Frantic, try not to freak out, Friday!

[lucylee]

Eeek! Getting kinda frantic around here.
And the dust/etc is the least of it. I keep reminding myself, the first Christmas was celebrated in a BARN. Is my house cleaner than a BARN? Yes. (Well, cleaner than the AVERAGE barn. I do know some people who keep their barns about as neat and clean as their houses.)
Anyway...
I'm just frazzled b/c I'm baking cookies, which will take me forever (simply b/c I do so many, and there's just one oven, of course)
and then dh says, "I didn't plan on eating supper w/ ds & family tonight, but I hated to turn them down again... we're always turning them down when they invite us..."
and then I've got to get going in the morning to go to Next Town and get food for tomorrow night/Sunday afternoon...
* whew *

I'm also feeling sorta Scrooge-like b/c I have several aggravations going on...
First, my necklace was finally re-strung at the jewelers, but it is probably an inch shorter than the 18" I wanted, AND the repair girl (who I found out is dmom's neighbor & wife to one of my childhood friends) KEPT the extra pearls -- I think! It just occurred to me that I have not actually COUNTED the pearls on the string now, nor did I count them before. Hmmm... she could have just placed them closer together. But they certainly don't appear to be much closer... of course, it's been so long since I've seen them, how would I remember??? Anyway... I'm really kinda ticked off, but not enough so to demand they make it right. I don't want to be without the necklace ANOTHER five months. * sheesh * I had a little necklace extender chain (from Wmart) and that makes it probably 19 inches long, and that is fine... but * sheesh *
Second, I hit a DEER last night. First time ever I've done that! Thank goodness, no real damage -- just a couple of scratches on the rear bumper. I guess actually, the deer hit ME. I saw him, and tried to slow down, hoping he would pass, but he had that "deer in the headlights" look (too) and he darted around as I passed him. * sheesh * That shook me up pretty much...

DS has called to make sure dmom remembers cinnamon rolls Monday -- does he need to buy them? And to get the tire inflator (b/c Santa has already hidden the bike at their house, but he didn't properly inflate the tires on dgs' bike for Sunday morning. DS will never know how much I love seeing him doing all this "daddy" stuff... ) And to get some of the TWENTY POUND ham a friend gave us...
Dbro has called to discuss dmom's Christmas gifts & the possibility of us drawing names next year, among him/his gf, dh/me, ds/ddil. I don't think my crew will go for that -- partly b/c most of us will just be buying extra for each other, and partly b/c I don't think ds/ddil spend as much as dbro/his gf... so it might put a strain on their budget to try to say everyone buys one gift & spends X on it.
Ddil has texted re: supper.
I called dmom to relay message about cinnamon rolls & vent about the necklace...

And I've been to the post office, grocery store, and car wash, in addition to the jewelry store.

Oh -- and remember -- it's good none of us are Martha Stewart. She had to do time in prison, remember? And I bet all her friends are secretly intimidated by her.

[Kathryn-in-Canada]

The massive cooking is going ok so far. A few minor hiccups, missing ingredients and dh misread his recipe and used onion instead of garlic powder, not that we have garlic powder, I used the last of it last night. I put the burner on under the cooked & mashed potatoes instead of the meat, so the recipe will be light on the potato since it took me too long to figure out why the dang frying pan wasn't heating up (our burner controls are counter-intuitive to me plus we use the portable induction burner for 90% of our cooking except dh had used the only frying pan with a cover that would handle my recipe so I had to use my really good, $200 frying pan, which I love, but it doesn't work on the induction burner.

I have 4 minutes until the next step in mine and dh is to the fill, wrap, deep fry stage with his egg rolls.

When I next post it will be after rolling out the pastry. This is the step I hate, hate, hate.

[Nancy]

Tried not to freak out bc I had to take h keys he said the dog locked them out of the truck. So while I was out & about went to wally world. After I was done some old dude was going too fast nearly colided so tried not to freak oyt at that near miss he slowed down after that and hopefully paid more attn. To his driving. Glad I was quick to respond on the break and had traction.

Got some water colors and we have been painting with them. fun! KidN is here now. Had15 flakes if snow they melted when they hit the ground. H. Is home now. Lunch is over.

Cookies are baked. Ex. Bike time got inturupted.

[lucylee]

Probably three dozen more to go. I make 6 pkgs of P illsbury cookies -- the refrigerator roll kind -- so that comes to approx 18 dozen cookies. That is ridiculous.
However, I just now gave the newspaper man a dozen... and I made 2 dozen w/out pecans b/c dnephew can't eat nuts... and I"ll take some to ds's tonight, for that side of the family tomorrow (and for tonight, and for ds/etc the rest of the week)... and I'll take some to dmom's Sunday... That's still a lot of cookies.

