But I'm getting a bit stressed out about it. I am exhausted, partly due to the cold that I am catching (thanks to Ella and all the other little snot monsters at day care incubating god knows what kind of supergerms) and partly due to the fact that all my finely laid plans are getting messed up this week. I have nearly every minute scheduled so when something goes wrong there is a domino effect.
I don't even want to get into it, but suffice it to say, I have to fire YET ANOTHER cleaning lady. What is this curse that I have brought on myself? Why do they all act like its not a real job and they can just show up whenever they feel like? Christ, I cleaned hotel rooms for money when I was younger, I know its a real job and I thought that I conveyed that whenever I hired someone new. I kind of don't want to fire this one because she cleans really well and is fantastic with Ella. But she has cancelled three times in 4 weeks, and every time it was absolute chaos here as I had something going on and absolutely needed the house clean. So, here's hoping that 2007 will be the year when I finally find the cleaning lady of my dreams. Thats all I want for Christmas. (PS B, if you're reading this, I am lying. I want jewelry please. The very sparkly kind.)
What else? I will post a photo soon of the "scarf" I am working on. It really is a mess, but it is such a mess that it is actually starting to look quite kicky. My sister and I have this theory that the key to looking cool is that one thing has got to be ugly/weird. All the rest can be pretty and impeccable, but one item has got to kind of throw you for a loop and then you look good. So when this scarf is finished it might be just the thing- my Go To Scarf. This is probably just a burst of optimism. Its more likely to end up lining some cat's bed, I suppose. Still, I live with teh hope that I am not doing all this for nought.
So yeah, this dinner* is going to be for 17 finally. That is pretty ambitious. I still think that its going to go fine, and really I think that 8 people for dinner is just too boring unless everyone is really really fun. With 17 people, there will definitely be a good atmosphere. The food is sorted. Have bought all the appetizers from Picard (thank god that Picard is a socially acceptable- and yummy- alternative to cooking it yourself). All the guests are bringing things so that takes care of cheese and dessert. Have borrowed chairs. Have borrowed extra soup spoons. Have bought the flowers (actually branches of berries that look so fantastic on the table. I really love how it looks). The chicken and veal stocks are cooking right now so I can throw the food in the oven to braise tomorrow afternoon and have it all stewing away while I do last minute things. I still have to go to IKEA tomorrow to buy a second table because I really can't fit everyone on the first table. Need to do place cards. Need to pick up one or two things at the shop. Can't think of anything else.
Its good writing things down- reading that back, I realize that I have hardly anything to do tomorrow. Well, that is if the damn cleaning lady shows up.
Will definitely try and remember to take some photos to post. Think I should take advantage of Ella's drug-induced nap (her cold medicine puts her out for hours. Must make a note of that for emergency situations...) and try and sneak in a nap myself. Right now the only thing that could really mess things up is if I get violently sick overnight. But I'm not even going to consider the possiblity. I am stuffing myself with Vitamin C and chicken soup until I turn orange and start clucking. See you on the other side.
* Actually, someone made the comment to me that maybe? now that there are more than 15 people coming? its no longer a dinner but more like a banquet. I kind of like that. A banquet. Like at the Elk's Club. We should all wear matching hats, I'm kind of partial to a red fez. It is a wine dinner. Surely by the end of the evening we'll be drunk enough to have invented a secret handshake and an oath of loyalty to the Grand Poobah. Definitely check in on Saturday for a party recap. I'm starting to think this is gonna be fun.
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2 comments:
Hi Nicole
I may be shooting from the hip here, but I would hazzard a guess that your house is actually perfect anyway. When you have five children like me, everyone's house looks perfect! Use the money on the days that your cleaning lady doesn't turn up for something nice for yourself, then your cold will start to feel better and you won't worry about a slightly messy (but I'm sure nevertheless perfect!) house!
Sally
You're right about over-reacting about the cleaning lady. I think that we get used to having the place absolutely spotless and then when she doesn't come, even if things are only a bit dusty, it drives us crazy. We started out just having someone come once a week so that we could get our ironing done and now we are talk wistfully about one day hiring someone to come every day of the week. I sometimes wonder if we aren't horribly spoiled.
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