and my relatives finished the decorating, wrapped a gift for us, and made pots of tea and coffee. I actually had the chance to chat with our guests because the food was so well organized.
We put out bruschetta, baked pita crisps with a hot spinach dip, crudités with a cold creamy dip and cubed cheeses with an endless variet of crackers. We noshed while we waited for the last of the guests to arrive, and then ooooh and aaaahed over the gifts as they were unwrapped. Since the guys were present, we did without the usual games.
This was my niece’s third baby shower! Her husband’s family hosted one, and her friends planned another. There was still a lot left on her registry last weekend, but it went fast! My youngest sis and I, and EM went together to buy the stroller with the car seat. One of my sisters volunteers at a local hospital, and she told us that it was amazing how many new parents come to take the baby home without the required car seat.
By the time the gifts had been opened, everyone was ready for dinner, which we did as a casual buffet. My niece had marinated beef and chicken in a teriyaki sauce overnight. The girls created shrimp and beef kabobs with onion, peppers and mushrooms, and chicken skewers with pineapple and cherry tomatoes. There was rice, Caesar salad, a romaine and tricolored pasta seven layer salad, enough fruit salad to feed Chicago, and four types of crusty bread. There were four desserts planned, and we actually forgot to make one of them. Fudge frosted brownies, cupcakes, and a lemon cake completed the meal.
By the time our guests left, sated at the very least, I had packed up three-quarters of the leftovers and sent them home. We still have a huge amount of food left, and I’ll have to plan meals around those leftovers. Let’s see….strawberries, blueberries, grapes, cauliflower, broccoli and peppers, and angel food cake. And BROWNIES! lol Should be an interesting meal.
We’re recuperating, having a quiet afternoon at home. I’ve checked my mail, done the Chicago Tribune crossword puzzle, and checked in with you. Now, I need to pay some bills, and write some thank you notes.
I hope you’ve all had a great weekend. If you’re in the heatwave, STAY INSIDE. Take the smart route, and stay cool. If you’re more fortunate, and the heat isn’t so bad…enjoy the day. Summer is speeding by, and soon we’ll be bundling up again.