Oh well... I'll see how many I have left over Monday. Of course, ds would eat the whole 18 dozen if I gave him enough time, LOL...

I already need a nap, and it looks like a late night and an early morning around here. I think I'm letting dh's OCD-anxiety rub off on me. It will take me approx 45 min to do the rest of the cookies. We should be home by 8:00 or so... and I don't have to get up until around 9:45 tomorrow... so I can do this all and get plenty of sleep. LOL -- I'm already tired for tomorrow! These cookies are embarrassingly easy, but just being up and down on my feet all afternoon long & scooping and mixing nuts into that many batches of cookies is out of my normal routine.
Oh -- I also went outside twice and sprayed the coasters. So that's done. I think two coats of polyuerethene is enough.

[Harriet]

Nancy, about dog locking them out of a vehicle - it happened to me, too, once. Happy small dog pawing at the window, so glad to see that I only left the car for a moment and was coming right back - pop! Down went the lock under a paw.

From cardboard boxes I made two simple "sleigh" shapes and packed the 10 bagged toys for din-law's party in them in a single layer from tallest to shortest. I'll still leave them out beside the tree and hearth, but won't have worries about the tissue paper being worse for wear or not being able to see other presents because of all the tall bags. Cardboard actually goes with them, since the bags are all the red and black plaid with kraft paper tags.

HRH did not wrap dd36's family's present (computer) but wrote "Warning: Giant Lizard Inside. Do Not Block Air Holes". And then he drew on some dots.

Twins' and Ramblin' you might be able to appreciate some of my dcousins' delight at the moment better than I can. The self-proclaimed "genealogy junkies". My An cestry DNA came back and it seems they see a "monumental breakthrough" (their exact words, and these are usually sane people) because of it, linking me (and therefore all my first cousins) super clearly to our grandmother's grandmother's kinfolk. I don't understand it fully, but two of my cousins were up late into the night on phone and computer, pouring over the kinship links A-DNA found. It's nice to have been able to give so much holiday sleeplessness. But anybody could have told them I am the most like our sweet, virtuous grandmother!

Dstepson and ds moved the last of ds' furniture and even took a dresser upstairs to our green-eyed boy's bedroom. Now all the large pieces of dstepson's things, including washer/dryer, can go in on Monday.

Ds and family had a chance to go with ddil's parents and siblings to a vacation rental after Christmas but they declined for more than one reason. What this means for us is that "all 16" of us will be here the evening after Christmas for our family get-together. That does not count little niece and dsecondsisil - I'm pretty sure dbil will have to work and they might not try coming without him.

[Harmony]

Ah, Harriet, isn't it lovely to have so much family around!

Speaking of family, I called DD2 today and DGS answered and asked about DH's sizes. Apparently they were out buying our Christmas gifts, which was not necessary (was really expecting probably a gift card in the mail, would have been really fine) but now that there's gifts...and it's so late...are they coming to us late in a mailing? or are we to get a surprise visit sometime. Hmmmmm. I asked DH if he'd heard anything from them and he assures me no...though wild horses wouldn't get a secret out of him. So I just don't know what to think. We've never had a holiday like this with us not traveling to see everybody. I'll just go with the flow and whatever happens, happens, and whatever doesn't, doesn't.

And to complicate matters, we'll be gone from 11:00 to early evening Christmas to DH's family get-together. Oh well.

I got the vacuum run all over the house finally. DH has decided he's making Berlinas to take Sunday (which are raised yeast donuts with jelly inside). I tried to tell him nobody will eat them after a big heavy dinner, but apparently it is something special in his family from their childhood when their grandmother made them. 3 people will remember and appreciate... but my goodness what a lot of work to do at the last minute. My kitchen will be tied up all day tomorrow.

As we were making shopping lists and copying that recipe, I told him if I wasn't getting pulled into this massive project I'd have had the floors mopped by now. So as I went off to the store he began to mop floors for me. Yay!

I'm sure glad Lucylee didn't wreck her car with the deer, and Nancy get in a bad accident. I've seen a bunch of that the past couple days. 3 cop cars had 1 guy pulled over at WM, he must have done something bad to have that much of an escort. Yes, traffic was awful again. 1 parking lot was crammed full. Store shelves were getting empty. I helped a guy find the very last turkey baster!

