Saturday, November 29, 2008

Color by Numbers

4: Number of sides people brought. THAT NEEDED COOKED FROM SCRATCH. (Note to self: it is actually easier to prepare everything than it is to lose control of timing due to everyone's side dishes. Even if your kitchen is only 70% complete. Even though you now have two ovens and a warming drawer. Either do it yourself next time, or make sure what is contributed is already cooked.)

60: minutes that my turkey finished ahead of schedule. Unfrozen free range always cooks faster, but this one was so effin' big -- even I was surprised. And then side dish hilarity ensued.

16: Guests.

12: Obama voters. (4 guests under the age of 18.) No political outbursts. Phew.

2: Awkward moments at dinner. Midway through dinner, a good 2.5 hours into the afternoon, one guest finally realizes who the fuck my FIL is and why he's there. D'oh. Mr. ABF swore he did that introduction. Bella passes out plastic bees from her new game, and my grandmother mistakes it for a candy and damn near chews and swallows it before I realize what's going on.

1: Fight. Between my aunt and my mother. I just put my head down and listened to the bullets fly.

5: Hours of sleep Thursday night thanks to Bella's cough attack.

2: number of times Bella has thrown up since Wednesday from coughing so hard.

Infinite: number of times I have cursed the passing of Robitussin as a viable pharmaceutical option since Wednesday.

8: dollars per person paid to enter Christmas fair, which we then walked out of 10 minutes later when Bella threatened to throw up while coughing, again.

Thousands: leaves in my yard that need raked. Right now.

4: number of times Mr. ABF swore he had the phone in his hand to call his mom Thursday morning, but always got distracted and busy. She freaked out that he didn't call (he reminded her that she could've called him, to which she replied, "I can't call you").

0: seconds following Mr. ABF asking if his mother would like to come for Christmas before she responded, "No."

2: relatives who asked, without prompting, if they could attend the candlelight service at Children's next month with us.

363: number of children whose names will be read at this year's service.

15: days until the service. Some people count down days 'til Christmas; some . . . don't. Check it out in the side bar.

14 comments:

Aunt Becky said...

I'm going to do a Numbers list today, too. Stupid NaBloWhatever making me post today.

Glad you survived Thanksgiving intact. Poor Bella. I feel her pain and I'm severely mourning the loss of all kids OTC meds.

Julia said...

Sounds likie your MIL and my MIL would make the bestest friends. Ugh. Sorry.

Glad you will have company this year at the service.

luna said...

amusing and not.

the side dish phenomenon is always interesting, no? my family roasts the bird outside on the roti grill, so that helps free up some space. but it never ceases to amaze me how unprepared people are... for ex., my cousin always brings the mashers in a serving bowl, despite that it can't go in the oven.

hope bella is feeling better. aren't MILs grand?

how nice you have some support for the service, and thanks for the heads up about the candle lighting.

debbie said...

I'd go to Children's for sure if I still lived on the east coast. Instead, I'll light my own candle.

nice relatives, those two.

loribeth said...

Families... what would we write about without them?? ; )

Dh & I will be attending our support group's memorial candlelighting on Dec. 10th. It sounds strange, but we always look forward to it.

P.S. We FINALLY raked our leaves yesterday -- the last yard waste pickup is this week. Pass the ibuprofen!!

Tash said...

Debbie, not sure where you're located, but if you're interested in attending an organized ceremony, click the picture on my blog and it will take you to the Compassionate Friends site. On the left side is a link, "View List of Services." You can go there, and they appear to be organized by state. You can also organize your own, if you're so motivated.

But lighting a candle at home is always nice and peaceful and seems to involve much less drama in my experience.

Amy said...

Tash,
I will be lighting a candle on the 13th and then my house will be a glow on the 14th...the 13th for William, and William alone. The 14th for William, Maddy, and countless others...

Thinking of you and glad that only one fight ensued during your holiday!

Antigone said...

When I'm cooking if 0 is the number who end up with food poisoning, it's a success.

12/12 Obama voters? I wasn't so lucky.

CLC said...

It's so nice that 2 people asked you if they could attend with you. I think that's probably more than you expected, right?

Gal said...

We'll be at our own candlelighting in San Francisco... will be thinking of you.

c. said...

Sounds like a blissful family event. Not. Glad you survived it. Now get to those leaves...

The first thing I did when I got to your blog was click on the new link. I'll be lighting a candle here while thinking of you and everybody else out there. XO.

janis said...

I sure as hell will be lighting a candle on Dec14th. Pencilled it in already.

I have a sign you can put on your front porch, or wherever those freakin' leaves are in plain sight; I saw it on someone's front proch the other day: LEAVES FOR FREE. TAKE ALL YOU WANT!!!

I'm sorry about Bella's cough. Coughs always take forever to clear out. That sucks!! Try letting her suck on spoonfuls of honey.... sending healing thoughts. xoxo

Motel Manager said...

When my husband told my MIL that I was not going to make a turkey this year (in favor of pork tenderloin stuffed with goat cheese and dates), she threatened to bring her own turkey. And I was like, "That's fine if she's bringing it already cooked." She refrained. I can't believe your guests hogged your oven space.

I empathize with Bella -- I barfed from coughing hard twice last week, and I peed myself from coughing hard a couple of times as well.

ms. G said...

I'm with CLC. 2 whole people who asked to come? Nice. I'm going to see if there are any services near me now.