Something for Sunday

So on Thursday night, Stephanie hit me with a request. I'm always willing and anxious to help. But, NOT at the last minute. Everyone knows that doesn’t work for me. I’m a planner—planning down to the hour sometimes! Remember, I live my life on a timeline? To put this in perspective, we're leaving for the beach on Saturday morning, early and this is Thursday night!

Here's the story:

I got this email from Stephanie about 7:30 on Thursday night. In all fairness, she sent it earlier, I just didn't get it until then--due to my very busy week.

Hi, Mom – I’m bringing my team together for the first time in over 2 years. Yay!

 

1. I’m preparing ‘a taste of Nashville’ goodie bags since most of the team doesn’t live here. One thing I’m including is cotton candy. Do you still have the blurb you did for my wedding party favors? If so, can you print 10 for me? If not, can you print this URL (https://tnmuseum.org/junior-curators/posts/meet-me-at-the-fairy-floss-stand--tennessees-sweet-history-of-cotton-candy) onto address stickers (still need 10) that I can then stick on the cotton candy bags and they can go visit if they wish?
2. Two women on my team are pregnant, due in August, so I’m also throwing a little surprise baby shower for them. Attached are two baby games. I think there are two games per sheet, but I need more than 10, so can you pleasecolor print 10 copies of each, please?

 

Can you do it before you leave for the beach, please? I’ll need to assemble everything while you are gone. 😊

 

Thanks, Mom!

Stephanie Greco

Vice President, Organizational Effectiveness & Development

Before I could respond to this, there was another email asking if I could create (design) some tags similar to an example she sent me. She didn't need those right away. In fact, she gave me what I consider the appropriate amount of time--a week. I can work with that.

Anyway, I agreed to ALL the different projects in exchange for a ride to the airport on Saturday morning. Of course she would give me the ride for nothing. She even was going to let me off the hook for the project when I--"tongue in cheek"--complained mentioned the late notice. But, being the overachiever that I am, I figured I’d work it in—even though I didn’t really have the time. It was a crazy busy week—coming home from the cruise—laundry, going through the mail, paying bills, getting ready for our first pool party, Jubilee book club, eye doctor appointment, ordering new glasses, Sam's Club visit, grocery shopping, liquor store stopping, cutting, arranging and dropping off flowers to a sick (Covid) friend, lunch with my high school friend, dinner before and then the theater, my infusion, lunch and movie with friends, bridge, AYM and Circle of Friends meetings, lunch with my British girls—finally ending the week with Butch’s poker group—here for dinner--cooking and cleaning up and getting everything together for the beach--the next day. Whew! That's a lot. A. Lot.

Sooooo, in order to get Steph’s Stuff (that would be a great name for a blog—she should do it!) done, there was only one thing to do: forego my daily treadmill session at 5 a.m. on Friday morning. That gave me the extra hour I needed to get her job done. (Skipping my workout--as they say, "any excuse"!!)

I’m not going to go in to details of what all had to be done, but let’s just say it required some design work and creation of labels. Hmmm, I haven’t done labels in ages and wasn’t looking forward to learning all over again. I’m pretty sure you can’t teach this old dog new tricks, but what I did find out is that actually, I’m an 

elephant because they never forget! I whipped those labels out like it was yesterday!

I had a little trouble with the baby shower games because I really wanted to re-size them, but couldn't. I finally gave up and printed them "as is." I cut everything. Then I designed the tags, cut them out, punched holes and cut the baker's twine for them. I put everything neatly in a folder and was pretty proud of myself to pull it off so quickly.

This kind of thing is exactly why I'm a planner. You just never know what life it going to throw at you. It's a darn good thing too! I planned the meal I was making for poker before we left on our cruise last week. In fact, I also did the shopping then--except for the perishables. I started the cooking on Wednesday.

Back to the story. So, I'm all finished and feeling pretty good. I'm expecting my British "girls" at 10:30--in about 45 minutes. I have everything set to serve them Bellinis--hence the stop at the liquor store. I made sure the glasses were shiny clean and pulled out some cute napkins. I was ready. Since I had a little time left, I decided to check my email. OMGosh! Another email from Steph: "Also, can you print this picture in a 4x6?" 

What?? Are you kidding me?? I did the only thing I could. I dashed back upstairs and printed the picture. Of course the first time, my printer by-passed the photo paper and printed it on regular paper. So, I had to do it again. Why is it that when you are in a hurry, that's when things go screw up? The second time, I took all the paper out and only put photo paper in. That worked. Finally, I was done! Sheesh!

When my friends arrived, they found me casually sitting on the front porch reading my Royals magazine (Butch got me a subscription for my birthday) like I didn't have a care in the world. When they pulled up, I was as cool as a cucumber. After they got out of the car, I asked them if my reading that particular magazine was a bit much? Get it! My British friend arrive and I just happen to be reading magazine about the Brits? 

They laughed and had no idea that just 15 minutes before, I was a little frazzled. 

Here's the final outcome:

I had to blur out the tags so as not to give any of Steph's information. But, they turned out cute--colorful and fun!

And here's the picture:

Our little graduate--it's official--she's a licensed, nurse practitioner!!

The moral of this story is: I'll do anything for my girls---even if I don't really have the time! I'll find it somewhere! I really don't have a choice. It's way too late to do something about that overachiever in me!