There’s No Place Like Home

Tucker, sacked out post Thanksgiving

The best part of Thanksgiving was being at home with family.  My younger brother’s family came up from Virginia and my sister and mother-in-law came over.  They all brought their dogs, so we had 3 canines including Tucker the wonder dog in the house; that’s why he looks so exhausted in the picture above from the Sunday after Thanksgiving.  He was tuckered out (pun intended).

Maverick was very annoyed about all the canine guests

The cat was indignant about being booted out of the guest bedroom which is where she likes to hang out during the week and spent the entire four days hiding out of site under our bed, only coming out each night around 3:00 a.m. to wake us up by leaping onto the bed to nestle on top of my husbands feet and cat-snore the rest of the night away.

With a house full of family from Wednesday through Saturday, it occurred to me that this was what it was like for those pilgrim women; round the clock cooking and cleaning.  First I would make a big breakfast, serve it, then clear the table of dishes and put them in the dishwasher.  Then about 3 hours later I’d get all the fixings out again to make lunch, serve it, clear it up and fill the dishwasher (again).  Then a few hours later I’d rassle up dinner, serve it, clear it and stack the dishwasher (again) – holy crap how did those pilgrims manage life without dishwashers?  Dishwashers: the 11th thing to be thankful for this Thanksgiving!

Meals were fun, with lots of talking and massive amounts of food being consumed.  My husband and kids aren’t really such big eaters; I have the biggest appetite in our immediate family.  So it’s fun when relatives are over and I make a meal that is demolished; I love to feed people who love to eat.

Everyone left by Saturday night so Sunday was a day to clean up the guest bedroom, the last remains of the kitchen mess and then spend some time relaxing and reading (The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt which is over 700 pages so it’s taking a while, but I’ll review it on My Left Breast when I’m done).

Then Monday morning hit and I was full speed ahead with clients and meetings and calls and….I was not ready for the whirlwind of work.  My clients are all trying to get things wrapped up before the holidays and it’s been a busy week.

It also hit me on Monday that it was December 2nd and the holidays are fully upon us, and I started to have that pre-holiday panicky feeling since I’m not at all ready or prepared with not even a single gift purchased yet.  And then I remembered my vow to myself after breast cancer.

One of my promises to myself in December of 2010, the end of the year of my treatments and surgeries was that I wouldn’t put the same kind of pressure on myself during the holidays anymore.  Things don’t have to be perfect, the house can be a bit messy, presents aren’t as important, the decorations don’t have to be so exact; it’s all really just about the memories and the family time now.

This Saturday we’ll get our tree and put up some decorations, it’s supposed to rain so I’m encouraging Mike NOT to worry about putting the outside lights up this year.  Then on Sunday I plan on going downtown for a couple of hours to do some Christmas shopping in the local shops (support the local economy and all).  I’m going to consciously focus on having a relaxing holiday season this year.  Hope you’re able to do the same.

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