Reflections (not the serious kind)

This time of year, one of the unfortunate results of urban sprawl (is that what it is called?) are deer strikes on the freeway. On Christmas Eve, a deer had been hit and someone had stopped to put a red clown nose on its face...

I did it. I made it through my first Christmas spent apart from family in California. Not going to do that again.

January 1 begins the great fast of 2007. Ruler of the Roost and I have commited to exercising three times a week and cutting out all the bad food we currently eat (in bulk). Goodbye carnitas, chips and homemade salsa, Christmas bread, sweet and buttery frosted sugar blessings of a cookie. No more waffles, heavy sauces, ice cream or starch. I have to wear a bathing suit in three weeks!

The hit - a kitchen/oven & stove top for #3. He and his brother pretend they are at Shogun (aka Benihana) preparing egg fried rice and hibachi chiken.

The miss - Leapster TV as a Santa present was a BIG MISTAKE. Someone please tell me how to make the blankety blank stylus work. Never mind, it has been returned to the island of misfit toys.

Sleeping till 8:30 is the best!

I love the immediate gratification that a clean, empty house brings post Christmas decor take down.

Ruler of the Roost wants it to be known that he alone has successfully assembled said kitchen/oven & stove top, bike ramp, fusion scooter, and trouble shooted the broken light in the basement. In addition, he installed a dimmer (with lots of help from a very capable friend).

I need to load MY music on MY ipod. We're currently enjoying Chris Tomlin's "Better Is One Day" one moment and Beyonce's "Naughty Girl" the next... musical Schizophrenia.

Family trip to the "snow" (snow used very loosely here) - hotel: $209.00 pizza dinner: $54.00 breakfast buffet: $24.00 two hours of innertubing on the man-made runs $100.00 Ruler of the Roost tripping onto the moving carpet ramp up the slope: priceless.

Not looking forward to the wailing protests of my children when they have to go back to school.

Remembering Her

She is all around me. I use her dishes, make her recipes, wear her jewelry and look everyday at the porcelain nightlight that was on her dresser for as long as I can remember. We shared a fear of the dark.

Lately, I've found myself connecting the most mundane things to my memories of her. My cat came from her backyard. I don't eat a cheeseburger and fries that my mind doesn't flash to lunches on her porch. Oranges remind me of the hundreds I picked off her trees every year.

The other day, I unpacked the acrylic Christmas ornament that she gave me the first Christmas I was married. I've put that thing on the tree every year and never noticed she had written her name and the year on the back in her elegant handwriting.

Yesterday, I met my child's class as they sang carols in a nursing home. I hurriedly entered the building knowing that he would be anxious to know I was there. I wasn't ready for the sights and smells to so abruptly take me back to her. I gritted my teeth, took deep breaths and imagined the tallest ice cream cone to try and compose myself in a room of sweetly singing children.

She loved Christmas. I can still see the poinsetta on her kitchen table. I will miss sitting next to her, making her mimosa and bringing her a plate of her favorite breakfast food on Christmas morning.

She never would have presumed that her life was such a gift to me. I used to tell her she was a character. Feisty, flirtatious and headstrong. She would always reply that she wasn't any of those things. I think those were some of the most enduring things about her. I'm thankful for all of the things around me that provoke such wonderful memories of her.

Happy Birthday, Grandma. I love you and realize that I miss you each day more than I ever thought I would.

Does that mean I look good?

"Mom, you look just like Darth Vader." #3 to me, as I emerged dressed for Ruler of the Roost's Christmas party on Saturday night.

It Ain't No Regular Tea Party

My lack of posting lately is directly the result of tea... Specifically the 2006 Northeast Christian Church Christmas Candlelight Tea.

Actually my lack of cooking, cleaning, laundering, shopping, mothering, EATING and blogging resulted from my responsibilities as coordinator of said tea.

Now, for those of you in so-so Cal, you might be thinking a tea? That girl was in charge of putting on a Christmas tea? The girl who mocks glittery Christmas sweaters, giggly all-girl parties and everything that is crafty? Yes, it was me. That's what happens when you make fun of things, God arranges for you to be put in charge of them.

Exhibit 1 -

That is one of 73 tables that were decorated by hostesses who provided dessert, gifts and decor to a table of eight. The tea is offered on two nights along with a "holiday bazaar" and program with a guest speaker. Approximately 1,200 women attended.



I didn't do it all by myself. A team of 12 women and Logan (who interestingly enough is the staff guy actually responsible for the tea) all served in various capacities (ticket sales, programming, crafters, hostesses, marketing, prayer, admin, hospitality to name a few) worked over the last nine months to make it happen.



The evening started with viewing of all the crafters - we had about 26 different vendors who sold jewelry, personalized books, decor, candles, purses, custom chests, embroidered items and quilts. There were three different "tea rooms" where all of the tables were located. Inside the tea rooms, women were seated at their assigned tables where they ate dessert and participated in an ornament exchange.

A few things most didn't know about...

1. A semi truck ran through power lines adjacent to the church and we were told that the church's power might have to be interrupted.

2. I had a hostess fail to show up. This meant that the people who had purchased tickets to her table arrived and discovered that they had no hostess. I had previously called our "no show ho" (as I affectionately referred to her) and in my most polite, assertive voice asked her to leave her home asap and at least bring her food. She explained that her daughter was still in the shower and she might not be able to make it.

I had Ruler of the Roost deliver all the place settings and food and another hostess donated her food and we whipped up a table in about 15 minutes. Disaster averted. They were happy to go shop for their "complimentary candle" while I set the table.

3. I'm still not clear on how this happened, but I get a phone call from Logan who tells me that the main speaker, and three of her family members or friends were on their way in to sit down at a table. I'm thinking, we're sold out, I don't have anywhere to put them, etc. My good friend Amy was hostessing and I saw she had empty seats, so she saved the day.

4. We had to tell the speaker on the first night to shorten her program. She went too long and by the end was KILLING ME... We talked with her and she did a much better job Friday. Though, for what she got paid... she should have hit it both nights.

Which brings me to another sub point - If I got some voice lessons and learned a few Amy Grant knock offs, I think I could take my show on the road... stories, songs, pictures of your family, a "golden nugget" and wah la - you're on the women's speaking circuit making the big bucks. I just have to find a glittery, sequined Christmas sweater first.



I met lots of very nice people - something that at the outset, I was hoping would happen. Many of the women who attended don't go to church - hopefully, their experience at the tea was a good one.