Three days, Three Parties, Lots of Dishes

The last guests, the four Howells, just left from a very fun dinner at our house. It is hard to believe that have not lived here in twenty years. Having them at our table felt like old times and those old times were yesterday.

It was the last planned holiday celebration. It was the easiest dinner I could make. A big Antipasto platter to start and then Cacio e Pepe and arugula salad followed by the last of my peppermint ice cream. Carter did not remember the Howell since she was only three when they moved, but she knew who Roz was as she had heard the story many times of how Roz broke into the hospital just a few hours after Carter was born by saying she was “Granny Roz.”

The nurse at the desk had no idea I was not an 18 year old new mother.

After they said good night we had another kitchen full of dishes to be hand washed. This being the observant holiday of Christmas on a Sunday, I still haven’t heard back from a potential repair man for my dishwasher. My hands are already raw from washing so Russ took over tonight.

Shay is so exhausted from all these parties she put herself to bed. When I came up she did not even lift her head in recognition. Tomorrow she can recover. We can lie around waiting for the repairman to call and eat leftover so we have no pots and pans to wash. I may have to eat my meals standing over the sink so I have no dishes. My skin can’t take the dishwater.