Richard’s Reprieve

Have you ever analyzed how much time you spend digging out of the day before? It took me a whole day to clean the kitchen, unpack our suitcases, wash last week’s laundry, and stow the catering equipment. And this was with Richard’s assistance.

I know I’m a spoiled brat, but Richard doesn’t believe it. When I woke up grumbling about how much chaos I had created getting ready for our various events of the past week, he said, “Don’t worry about it. I get to cleaning after breakfast.” “Don’t worry; I’ll take care of it,” is Richard’s response to most of my I Love Lucy ideas. Who knew that a man, especially one as careful and shy as Richard, could play so many parts in my Lucy/Ethel act?

I’ve decide to give him a reprieve from honey-dos while I’m at Rachel’s house, and a relatively orderly house to relax in. It will only be for less than four days, and I think he can use some “him” time without having to wash his own underwear. What a wife, huh?

When we lived in New Orleans, Rachel would called periodically to say that she thought I should come see her for a week in Atlanta because Richard needed a break from me. As Richard has admitted, I’m like hot sauce. And a little hot sauce goes a long way. It’s not like we don’t have to kick Christmas preparation into high gear immediately upon my return. We still have twenty-plus presents to assemble and wrap. And there’s lots of cooking to be done for the revolving door of friends and family we expect in the two weeks between Christmas and the end of the New Year’s Day week-end.

I’ll spend the remainder of the week baking artichoke brownies, rolling bourbon balls and pickin’ chicken – and laughing with Rachel and her two of my three grandgirls. Laughter sure puts the lustre on life, and it’s the only way to keep up the energy to live a life so full of passion.

Time to load up the sleigh with cookware that Rachel wants to borrow. Have food processor, will travel.