It's my turn to host the Monthly prayer gathering, again. I used to host it in November, usually the weekend before Thanksgiving, and prepare a Thanksgiving-type meal. Then, after my mother's death, I switched with one of my cousins and chose to host it in October, since it is my mother's birthday month. So, this year, I will host the prayer gathering on Saturday, October 21. It will be in the evening, with dinner to follow; I prefer the evening because it gives me a little more time to prepare for it on the date, itself.
I have always prepared the food, myself, but, in 2015, when I hosted it just a few weeks after my lumpectomy, I asked if we could do a potluck, because I wasn't able to do much (surgery was on the right side and I am right-handed). One of my aunts opined that I should have it catered, but everyone else was willing to do the potluck. My daughter came down to help me and cooked sesame chicken. My cousin P and friend R came over the night before and, with daughter's help, cleaned the house. Everyone else brought a dish and, I think, everyone was quite happy. I know it encouraged at least one or two others to also do potluck meals.
The following year, I did most of the cooking, although a friend of mine, who does catering on the side, helped with some of it.
This year, I will, once again, prepare most of the meal. I haven't decided on a menu, yet, but I am thinking I'll make a roast dinner rather than rice and curries. Or, perhaps a mixture, especially if my friend who does catering is able to help me out. I'll make roast chicken if she'll cook a fish curry and we can argue who will make the beef!
I know that, most probably, everyone will not be able to attend, but, if everyone does come, there will be around 20 people, plus myself. In any case, I usually cater for about 20-25 people, because I send plates home for those who couldn't attend and to my neighbors. My daughter will not be attending as she will be coming down twice in November (for my birthday and for Thanksgiving).
Usually, it is not the meal itself that stresses me out. It is getting the house cleaned and tidy. Yes, I know people are not coming to inspect the house; they are coming for prayers and dinner in the company of one another, but I know that people do notice things. And, some of them comment! I've had helpful family and friends comment on how dusty the chandelier is, or how old the valance is, or how the garden wouldn't look the way it does if my mother had been alive, etc. I always tell myself that the next time someone says something, I will hand them the duster or the broom, but then, they might tell me I need a new duster or a broom! LOL.
Anyway, I have almost 5 weeks to prepare. That's longer than I had to plan my wedding! It's not like I can dust the living room today and then consider that done! But, I can declutter and do some of the deep cleaning, one room at a time. Oh, and wash the chandelier! It hasn't been washed for over two years. But, I will not stress too much about it. It will be close enough to Halloween, so, if I can't clear all the cobwebs, I will simply say they are my organic Halloween decorations! Come to think of it, a packet of that artificial cobwebs stuff might come in handy.
What are some of the gatherings you host at home? How do you prepare for them? Do you go all out with the cleaning or are you more laid back?
I do it both ways. Sometimes I get crazy and work myself to the bone and sometimes I hit it a lick and a promise. If it is just company with no overnight stays I can clean just one floor and be done with it. For overnight, that get a little tedious and I tend to only clean the guest room and guest bath deeply. The rest of the upstairs get a surface touch up.
ReplyDeleteThat's the nice thing about having an upstairs. Guests rarely go up and one can concentrate on tidying the downstairs, only. Mine is a single story house. And unless I close off the doors to the bedrooms, everything is open and accessible.
DeleteI can't wait to see your preparations! Your prayer group is impressive. I always clean a lot too....and then I wonder why when the real cleaning comes after everyone leaves! I bet your home is so, so clean! Andrea
ReplyDeleteThank you, Andrea. It is clean enough on the surface, as long as you don't peek in the corners! We've gone beyond "shabby chic" to just plain old shabby! :D
DeleteI think your 2015 pot luck idea was a good one - providing the meat and those attending bringing a side dish is a good combination and less stress for the host. Your roast dinner idea is a hood one.
ReplyDelete"I have had helpful family members/friends comment on how dusty the chandelier is etc." is just plain rude. No wonder you are stressed. I usually start my preparation for company well ahead of time as at this stage of life it is tiring. My daughter is a very relaxed hostess and from her I learned every thing does not have to be made from scratch. As long as everything tastes good it doesn't matter where it came from.
Your prayer group is very special and the gathering at your house will be one of the best.
Thank you, Sandy. Yes, it was rude of that person to point out the flaws, but, she was only saying what the others were thinking. These people are very "house proud" as we say it. Which is fine. Except, I am not a very particular house keeper. I'd rather spend my time sewing bits of fabric together than polishing the furniture. Which reminds me, I need to polish my brass ware collection!
DeleteSince I'm in a new house, everyone wants a tour so I have had to clean it top to bottom a lot this year. I'm getting tired of that but it does help, because it's cleaning I wouldn't do do otherwise.
ReplyDeleteIn my circle, commenting on how dirty someone's house is is just rude. Please give them a dust rag or broom next time they say something. It would make me happy. But I guess that's not the atmosphere you want for a prayer meeting.
There used to be a time when I'd take down drapes and wash them every 6 months, wash the chandelier at least once a year, etc.
DeleteThen, life caught up with me and I couldn't spare the time. I used to leave the house at 6:30 a.m., drive an hour to take daughter to college, drive another hour to get to the office, work for the next 9 hours, drive an hour to daughter's campus, then drive another hour to come home. By the time we'd get home, it was 7:30 p.m. on a good day. Some days, the traffic was such that the drive home from campus might take 2 hours and we'd get home at 8:30 p.m. Other days, I'd have to wait until daughter finished working and we wouldn't get home till after 9:00 p.m. There weren't enough hours in the day to do housework and the weekends weren't long enough to fit in all the errands!
That schedule lasted for 4 years and ended only when daughter went up north to attend grad. school.
I had one year after that to enjoy a more relaxed pace. Then, I was diagnosed with cancer and suddenly, I couldn't manage even the basic housework. Now that I am well, again, there's a lot that needs to be done.
I think the potluck idea is lovely - it gives the host a helping hand and I'm sure a lot of people enjoy being able to contribute - I know I would.
ReplyDeleteI remember your long list of preparations for last years? prayer meeting and was amazed at how much you do.
I used to go over the top cleaning if we had visitors but as I got older I realised nobody really noticed what I'd done. As long as the kitchen, lounge and bathroom were clean I was happy. No need to go to the extent of changing the bedding just in case somebody opened the wrong door on their way to the loo - no I'm not kidding, that's how bad I used to be.
These days we don't have as many visitors and I don't do half as much deep cleaning as I used to. Both situations make me happy :) xx
I used to entertain more in years past, so the house got deep cleaned with a little more regularity. I will do what I can this time, but it is important that I don't get too tired trying to do too much. I learned my lesson, last year, when I got so tired preparing for the almsgiving that I was unable to host the event, itself!
DeleteI'm catching up quickly, Bless, as we have been away since September 7. Good to see you have a new fridge and that you decluttered another tooth!
ReplyDeleteI chuckled at your comment about the observations of dust and how you would hand over a duster or broom if you didn't know that they would say you needed a new one! I guess some people just have to nitpick. There are some areas that need to be obviously clean for company, like kitchens and bathrooms, but if you've tidied up, surely a wee bit of dust isn't a crime! I remember reading that if you have an evening gathering, just keep the lighting low. Not only will that hide any dust, it will also make the critics' faces look more appealing - so win,win all round.
Oh, Bushlady, I loved the saying about the low lighting making the critics' faces look more appealing! I am off to change the wattage of all my bulbs! LOL!
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