A Warm Hello to All,

I haven't written for a couple of days. I am still recovering from the Christmas "gathering" I'd ended up organizing and making happen. I'd spent a couple of days prepping.

I'd decided a "buffet" was going to be the easiest approach for all. I'd also learned that some were staggering their arrival times. So I'd turned it into an "open house" with a "buffet." The Open House" hours were announced by my mother: 1pm-9pm. Sorry, I have to laugh here --

We'd had a total of just 24 people.
The last guest had left at 8 p.m. Some of these gatherings truly do not end until 10 or 11p.m. it seems people had yet another place to make an appearance. I was very relieved.

In a nutshell: I was in severe pain. It was the worst I've had in years. I'd kept pushing through set-up of the buffet, by groaning and screaming like I was in labor, and with swearing like a sailor! it was just fine to get through the pain in this I was alone while setting up.

I'd completely finished with every detail just 10 minutes before 1pm.
Our first 10 guests had told us they would arrive at 1pm sharp!

I was out of my mind in pain!
What to do? I had no choice: I told my mother everything was all set, just greet the guests, take their coats, introduce them to one another if they have not met. Encourage them to eat if they were ready to do so.

I'd crawled up the stairs to my room. I had not had enough pain medication to help enough with the severity of pain, so I took more, as prescribed and rested on my bed.

I could hear the doorbell, repeatedly. All I could do was to hope all was going well. An hour later, I was texted and was told my brother was leaving soon and had wanted to see me. Okay! I'll see if I can make it down the stairs?

Ooops! First, I need to get dressed. I was planning on changing outfits after having set up the buffet. Oh no! I was in so much pain, just excruciating, I could not get dressed! It took me 30 minutes to get dressed. I'd gingerly descended the stairs only to see my brother walking down the front walk toward his vehicle. I'd spoken to him, but he was angry about something and would not come back to chat for a minute.

Oh! Other guests saw me! I was still in agony and I'd needed more time to have the pain quiet down more. It was too late though! My mother came scurrying toward me, all worked up about not knowing what to do about certain food items becoming depleted. Ok, ok! I took care of it myself.

I crawled back up the stairs and contemplated going to the ER. The pain was that severe. The ER usually puts me on a morphine drip when I show up in that condition. What about the "party" going on downstairs?

In another 1.5 hours, I could again drag myself downstairs and attend to the buffet. Things went on like this until 6p.m., when I'd had some mild relief from pain and could go downstairs to say hello to the lingering guests, then mostly family and a few close family friends. I was still in so much pain, I was sweating bullets.

I was again refreshing the buffet, most guests interested in desserts at that time. So had gotten out several more desserts.

Every step, every move was excruciating. I had not yet given up on the idea of eventually getting to the ER.

My sisters had sat there, commenting that they'd heard I was in a lot of pain...and had verified that I did, indeed, look the part.

Yet, no help. None. No response when I'd specifically requested my sisters give me a hand. Crazymaking.

Somehow, I'd made it through the next two hours, taking it minute by minute.

When I gave the last guest his coat as he'd approached the foyer, I was thinking, "Oh, I am soooo grateful ! I am now free!"

He'd left and I turned around, walking back into the kitchen and the dining room, etc. I have to clean this ALL up! Nobody had offered to help. My elderly mother was totally exhausted and just could not function.

I'd finished the clean up by doing a great deal until midnight on Christmas night and starting cleaning up again from 8am-12noon on the 26th.

Now I know why hostesses like a call on the day following a function at their home, with a guest expressing gratitude:: the hostess is still cleaning up, while sputtering under her breath!

It's now 48 hours since the beginning of Christmas morning. I am in better control of pain, although it's still tenuous. I am getting my bearings back.

Once again, I am sputtering: "Never Again!"