Oh my! Yesterday, I never sat down for any great length of time. I tried to straighten everything (didn't make it to my desk!) and get the laundry done. I have a load of whites left to wash, and then tomorrow it will be time for my own clothes. I did 10 loads, or more, of laundry yesterday. And, did I *ever* pick up the messes.
THEN, blew up and told the girls (mainly Rissy) to get books and go lie down on their beds so I could catch up to them with my cleaning.
I asked them to make a sandwich for lunch, Rissy asked to make Ramen noodles, I (stupidly) said she could, then she transferred the remaining leftovers from the sauce pan to *the floor*!!! Not intentionally, but totally missed the plastic container. I went out there to a sticky, yellow, messy floor with broken noodles ALL OVER my semi-clean floor, not to mention the newly cleaned burners and stove top!!! She was asked to clean it up and then again two more times. I gave her PineSol to mop the floor. I have a bottle of lemon scented PineSol I discovered I hate. After two more buckets, the lemon PineSol will be gone. I can't bring myself to waste it by pitching it. I forgot how much I dislike the smell, until Rissy had mopped the kitchen floor. I finished up with a clear rinse of water. Still, the smell permeated the house. GAG!
Then, there was a mess in their bathroom, which had started out spotless. Tooth paste lumps, wet towels crumbled, and PONYTAIL ELASTICS everywhere!!!
I can't remember what else was torn asunder, but it was a record day of messes for our household.
I could barely move, but continued to plod away, removing the red from all garlands (except the mantel, which has a few red berries permanent affixed in its greenery), and dodging Chirper. He was the worst he's ever been yesterday. He attacked all of the greenery, attempted to climb onto the kitchen table to kill the red cardinals I had put there, and then he and Stormy "play-fought" with hisses and growls, bodies thumping around, and the blur of the two cats as they raced through the house. THEY WERE BAD CATS!!!! Chirper tormented poor Sampson until he barked for the 6th and, again, for the 7th time since Jesse-boy died. I was afraid he was going to bite Chirper with the few teeth the poor dog has left after his oral surgery in 2008!
Ohh, I was tired; but, I plodded away, plucking every bit of December red from the decorations and leaving only white doves, frosted greenery, and white flowers for the month of January - maybe longer.
Here's the bedroom hallway, with a close up of the winter white center.
Despite Chirper's attempts to trip me or knock me off of my step stool, I continued to move from door to door.
The doorway to "Sampson's hallway left with frosted greens and white flowers.
Jesse was still gone, long after I had expected him to be off work (early) and home. So, I continued on to the next room with red.
The formal dining room doorway into the den.
Last was the den's mantel. It still has a few (ONLY a few) red berries and pine cones that are attached. All else was removed except for the white.
The mantel in all it's green and white splendor!
By now I could barely walk, bend, or cry . . . and Jesse STILL wasn't home.
Despite being incredibly tired, I pressed on to the table. We were having broiled lamb chops with mint jelly, cheesy potatoes, broccoli and biscuits. It seemed to me that it would taste more "special" on a nice dining room table. I do believe I was deliriously tired by that point!!!
I decided to decorate the dining room table a little differently than in the past. Instead of white and silver, I did tuxedo black and white. I realized it wasn't the most important chore on the day's list, but I think I was so tired, I was functioning in a stupor. I dug out the mirrors, crystal clear beads, the clear glass candle holders, the cream candles, and the potpourri that I intend to use as a winter centerpiece. In my zombie state of being, I found black napkins in the linen closet and decided to keep the white birds (pheasants?) on the table for one more meal. Then I went to work.
Two views of the table
and the centerpiece entwined with crystal beads.
That was the last of it. I used our every day clear glass plates, as I didn't have an ounce of strength to bend and get the china out of the cabinet!!! The silver drawer was still out from last week's dinner. There was nothing to do but wait for Jesse to come home and take the 20 minutes I would need to cook everything. I jumped into a hot tub and asked Rissy to answer the phone if it rang. Of course, the minute I got in the bath, the phone rang. It was Jesse. He was on his way home.
