Slow Down, World

I've been so overwhelmed, I don't know where to start.

Of course, the obvious, is Christmas. Shopping (what little we do), decorating (which is much less than what we used to do), a Christmas tea that Daughter decided she wanted to be the sole decorator for (using my stuff, but it will someday be her stuff, so it doesn't matter), a Christmas solo for me, getting sick and unable to hit notes on said song, thank you God that our piano can be lowered by two steps with a touch of the finger!, doing my part for Christmas dinner (Daughter and I made the dressing, coleslaw, deviled eggs and ice. Well, we didn't make the ice, the refrigerator did), doctor appoints for Mother, doctor appointments for Daughter, my yearly blood work and discovering everything was "wonky".

Wonky, you say? My liver enzymes were high. My triglycerides were WAY high. My ding dang blood sugar was just high enough I may be a diabetic.

Whoa, right there. Doc said he didn't think I was a diabetic, but that something else was causing everything to be off. He was most concerned about my liver. 

So, off I go to have an ultra sound. Which couldn't be scheduled till after one p.m. And I had to fast for at least eight hours. If you ask me, if I was a diabetic that woulda kilt me dead, right there.

Anyway, my liver is fine and dandy, which leads me to suspect that something went awry with my blood. Either my body was pulling a practical joke, the lab mixed my blood with someone else's or I was having a " high " day. Danged if I know.

Now I'm on medicine for my high triglycerides, which I'm not sure I need; and eating semi like a diabetic. Doc said, "Just don't drink soft drinks, eat sweets or pasta." I said I could live with that as long as he didn't mess with my potatoes. He said I could have a potato. 
For my birthday. Crazy guy, my doctor.

Of course, I'm more worried about Daughter. Just say a little prayer that she'll get better. 

She has a solo Sunday, but she doesn't know what she's singing yet. If this were me, I'd be a blubbering idiot, but she's cool about it.

Also, I have been accepted into the "First Families of Gilmer County" by the Genealogy Society. They are in the process of preparing a manuscript for a book about this. I've been scurrying around to find pictures, birth, death, marriage certificates and stories about people I remember to go in this book.

Oh, yeah. There was a book signing, too. Thank you for all who came, and thank you to those who continue to purchase the book. 

My  hope is things will calm down this week. Today was spent digging out from under mess. I have sat down a time or two and contemplated as I looked at our Christmas tree. In this cloudy weather, the lights show beautifully.

And you wondered why I hadn't blogged.

Coming to a Table Near You

You can feel it in the air.

The frenzied pace of millions of women trying to get their act together at the last minute because everyone expects the Thanksgiving meal extravaganza right on time.

The trick for my family is the dressing. See, my mother doesn't have a recipe for dressing. She has just "made it" in the past.

I think her Aunt maybe taught her how.

Last year, Daughter and I stood by like drones and did exactly like she said to do, as she can no longer do it all by herself.

You'd think after doing it with supervision, one could do it alone, but it's far more complicated than that.

Dressing is one of those things that tastes different with every person. It's a lot like biscuits or cole slaw. There is just something in the individual's make up that makes the food.

My goal is to come close to Mother's. I don't anticipate surpassing it, because I love her dressing better than anyone's on the planet, and I've  had lots.

So, tomorrow Daughter and I will journey down to Mother's and begin.

Pray for us all.

Happy Thanksgiving, in advance, just in case I don't make it through.