The Mania begins

Wow, is it the 23rd already? Jeez - I'm barely able to process what events have transpired up until now.

Regardless of how it came to be, I must still live with the consequences of my choices. Of my actions. I've been sewing.

Yes, see - it's almost Thanksgiving and... Well, that really should be explanation enough. Need more? My parents are coming to visit.

It's their first trip to Boston since we've moved here and even though they're extremely laid-back people (for Hoosiers), they're really easy going and fun-loving, and I’m getting tense. I feel the mania building. I've been fighting it off for weeks but it came to a head this weekend.

It started with a list
I had to make a little list of things to pick up from the drug store. It was simple: paper towels, tooth paste, deodorant. But then I walked through the kitchen and saw how the curtains don't coordinate (they actually clash with) the rugs, then I realized we didn't have extra chairs, then we needed actual blankets for the guest bed, and the next thing I knew I had a big Target check list. Complete with boxes to be checked.

So, husband in tow, I hit Target. (For the record, when we were waiting for a parking spot I urged my husband to be more aggressive saying, and I now quote "This is a war." )

And $227 later we returned home with bags and bags and we did laundry. Or rather, he did laundry while vacuumed the tiny wisps of spider webs from the ceilings. We laundered and laundered and laundered. I think we did 9 loads. It was spectacular. Everything is clean and smells great. Everything - curtains, table cloths, sheets, blankets we don't even use, the cat bed, everything.

We've got 3 full days until my parents land (at midnight on Wednesday) and I believe we'll be ready.

So far....
I reorganized the pantry.
I organized the guest room/home office.
I'm awaiting the delivery of my Container Store purchases so that I can get the front closet sorted.
I cleaned out my own closet.
I cleaned out the refrigerator.
I cleaned out the freezer.
I scrubbed the scuff marks off the walls.
I installed fresh Glade Plug-ins in each room of the house.
I sewed curtains.
I ordered the Thanksgiving meal.

Oh yes - while I've bananas and started sewing, I know where my skills go a little wonky. I can cook with the best of them, but cooking a complete Thanksgiving meal (and timing it right so that everything is ready at the same time) is daunting. It's not hard to cook a turkey or bake a pie. But when you've got to do it all at the same time... its possible there might be crying or swearing or worse.

So I called up the local grocery store and discovered that I could order dinner for 10 people for under $50. How great is that? Sadly, there will only be four or five us -- but still!

I called Indiana last night and confessed to my step-mother. Her reaction was as I expected, "Don't go to trouble for us." She means it. She encourages us to take short-cuts for big events like this and to remember to have fun.

And this is my holiday entertaining tip - just because you didn't cook it yourself doesn't mean that your meal or party or whatever isn't special. Remember, you cleaned your own toilet or wall or pantry and the key to a good meal is all in the presentation. And if that's ruined, get your guests drunk with tasty wine.