He didn't arrive until I was almost dressed and that's when I realized that every inch of my body ached. PLUS, I hadn't worn shoes around the house (just slippers) for 2 days and my heels felt like little hammers had broken my heel bones! I was limping as I cooked dinner!
(have I sufficiently snared you into sympathy, or are most of you thinking, "CRAZY! SHE'S CRAZY!!!?????)
Everything cooked quickly and smoothly, except for the fact I found out I was out of Lawry's Season Salt. I use it almost everyday and haven't the slightest idea how I managed to run out. We buy huge bottles from Sam's and always put an item on the list when we begin to run low - not O-U-T!!!! I used Montreal Steak Seasoning and garlic powder on the lamb chops and they tasted, surprisingly, good.
The lit candles on the table - but no food yet!!!
The winter centerpiece I'll use after clearing the tablecloth and table pad.
Rissy attempted to take a few pictures of Jesse and me on the last day of the year, but my camera suddenly locked up and not even the flash worked. It mysteriously began to work again after dinner, so . . . who knows????
All we have is one blurry picture of us!
This must have been the third try trying to make the camera work, because it looks like Jesse was saying, "All right, Riss' that's it. No more. I want to eat!"
And eat we did. The five of us polished off 21 lamb chops of various sizes! There was enough broccoli left to make a chicken, rice, cheese, & broccoli casserole this weekend. We had no room for dessert, which would have only been peppermint ice cream, anyway.
The girls got ready for bed and then Jesse, me, the 3 girls, and 2 cats piled into the king bed making bets on who would stay up the longest. I was sure it wouldn't be me and Annamarie goes to sleep almost immediately when the lights go off.
Annamarie and Luci rubbed my sore calves and heels and Chirper decided to perch himself on me and send the old year out in a "big way" (on top of BIG me!)!!!
All we had was the glow from the TV, and, one by one, my family began to snore. The two who made it to midnight??? Annamarie and me!!! I couldn't believe it, either! Of course, after ten minutes, we had lights off and both of us were asleep. But . . . we made it, and that's all that counts!!! Annamarie was so excited to hear the neighborhood fire crackers going off and the fact her sisters slept soundly through the stroke of midnight thrilled her!!!
We didn't sleep all that late this morning. Jesse went to help a friend with some car trouble. Mainly to keep him company, because Jesse doesn't know much about cars. I called my mother and we had an absolutely WONDERFUL two hour conversation. We talked about our childhoods, her experience as a foster child, and my experience with HER as my foster mother. I explained, that she had been my mother longer than my own birth mother and sometimes I say, "Oh, no! I sound like my mother!" - meaning HER! It was a nice, nice, nice conversation. We rarely get to talk for long and NEVER anything except quickly catching up on news. I told her some funny stories about my sisters (her bio daughters) and we had a lot of laughs. She said she was going to my oldest sister's for dinner and my sister had mentioned some pictures of the girls I had sent in an email. I spent time collecting some of the best photos and sent them to my sister. I hope they enjoy seeing my exuberant and crazy family!
Tonight? Jesse is getting ready to go with a friend to see his mom in the hospital. He doesn't want to take Jesse's truck (the same friend who's having car problems) and, Jesse thinks, his friend doesn't want to go alone. She had some sort of break down and was placed in a mental facility for observation and is mad as a hornet at her family. I don't blame him for not wanting to go - none of the rest of his family will even consider visiting her.
I guess I'll turn down the oven temp so my pork roast cooks slower; then, jump in the shower and get my hair washed for tomorrow. I wish the rest of my new year would go this way - being ready to go each morning!!!
Can't wait to hear who stayed up and what you did to ring in the new year, even if it was sleep!!!!
Be blessed ~
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