I got big shopping done at 2 stores for the berlina stuff and things I am taking Sunday (big layered green salad Harriet would no doubt enjoy) and disposable plastic boxes, I also got 3 returns done so all that is off my kitchen counters.

I am Martha Stewart's orphaned twin! I love all that stuff, but there's no time to do it and few appreciate it any more. This younger generation could care less about most of it and only want their latest electronics. It's a different world these days.

Washed all that plastic stuff (to take the berlinas in) so have to dry them and a bunch of other stuff, empty dishwasher, clean up a bathroom, and I want to color my hair and do a pedicure and a manicure. I'm looking pretty ragged. I'll see what I can get done.... I might need to examine the inside of my eyelids before it's all accomplished.

[lucylee]

ALL the cookie dough is mixed & scooped and now I just have to wait on the oven in 13-min increments...

So nice to see what everyone is doing for the holidays, and I do wish you and your families so much joy and laughter and love in the coming days. I hope you all have happy, relaxed, fun times.

Holidays always do make me just a wee bit anxious... just the going and doing and giving and receiving... it IS exhausting, isn't it? And I guess it is hard for me to let go and just let everyone be responsible for their own feelings -- not worrying about whether dmom is doing "okay"... or if dh is getting anxious b/c we're running late... or if dh has enjoyed all of this that he can stand and is ready to call it a day & go home... or if ddil is mixing with the girl cousins enough or if she feels left out... or (this year) if dbro will be fine with keeping gift giving as it is (b/c I was right, my bunch does not want to start drawing names between our 4 and his 2)... or if this person likes what I got them or if I spent enough on that person... * sigh * See what I mean? I just always feel a little edgy before all the festivities start.

BUT. That's just me... I wouldn't be me without a little anxiety, I guess. And I know I am definitely NOT responsible for everyone else's happiness. And all this "stuff" is just that. It's not the real reason we are celebrating.

I've probably had too much cookie dough tonight, btw. I must remember that any stomach issues tonight are most likely directly a result of that, rather than anxiety.

So... one more batch of cookies after this one, and then I can relax with the newspaper and my book and sneak in a little nap before bedtime.

[Nancy]

Well I got back on the exercise bike. When wd did cookies KidN unwrapoed Hershey's kisses and put them on the cookie dough balls, of a mix of pineapple cake mix that tasted wonderful & Hawaiian. I sent half of them home with them to her dads. She had fun. I have been having fun using the water colors. Dog was locked out too so they took a walk while waiting for me. Glad we got take out chicken & rolls yum!

[Kathryn-in-Canada]

Tortieres finished up at 6:25. Dh cooked burgers for dinner (we were going out but I was so hungry I couldn't wait to eat after the baking was done so he cooked while the pies baked.)

We went out to Costco and got the fruit, cheese and veggie trays. That's less work for me further down the line although I'll probably add some veggies to the veggie tray. May even decant it onto one of my dishes. We hit another store on the way home and got the missing horseradish so dh is making his dip now.

I've stalled on the table setting but will restart now for just 30 minutes. I need to decide which china to use. My grandmother's isn't dishwasher safe but I have 17 place settings. My own is, but I only have 12. I'm planning on giving the kids luncheon plates, partly because their table is a bit small to begin with so smaller plates will help it not be too crowded. But I will have up to 13 adults so need one extra large plate. It makes the difference between hand washing just one place setting, not 18 so I guess I'll go with not matching!

Tomorrow I'll polish all the silverware. Tonight I'll focus on getting glass, crystal and china out.

[Kathryn-in-Canada]

I'll need to run the glasses through the dishwasher on rinse but the two china cabinets have now been cleaned and all the glass, china and serving dishes are on the table. And I mean ALL the serving dishes. I don't know what I'll need but when the table is set, I won't be able to get into the cupboard with the china so I have to get everything out and find a place to set it up.

The plan is to put the main dishes along the counter in the kitchen and people will wander through with their plates to load up and then sit at the tables which will have pickles, rolls, butter, etc. I think I might have them pass through again for drinks or find a place to put the drinks out so people can serve themselves.

People on the far side of the table are at a disadvantage since they'll be almost stuck (it's a tight fit), although they can slip through the balcony doors. Once I set the table up so access was only through the balcony (I think that was Thanksgiving and the weather was still good) but made sure those afraid of heights were on the other side of the table. This time we have the table on an angle.

Dh is getting ready for bed so I'll follow. We have to leave here by 3 tomorrow. Preferably 2:30.