Post turkey party

After a week of recovery from a haze of alcohol and turkey, I have some out of the fog and ready to get back to a routine. I also dealt with laryngitis last week-much to the joy of my family. However, it didn't seem to stop me from drunk dialing my son at my party Saturday night and questioning him about missing Tuaca from the bottle...looked quite watered down,according the the Tuaca expert.Think it went something like: "Okay, where is my damn Tuaca? It looks like the Tuaca has water in it. Don't water down my Tuaca!!" Andrew not only had a voice mail on his phone, but a couple of text messages from drunk friends who couldn't find the Grey Goose bottle. Those were indecipherable.."OH where oh where ids Andrew......" and "Your mither wants to know where her Grey Goose is.." Andrew called to ask what my message was..all he could decipher was "WACA WACA!" It's interesting how things come full circle when your kid approaches adulthood...now I have to explain my behavior as opposed to the opposite.

Not only did we indulge with turkey, Maddie and I went to Volt for lunch. Such am amazing dining experience. An entourage comes to your table when the food arrives so all food can be uncovered at one time. They have a fork person, a bread person, a napkin person....whew.. And beauty doesn't touch it.

So, back on the bandwagon in the good eating department. And no more alcohol until Christmas.

Thanksgiving is looming!

We have come out on the other side of the big bash. No worse for the wear. Have to say, recovery time was longer. And no excuses for that very garbled voice mail to Andrew about stealing Tuaca from the bar..all he heard was waca! waca! HHmmmm...boy, have times have changed when you call your child and offer no excuses to them as to your state of mind. And one last thing...noticed 24 hours later that the family pics in the hallway were turned upside down. Again.
So, thanks to the massive furloughs, I am off this week, which is a good thing. We are headed to Volt today to celebrate a great report card for Maddie. The cooking begins tonight. We wait with baited breath for the celery salad and cranberry sorbet. Andrew will be sorely missed this year, but should be home in about 3 weeks.
No desire to even do any shopping for Christmas, although a perfect opportunity.
Enjoy the holiday!

let the games begin...

This weekend launches the beginning of the holiday season with me. Since 1999, I have been hosting a large Bop TIl You Drop party, which began as a celebration of my birthday. As I grow older, the less inclined I am to label this as a big birthday party.
So, the planning begins. Same formula this year. We were in Disneyworld last year, so things have resumed. Difference is I needed to tighen my belt..no DJ. I will depend on my Ipod. No jello shots. Sangria is the drink of choice.
Past years have proved to be a great example of debauchery and insanity. Copious amounts of liquor consumption had resulted in people barfing in the woodpile, front yard...and try explaining that when its your hubby and I am your boss. One year, someone walked into the bathroom and found a couple in a compromising position. This is a lock on the door people. And then there was the year I woke up that morning, in a fog and in need of aspirin and caffeine, only the find all my family pictures hanging upside down on the walls. Now, you know, that took quite a while to do that..and it was done in the course of the evening, right NEXT to the bar. And not one soul said a word or even noticed I think.
I do think things might be calmer this year. We are a bit older, maybe moving a little slower, and staying up late requires much more effort and coffee. I do count on lots of shots and everyone's dance shoes polished and ready to go. Let the games begin...

Being thankful

It seems a number of folks are delving into their thoughts of what they are grateful for. It's the time of year-Thanksgiving is coming up as we know. You know, the holiday no one in my family can remember what we were doing last year. Except Maddie. So, I am going to give my thanks. I am feeling especially thankful in light of my dear friend's sad news this month...

I am grateful for my family. I have wonderful kids who are kind, polite, compassionate, smart, understand the value of money, make me laugh, and go with the flow. I have a husband who will remember small mentions of wants and needs and will do them without asking twice. He might grumble about an extra job, but pitches right in and often does so without being asked. Except for maybe house work.

I am grateful for my great staff. The are dedicated, easy to work with, and considering what we have gone through with our budget the last 2 years, do all this without complaint. It makes my job so much easier.

I am thankful to my neighbors. Who care for my dog when I call on them. Who walk with me anytime I call. Who keep my daughter employed in babysitting. Who are a big part of my social life.

I thank the heavens above for my health everyday. I can still bob til I drop. Although I think I drop at a much earlier hour than I used to.

I am grateful I live with wonderful cooks. Who will step up in the kitchen and create amazing things. Actually, thank God my whole family are foodies. We eat well and celebrate well. Is it wrong to be grateful for eating well?

Thank you for my Beemer.

I am thankful for all the travelling I have been able to do. And will do in the future.

I am thankful for reality TV..because it just reminds you just how grateful you are of your life.

Music. Life would not be complete without music.

Tomorrow..things I am not grateful for....

family roots

I have been inspired (not sure what the inspirtation came from) to start searching information about my family heritage. Perhaps it was the death of Alan's mom that got me thinking about where we all come from and what sordid, I mean, heroic, activities those ancestors have done. Fortunately, its much easier to do this sort of thing nowadays. Ancestry.com is a great online source and its free through the library. i didn't really have any interest in this, but it has been a great exercise in reference work, which I miss. So, I poke around a little everyday. I am focused on my father's side of the family, as my mother has been looking on her side. Fortunately, my father's relatives are local, mostly Baltimore and Pennsylvania. Highlights of my search include: My great grandfather owned a saloon in Fell's Point called Andy's Place. I have a great pic of the bar, but didn't know who the lounging, happy men were in front. My grandmother was married before she married my grandfather. Now that was news... My great grandfather also ran a boarding house and was involved in Baltimore politics. He had a run in with the law when he dumped manure behind his house (he had stables) and the city had a fit . Always a rebel... I continue to search..perhaps some other dark secret will pop up..as my mother is hoping. She is so hoping her staunch Methodist mother in law has some child out of wedlock. Don't hold your breath..

Just when you think things can't get worse..

A warning to all who might be reading...this is not an uplifting, light, happy blog entry. I am racked with emotion and need to share-and this is my avenue.Just got through the funeral and I got a call last evening from a very dear friend who has been part of my life for 35plus years. She has been diagnosed with ALS, otherwise known as Lou Gehrig's disease. There is no cure and no treatment. Your muscles stop receiving signals from your brain to walk, talk, hold a cup, and eventually, breathe. Your mind remains in tact, you can feel, see, touch, think. You simply can't make your body move... i am an eternal optimist generally (except for a bit of cynicism). I have read they are doing clinical trials to see if something might address this horrific illness.And Stephen Hawkes has lived 40 years with this illness. My heart is beyond broken for my friend, who has a great zest for life, a positive spirit, and truly cares for all those in her life. Why does God strike down the good people? I'm gonna be there to support her, be her friend, a listener, and someone to laugh with. It's time to make the very best of life today because no one can predict what tomorrow will bring. And who knows..maybe I can be part of her bucket list and share some adventures...I might draw the line at skydiving however. :-) Count every moment..things can change in an instant.