The Party's Over

Christmas and New Year's. Sigh. The celebrations are over. Christmas dinner with Dad, an impromptu New Year's Party with a few friends and last night we had the camping crew over for dinner and gifts.

And I'm feeling melancholy. And maybe a little hungover.

Someone asked me if I made any New Year Resolutions. Hell, I'm still working on finishing last year's resolutions. I think I'm going to use my 101 in 1001 days as my resolutions for the next few years. I think they pretty much summed up where I want change in my life.

So why am I melancholy?

I had a dinner last night for 21 people. And two crazy dogs. In my little house. And I was so totally stressed out by the end of the night I ended up drinking too much, and paid for it today. Dinner parties like this are history. Cooking like that is finished. And I can't drink like I used to. And it's upsetting because I love to entertain and I love to cook and I love to drink. Even though I pretty much suck at all of it.

So unless I move (which is not an option according to Zombiegirl) my parties are limited to eight people or less. Twenty-one people crammed into my house, kids running full steam upstairs, screaming and falling down stairs while stupid dogs barked incessantly while trying to escape their confines does not make for a relaxing evening. And I always end up cooking too many dishes so nothing comes out the way I expected (except the eggplant rollatini, which came out awesome, if I do say so myself...) And I use EVERY plate, cup, mug, fork, knife and spoon in the house. Without a dishwasher. Yes, you read correctly. I don't have a dishwasher. It's currently the home to my Tupperware and not usable.

MR and I decided- no more parties and back to cooking basics. Which, for me, is actually reading the recipe all the way through, TWICE, before I actually start cooking. What did I fuck up yesterday? The Croque-em-bouche for the second time, the red velvet cupcakes which had tiny lumps of baking powder in them, the quinoa which turned out tasty, but gloppy (very unappetizing) and the second lasagna. Which I left in the oven while we ate. Which didn't make a difference last night but when we went to eat it tonight it was as hard as a shoe. I was told I don't pay attention while I cook, and I walk away. Literally walk away, says Zombie-G. Yes, she said "literally." So, yeah, back to basics. I'm going to take one dish at a time and perfect it. Over and over until I get it right.

Hey- was that a resolution? Yeah, I guess it was. Back-to-basic cooking skills. At 46 years old.

Wonderful.

But... if I'm not having anymore dinner parties...why do I have to perfect my cooking? My family eats everything I make. Who do I need to impress? Hmmm? Yeah, okay, I'll try to cook better for the family. They deserve it. I guess....

I'm hanging up my party platters. I'm putting away the good silverware. I'm packing up the entertainment pieces.

Yeah- these next few weeks I'm cleaning house. No, I'm clearing house. I've said it before- we have too much stuff. So keeping in mind that I won't be having any more of these crazy parties, I'm going to go through all our stuff and either eBay it or put it on Craigslist. Or donate it. Or Freecycle it. I'm going to list here some of the stuff I'm getting rid of. Maybe you want it?

Maybe my crazy cousin's crazy husband has it right. He won't let her buy anything and bring it into the house until she gets rid of something she already has. (Okay, yeah, they are crazy. And not because of that.) I'm NOT buying anything until I've cleared out some of the stuff I don't use. Out with the old. THEN in with the new. New year, fresh start.

So much for not making resolutions!

Yes. I'm rambling. Sorry. Blame the bourbon.

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