This morning I woke up feeling a little motivated, I was excited to start planning for my oldest daughters Birthday Party. She was turning 35 and I was beginning to feel a little like aged cheese. Time was going by quicker than a microwaved meal and my kids were growing up way too fast.

After planning my day in my head I was ready to pop out of bed like a pop tart. It was a big day and I had lot’s to do. My only concern was for my second oldest daughter Brittany. You probably already know a little about her short-term memory from my last post “It’s Our Life“. Brittany needs a lot of supervision but most of all she needs constant reminders and stimulation. It was not going to be an easy day for her but the party must go on. Today I was fortunate enough to have a nurse for the evening. That was all she would need to know to keep her in a good spirit.

I love being in the kitchen, it has always been my way of releasing stress. I started pulling everything out of the fridge. Lucky for me I took some time the night before to do some prep work.

Everything was going like clockwork and Brittany was sleeping in a little longer than usual. I finished my famous potato salad and macaroni salad. Mallory wanted a summer BBQ in doors and nothing says summer like burgers and salads. As for me, I’m not a big fan of burgers but “that’s what she wants and that’s what she gets”.

I had music playing in the back round and suddenly my heart started aching. The song Whiskey Lullaby started playing. It was the first time I really tuned in to the lyrics. Here I was celebrating my daughter’s Birthday but quickly reminded of a good friend who literally drank herself to death. She drank so much in one night her life was sadly taken due to alcohol poisoning. “I think my next blog will be a tribute to her” I thought and then quickly changed the song. Today was not a day to be sad, it was a celebration of my daughter life.

Brittany finally woke up and it was great timing for me. I was ready for a break and she always depended on my morning company to start the day. When she walked in the kitchen her eyes immediately peeled towards the mess that covered the counters. Before she had a chance to say anything, I told her that her icecap was already made and the kitchen was going to be my responsibility to clean. Her expression changed from a rotten apple to a rosy red one.

We sat down to have our chat and Brittany was already reminded that the party must go on. “Is my nurse coming today”, she asked with a pinch of hope. “Yes my dear” I responded. She gazed at my tired eyes and then made a suggestion that had me hopping out of my slippers. “you look tired mama”, “how about I clean the kitchen when your done and you can nap on the couch”. You didn’t have to ask me twice, I thought.

We finished our chat and headed to the kitchen to clean. I had to make sure it wasn’t going to be too overwhelming for her and so I tidied the kitchen and she washed the dishes. It was a great start for the morning.

Finally everything was ready but I was a little concerned that we may not have enough food. Just as I was about to adjust the size of the burgers, Brittany’s dad walked in with two pizza’s. He saved the day and I was feeling blessed. Everything was laid out on the table and Mallory finally arrived. The day could not have gone any better, I thought. It’s ‘was time for a night of great food and conversation.

I noticed Brittany was staring into space and that was never a good thing. It was time to give her a reason to engage with the family. I remembered she had been practicing playing “Happy Birthday” on her Guitar and wanted to play it for her sister. “Brittany, go get you guitar” I said. Her eyes lit up like a flame on a BBQ and she took off in a flash to get her guitar. Mallory chuckled but she knew how much effort it must have taken for Brittany to learn the song. After two short lyrics of “Happy Birthday”, Mallory put her arms around Brittany and gave her a big hug. “Maybe by next year you will have the whole song mastered”, she replied. Luckily Brittany was more than satisfied that at least her sister appreciated the little bit she learned.

The evening was going well and Brittany’s nurse finally arrived. I knew once the nurse showed up Brittany was going to need a break from all the noise. I quickly went in the kitchen to light the cake before Brittany and the Nurse headed out the door. Brittany didn’t even wait for the cake to be cut, boots and coat were on and she was ready to get out of the house as quick as she could. My mind was finally at rest and I knew all my focus could now be on my daughter Mallory. Mallory opened all her gifts and the party was a success. The only thing left to do was clean up. “Not today” I thought.

Join me tomorrow for more adventures in “Cathy’s Crazy Kitchen”.