Blah

I've been out of whack all afternoon today, and I'm not sure why.

Thursday, I did a major grocery shopping expedition in the morning and cooked all afternoon for a bereavement luncheon at church (for the funeral of the mother of one of my Sunday School class leaders). Friday, I was at church at 9:00 AM to help set up for the luncheon. Got home about 1:30 and puttered around the house.

Saturday, I was expecting my "other" family for an overnight stay. This consists of my former son-in-law, his wife, her daughter, and my two grandchildren, all of whom were coming to spend the rest of this Labor Day weekend celebrating his parents' 50th anniversary. I've known for weeks that they were coming but didn't get serious about cleaning until Saturday morning. (Don't ask me why!) I consider these folks family, so I know they would tolerate a less-than-immaculate house, but everyone deserves a clean place to sleep! Thus, I washed and changed the bed linen, knocked down some cobwebs, dusted everything, vacuumed, changed some light bulbs that are a pain to change, cleaned the filter for the window air conditioner, scrubbed the bathroom, and generally discovered (as usual) how much more there is to do when one really digs in. And (also as usual), I had to prioritize what was most important as I started to run out of time and steam. In the end, it all worked out.

It was a very nice mini-visit. The children--all three of them--were well-behaved and funny. Everyone had a shower and a place to sleep that didn't cost them a thing. I had some company. Something for everyone! We had a good breakfast and went to church where we all sat together just two pews in front of the rest of the anniversary celebrants. They departed after church for the rest of their weekend plans with Nathan's family. I came home and flopped.

To be sure, I was tired...so I took a nappie. Still, I had an itch that I couldn't scratch. I kept going to the refrigerator, looking for something to fill up my boredom. I really think my blah-ness this afternoon is a result of the slump that comes after the fun of an occasion ends. Back to the grind, you know. But I do need to maintain a list of things to do so I don't run into the last-minute cleaning crunches that always happen when I'm expecting company. First thing on my list? Start a list!

Some interesting observations:
1. I dug out my Japanese kimono and accessories (circa 1957) and had Robin try it on as a potential Halloween costume. The kimono was made for me by a Japanese seamstress when we lived in Sasebo, Japan, when I was 10 years old. At the time, it had a hem in mid-gown that could be let down as I grew, which it eventually was. When Robin (just barely 9) tried it on, the length was fine but the sleeves were a couple of inches short, and she could barely get into the tabi (socks) and geta (wooden stilt shoes). If we had waited until next year to try it, Robin would be out of luck! My granddaughter has surpassed my growth a year younger than I was when the kimono was made! She has decided that she wants to be a Japanese girl for Halloween. My daughter wore it for Halloween as a child, too. My kimono has spanned three generations!
2. Ryan never asked to check on his friend Jack even once. I'm sure he'd already been told that there would be no time for that.
3. I had left the grandkids' rooms pretty much as they had left them: messy. I resisted the temptation to clean. Their stepmother had them go in and pick up the rooms before they departed, so I actually came out well on that deal!
4. Nathan helped out quite a bit by doing things without being asked. He put down the futon couch in the living room so his stepdaughter would have a bed. He put it back up again in the morning and rolled up the sleeping bag. He brought two of the chairs to the table from the living room. I'm SO glad those things weren't left to me. I'm old, you know?
5. As we were leaving church this morning, Pastor Ted was shaking hands with Nathan. I introduced Nathan as "Judy and Phil's baby...my former son-in-law...my grandchildren's father". Pastor hugged me and said something like, "You need a program to keep track of everything..." I told him I didn't have a problem keeping track, but that it was sometimes hard to explain to others!

I've said this before and I'll say it again: I think the best thing I have ever done in my life is to work to maintain relationships, in spite of the divorce situation between my daughter and her first husband, for the sake of the babies. I watched my daughter suffer from the after-effects of my divorce from her father--something I couldn't help--and I didn't want it to happen to my grandkids. After Megan sent the children to live with their father, the other grandparents and I met, tearfully, over lunch and discussed the situation. We all agreed that the children didn't ask for what they got and that whatever had transpired between our adult children had nothing to do with us. We still were--and would always be--loving grandparents of the same children. Judy and Phil are accepting of my daughter and her husband. I have been accepting of my former son-in-law and his wife. We have worked together to maintain stability for the kiddos. The children know this and live it. (And to their credit, my daughter and her ex have done the same.) I don't know how the relatively new spouses feel in the blended company, but they don't make things awkward...and that's a good thing.

So, tomorrow is the "cookout" part of Labor Day weekend. I should have cleaned off the patio so I could have a cookout with friends, but I was too busy focusing on the inside of the house! Enjoy your holiday, my friends! I need to go start a to-do list!