To Elaborate

Ladybird (my oldest sister) stopped by a little before lunchtime to pick up the kids for a McDonald's outing, which gave me a little time to paint my toenails. I don't know why it seems like such a momentous event when I paint my toenails. I guess things that happen bi-monthly or less are worth noting. And I have an affinity for my feet, because they seem to be the only part of me that defy both age and weight gain.

So far.

What all yesterday's rambling was about...

Let's start with the 'embarassing afternoon' that I spoke of yesterday. (Emphasis on the -----ass--- portion of the word 'embarassing'.) It's kind of a long story, as it begins about three weeks ago when I received the invitation for my niece's confirmation party in the mail. Since my sister and I had already discussed it and I had it on the calendar, I only looked at the outside of the invite (nicely scrapbooked by my sis, I might add) and neglected to read the inside. I was already in the 'know', after all. No time for reading. I'm sure someone's behind needed to be wiped and/or there were other pressing matters at hand.

So, up the invite went, onto my shelf for display, unread.

Fast forward to last week. I talked to Ladybird several times about the impending confirmation party. Since we always talk about food, of course we talked about the food she was preparing... Ham, cheesy potatoes, scalloped corn and mini cheesecakes for lunch; shredded turkey sandwiches and coleslaw for during the afternoon.

Yes, she was preparing two meals.

This should have meant something to me.

But I was too busy plotting the next time I would squeeze in fifteen minutes to paint my toenails, so I failed to take note.

On Saturday (the day before the party) I was actually at Ladybird's house, watching her (not helping because I'm a sickling... we'll get to that in a bit) prepare vaious items for these two meals. Again, fully aware that she was making two meals, yet oblivious to the meaning behind why she was making TWO meals.

When she took a couple bags of corn out of the freezer to make scalloped corn for the following day, I thought, "Hmmmm... That doesn't look like enough scalloped corn for all the people coming, but whatever..."

Originally, the plan was to go to the confirmation church service and sing a special number with my three sisters. However, as my sicklinghood progressed over the days leading up to the service, it was evident that no melodies were going to be coming out of my mouth. And since I felt so downtrodden, I told Ladybird that we would skip the service and come out to her house later for the party instead.

On the day of, I awoke to a wonderfully peaceful and restful morning at home with my husband and children. It was a perfectly lovely way to start the day. Late in the morning, we showered, shaved and got dressed... Pretty casual because we weren't going to the church service after all. We then headed to Ladybird's house around noon. On the way there, we met my other sister, driving in the other direction. "Hmm," I said to Mr. Blue Eyes. "She must have forgotten her gift at home," thinking she was running to her house to get it.

After all... What other explanation was there?

We arrived at Ladybird's house, where a small number of family had just started to gather. Ladybird was not there yet. As we wandered in and began to visit, I looked over at the dinner table. It was set for formal dining. For a certain number of people. NOT for a buffet, for a large and indeterminate number of people.

And this is when the truth of the situation all started to fall into place for me...

We were not supposed to be there yet.

We were totally party crashing.

You see, if I would have read the invitation and not just looked at the pretty cover, I would have read that we were invited to attend the open house from 2pm-5pm.

Not the formal noon dinner.

Not the dinner that was situated for a certain number of people.

My niece's immediate family, grandparents and sponsors.

Not us.

Not us in our casual wear with two spunky children.

I wanted to crawl into a hole.

And it's not that my sister would have wanted to boot us out the door. Quite the opposite was true, in fact... Without skipping a beat, she served up a lovely meal and made room for us and never said a word until I expressed to her, a little later, that I had somehow remained completely oblivious to the fact that we were not invited to this particular portion of the day, to which we had a good little chuckle.

Even though I still wanted to crawl into a hole.

I am generally not one to want to draw attention to myself, and especially not impress myself upon a situation to which I have not been invited, so crawling into a hole seemed to be the most logical thing to do.

Spilling apple cider all over my midsection and on Little Blue Eyes seemed to not be the most logical thing to do, yet that is exactly what I did do, just before the multitude of other guests (the ones that were actually aware that they were not to attend until 2pm) began to arrive.

So I found myself in my sister's bathroom, standing in my underwear while blowdrying my pants. And believe you me, that bathroom door was LOCKED, because in that moment, I knew all odds were on someone walking in on me.

Thankfully, Ladybird hasn't held any of this against me, or at least not against the kids, as she came and got them for the McDonald's trip today. We didn't mention the confirmation party incident. It's part of my plan to pretend that it never happened.

Which is also why I shall never mention it, and/or admit to the occurrence, again after this moment.

Why they're trying to medicate me...

So, as I've mentioned, I've been a bit of a sickling for about ten days now. It started out as a mild tickle in the sinuses, followed by a mild irritation in the throat, followed by a sore throat and swollen glands, followed by congestion, followed by a relief from congestion but a seriously sorer (is that word?) throat, followed by congestion resuming, all while in the midst of a cough that just wouldn't quit.

Last week I went to the doctor, who told me that it was just a virus that had to run its course, and that I was going to be okay. That's what he said, reassuringly, as I walked out of his office... "You're going to be okay."

Thanks.

Well, it just didn't let up. Thankfully, Miss Peaches had her two-year check-up on Tuesday. And while there, her doctor, who has been my doctor off and on throughout the years (not the same doctor I saw last week) took note of my cold, said that he was pretty sure it was a sinus infection, and wrote me a presription.

So, I'm on the mend.

But meanwhile, throughout all this, my mother (along with my sister, sister-in-law and husband) has been trying to convince me to dip into the decongestants, which I really don't like to do. They always make me feel funny. And since I'm home alone with small children a lot, I'm always hesitant to take something new that might throw me for a loop.

And I just don't like taking medicine unless I have to.

And I took an antibiotic about five years ago that gave me hives for ten days, which has enhanced my aversion to medicine.

But I am thankful for the antibiotic that I'm on now, because I truly believe this sinus infection would've dragged on for much longer without it.

So, yes. I am 'on' something.

But it is prescribed.

So all this really means is, I have no excuse for my crazy ways.

Comments

[Flying Jae's Mom]

Haha, too funny! Although, I'm sure it didn't seem that funny at the time. Have to love our gracious families! :)

[Ruth]

Your story is just so funny. It seems like something I would do and I would want to crawl in a hole, too. Just let it all slide, never to be mentioned again. No one will ever think of it. LOL

Hope you are feeling better soon.