There's never enough time!!!
(Hey! I started drafting this post on Saturday 2/5, but didn't actually post it until Monday, 2/7! hmmmmmmmmmmmm?)
Do you ever feel that way? Never enough time??? If you don't, I figure you must not have kids or grandkids (or both!!)
The past 2 weeks has whizzed by me so fast that I don't even remember it all! I have been involved with the grandkids a LOT. I have attended a baby shower and been involved in the planning of a reception (for tonight) and another baby shower (next Saturday). I bowl once a week and enjoy that. Ron and I have gone to Baton Rouge a couple of times for Big R functions. I got involved in a sewing project and always always always am trying to clean out my little office. But let me get on with this post.
So...as I mentioned, I am involved in the planning of a reception that is being held tonight. It's the kind of situation that wakes you up at 3 a.m. and won't let you go back to sleep. It's the kind of situation where a young man is trying to have a surprise anniversary party for his parents and has asked for your help.....except that he wants everything done a certain way.....and you don't really feel comfortable with some of it. Do you ever get yourself into those situations???
This is a 40th Wedding Anniversary. Ruby. 40 years ago, this bride's colors were pink and white. The young man brought a clipping of the wedding announcement from 40 years ago, yellow and brittle....but complete. It was from a small town newspaper and was complete, even to what the mothers of the bride AND groom wore! He thought it would be nice to somewhat duplicate the "bride's table" where his parents will sit to eat their meal. So, I got a large pink square of satiny material and hemmed it. I pressed it and layed it across the guest bed so it would not wrinkle. There's a reason I tell you that detail....but I'll make you wait.
The young man is preparing a sit down meal for 40 guests. He asked my good friend, Barbara, and me, foradvice direction support. Barbara and I used to go to church together. For many years. We (as well as a group of other friends) would plan, organize, decorate and pull off many events like this at the church. We work together well. We understand each other. We don't always agree. (Ok, we RARELY agree. The entire group works together but Barbara and I seem to be the outspoken ones, so when we have different opinions from one another, we express them!) but we have ALWAYS been able to produce a nice event. We all bring items from our homes (lace tablecloths, candelabras, doo-dads and nic-nacks.) We both have encouraged this young man and tried to give him a few suggestions and directions as he wanted to purchase all of the plates, cups, cutlery, napkins, etc. Barbara specifically told him to buy clear plastic plates, cups and napkins. He had purchased pretty napkins in burgundy and white that say "40th Anniversary". Did I say that 40 is the Ruby Wedding Anniversary??? (Hence the burgundy color, I guess).
Now Barbara and I volunteered to decorate. We are going to set up the tables, create small centerpieces, decorate a backdrop for the cake table and the "bride's table", etc. We were going to get a "gang" together the day before and get this done....unfortunately the weather did not cooperate. Schools have been closed for the past 2 days and it has been rainy and cold....with freezing rain being the culprit in shutting things down and keeping us inside. We could not go the day before....so here we are, nearly at the zero hour.
We do not know how many are coming. (No formal invitations....all 40 were invited by telephone calls.....no RSVPs). We had a plan for the tables....sort of. We were going to use some glass cylindar vases that another friend had used recently for her 50th reception. Her family had stuffed them with gold "shred" and circled them with magnolias. Our plan was to stuff them with pink netting and sprinkle pink and ruby (burgundy) colored tidbits and sparkles around them. The young man has a small burgundy candle holder for each table...these are BIG ROUND TABLES! Hmmmmmm. Here's the dilemma: The other day the young man stopped by to stash his paper goods here as he lives with his parents and transports his mother to and from work. He doesn't want her to see them so I volunteered to keep them here. After he left, I checked his supply of goods and was moving them to another area. Oh my! Red plates, red cups, red cutlery. Bright red. Valentine red!
He is so proud (and so nervous) about what he is doing....and so wants to "pull this off" on his own. Barbara and I don't want to discourage him or hurt his feelings....so at 3 a.m. today, I woke up with the realization that we need to figure out HOW to pull the red together with the burgundy and the pink in the whole scheme of things. The cutlery will be on the tables. He is not doing a buffet, but having the filled plates served to the seated guests.
Okay. You can QUIT laughing at us. This is IMPORTANT STUFF!
I will not post this blog today for obvious reasons. I do not know if my friends (the guests of honor) read my blog, but I don't want to take a chance of ruining the surprise.
Oh....and because it has been cold, the cat has been sleeping in at night. The other evening he came in and apparently chose to sleep on the guest bed.....where the pink fabric was safely spread out, clean, pressed and staying unwrinkled. When I discovered it, there were muddy footprints across it!!!! Aaargh! I guess I should be happy that 1) It wasn't the fairly new comforter with footprints on it, and 2) the pink fabric is 100% polyester. It has since been washed and is waiting on the ironing board to be pressed. Again!
So....I will now take my shower, try to fix my hair which is 2 weeks too long (and with very short hair...that is HUGE)....dress and get on about my errands. I volunteered to make or buy the tea. I had decided to make it and saved milk jugs. Ron vetoed that plan and has told me to go buy it. I also will try to find something red at one of the dollar stores, to try to pull the burgundy and pink together.
Do you ever feel that way? Never enough time??? If you don't, I figure you must not have kids or grandkids (or both!!)
