Tuesday, November 24, 2009

Thanksgiving Week!!

I LOVE Thanksgiving. I love it. LOVE. Something about a big holiday with nothing to do but cook and eat and then lay around. Ahhh, yes. My favorite holiday is upon us. We're having John's dad, Jane and the boys and John's sister visiting this year. I am making Emeril's brined turkey, Jean's stuffing, Jo Anne's mashed potatoes, Amy's corn casserole, Jane's seven-layer salad, Ocean Spray's cranberries, Green Giant's frozen green peas and Jack's apple pie. So, you see...I just take everyone else's recipes. Works for me!

I guess I need to go to the grocery store now. I'm days behind where I usually am at this point.

I had a party for a few of my friends on Saturday night and that has thrown me behind. I made authentic enchiladas since I have been craving them and can't seem to find any good ones up here. It only took 5 hours to make two pans of them.

(No wonder you can't find them up here.)

It was the world's most awkward party. In a group of 8 ladies, there were two separate tiffs going on. I only knew about one of them. I couldn't figure out why the hell everyone was so quiet. There were three ladies who I hadn't had to my house before and I was getting nervous. I thought maybe it was me. Or, were the margaritas gross? What the hell? Certain people were avoiding certain people and everyone was rather quiet. I felt like a big buffoon--laughing too loud, talking too boisterously, spilling margaritas on the floor...trying to lighten the mood.

But, you guys. The best thing EVER happened to me. I am not being dramatic (as I usually am). John got me a one-time house cleaner for Christmas. HALLLLLLLELUJAH, thank ya baby JESUS in your manger.

It was the best day of my entire life.

I spent two days de-cluttering, but having that party inspired me to do that. Then, we left the house for three hours and when we came back it was sparkling from top to bottom. I cannot even put into words what this did for me. I am still walking on air. It is like I got a week of free time......I figure if it took three people three hours to clean, it would have taken me 9 hours. That is only if I didn't have any kids under my feet. With kids? It would have taken me all of eternity. It would NEVER have happened.

The lady called to tell me that I really should do a better job cleaning my kitchen floor. She ruined her manicure getting down on the floor and scraping stuff up.

You think I don't know that? (See also: margaritas spilled, and two children who get more food on the floor than into their mouths. And then step in it.) That is why I have been slowly losing my mind and weeping alone in corners about the state of the floors. That is why hiring YOU was the best day of my life. So, no. I don't need to do a better job of cleaning the kitchen floor. At least not this week.

Now I've turned back into a raging Type A lunatic. I'm trying not to scream at the kids about dropping things on the floor. Andrew has a plastic sheet under his high chair. But that's okay. Because I have a smile on my face.

4 comments:

Angie said...

That's the problem with a clean house-you want it to stay that way. I remember when I would be home in the summer and I had cleaned the house really well. I would follow Allen around, going "aren't you going to pick that up?" It was a good thing I worked most of the year. I still cleaned, but it wasn't my priority.

Yay for clean houses, boo for arguing house guests, or nonspeaking anyway. At least you had good enchiladas! And, tell me how to make them!

Grammy Bonnie said...

I can see hubby's list for all eternity:
"gifts for wife - -birthday: house cleaning; Christmas: house cleaning."

He's probably as happy about this as you are!

Bevo said...

Life is too short for tiffs! Sorry some of your guests couldn't overcome trivialities to be pleasant and conversant!

Remember back in the old days -Lois used to come on Tuesdays to clean the house, but by the time I got home from work, Jack was cooking dinner (AKA messing up the kitchen) and I never saw it clean! That was a bummer! No more Lois, but I kept Jack.

Anonymous said...

Your house cleaner is worried about her manicure? (Give her a pair of rubber gloves.) That's one of the reasons I've never hired a house cleaning service. I'd probably spend a week cleaning the house before the cleaning crew was due. Can't write anymore -- I have 5500 words to write for National Novel Writing Month and less than 24 hours. Can you say "procrastinate"?
Love,
(Great) Aunt Linda