The past 2 weeks has whizzed by me so fast that I don't even remember it all! I have been involved with the grandkids a LOT. I have attended a baby shower and been involved in the planning of a reception (for tonight) and another baby shower (next Saturday). I bowl once a week and enjoy that. Ron and I have gone to Baton Rouge a couple of times for Big R functions. I got involved in a sewing project and always always always am trying to clean out my little office. But let me get on with this post.
CHAPTER ONE
(You may want to get a cup of coffee before you continue)
So...as I mentioned, I am involved in the planning of a reception that is being held tonight. It's the kind of situation that wakes you up at 3 a.m. and won't let you go back to sleep. It's the kind of situation where a young man is trying to have a surprise anniversary party for his parents and has asked for your help.....except that he wants everything done a certain way.....and you don't really feel comfortable with some of it. Do you ever get yourself into those situations???
This is a 40th Wedding Anniversary. Ruby. 40 years ago, this bride's colors were pink and white. The young man brought a clipping of the wedding announcement from 40 years ago, yellow and brittle....but complete. It was from a small town newspaper and was complete, even to what the mothers of the bride AND groom wore! He thought it would be nice to somewhat duplicate the "bride's table" where his parents will sit to eat their meal. So, I got a large pink square of satiny material and hemmed it. I pressed it and layed it across the guest bed so it would not wrinkle. There's a reason I tell you that detail....but I'll make you wait.
The young man is preparing a sit down meal for 40 guests. He asked my good friend, Barbara, and me, for
Now Barbara and I volunteered to decorate. We are going to set up the tables, create small centerpieces, decorate a backdrop for the cake table and the "bride's table", etc. We were going to get a "gang" together the day before and get this done....unfortunately the weather did not cooperate. Schools have been closed for the past 2 days and it has been rainy and cold....with freezing rain being the culprit in shutting things down and keeping us inside. We could not go the day before....so here we are, nearly at the zero hour.
We do not know how many are coming. (No formal invitations....all 40 were invited by telephone calls.....no RSVPs). We had a plan for the tables....sort of. We were going to use some glass cylindar vases that another friend had used recently for her 50th reception. Her family had stuffed them with gold "shred" and circled them with magnolias. Our plan was to stuff them with pink netting and sprinkle pink and ruby (burgundy) colored tidbits and sparkles around them. The young man has a small burgundy candle holder for each table...these are BIG ROUND TABLES! Hmmmmmm. Here's the dilemma: The other day the young man stopped by to stash his paper goods here as he lives with his parents and transports his mother to and from work. He doesn't want her to see them so I volunteered to keep them here. After he left, I checked his supply of goods and was moving them to another area. Oh my! Red plates, red cups, red cutlery. Bright red. Valentine red!
He is so proud (and so nervous) about what he is doing....and so wants to "pull this off" on his own. Barbara and I don't want to discourage him or hurt his feelings....so at 3 a.m. today, I woke up with the realization that we need to figure out HOW to pull the red together with the burgundy and the pink in the whole scheme of things. The cutlery will be on the tables. He is not doing a buffet, but having the filled plates served to the seated guests.
Okay. You can QUIT laughing at us. This is IMPORTANT STUFF!
I will not post this blog today for obvious reasons. I do not know if my friends (the guests of honor) read my blog, but I don't want to take a chance of ruining the surprise.
Oh....and because it has been cold, the cat has been sleeping in at night. The other evening he came in and apparently chose to sleep on the guest bed.....where the pink fabric was safely spread out, clean, pressed and staying unwrinkled. When I discovered it, there were muddy footprints across it!!!! Aaargh! I guess I should be happy that 1) It wasn't the fairly new comforter with footprints on it, and 2) the pink fabric is 100% polyester. It has since been washed and is waiting on the ironing board to be pressed. Again!
So....I will now take my shower, try to fix my hair which is 2 weeks too long (and with very short hair...that is HUGE)....dress and get on about my errands. I volunteered to make or buy the tea. I had decided to make it and saved milk jugs. Ron vetoed that plan and has told me to go buy it. I also will try to find something red at one of the dollar stores, to try to pull the burgundy and pink together.
CHAPTER TWO
In the words of Dr. Richard Carlson's book "Don't Sweat the Small Stuff...And It's All Small Stuff!"
The reception turned out fine. The decorations turned out fine....Barbara and I work well together and seem to have the same vision. When the guests started to arrive, nothing else mattered and it was an evening of great fellowship.
Barbara and I decorated from 2 to 4 and then I came home and changed and picked up Ron. We got back and poured the tea and ice water into pitchers, lit the candles and greeted arrivals. Shortly after, the guests of honor arrived. We had a great meal and cake and punch....everyone seemed to have a great time. I had volunteered to bring the tablecloths home and launder them.
Sunday turned out to be a beautiful day so after church I came home and started washing the tablecloths. Most of them got hung on the line.
This is about half of them....hmmmmm....this picture doesn't look like a sunny day!
Sunday evening Jake, Christie and Emmie were here for hamburgers and watched the game with us.
Now it is Monday afternoon. It has turned cold again, and according to the weatherman, it is supposed to STAY cold through this week. I am unhappy. I am ready for spring! Emmie is here again as we pick her up every Monday at noon. She takes really good naps for an 'almost 5-year-old'.
So...this has been a pretty mindless post of things that will be uninteresting to many of you...but that is what my life is like most of the time. Busy with unimportant details!
See ya later!
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