pick that chicken! trim that bread! fill that bag!

My blue-sky cousin wasn't kidding when she told me she had tasks for me!!!

First, she had me edit her four-page photo essay of the history of the five "Lorena" women in her family line, starting with Grandmama's mother and her, then Aunt Linda and Penny and little Julia, with all of those three having the name for their middle.

Then it was time to start picking at two rotisserie chickens for the chicken salad Penny would be making from Aunt Linda's recipe. I made sure to shred the meat as I went, mixing the dark and light together, so Penny's job would be easier.

Next up was trimming the crusts of 4 loaves of thinly-sliced Italian bread and 2 loaves of thinly-sliced wheat bread. Then came the task of cutting the slices into multiple rectangles for the many finger sandwiches for the tea party tomorrow.

After that, I was done with food service and back to dealing with paper. My task was to trim all the labels Penny had printed with the names of the teas and foods that would be at the party, then to tape them into self-standing wedges that could be placed on the tables.

Having succeeded at that, I was then charged with trimming the photos of Aunt Linda from a High Tea that Bobby took her to some few years ago.

Finally, it was time to fill the brightly-colored little mesh bags that each guest would receive as a parting gift. Into each of the 45 bags went one of the photos, a package of one of the varieties of tea, and a mini blueberry scone that Penny had baked from her mother's recipe.

See, while I was busy with chickens and bread, Penny was baking batch after batch of blueberry or cranberry scones, making two different batches of pimiento cheese, then preparing a huge batch of chicken salad, all carefully according to her mom's own recipes.

Steve, after working all day, came home to start preparing the many, many, many flower vases that would beautify the party room at Aunt Linda's residence home. He made five this evening and prepared flowers for more tomorrow.

Their younger son, Alex, was put in charge of dinner and made a fabulous Mexican-themed meal with build-your-own beef burritos as the star attraction. I ate two!!!

What a day it had been!

Plus, I had good news: my brothers were both going to be at the party!!!

I had called Tony, as he told me on Tuesday that he was most likely going to be coming, as Aunt Linda had always been good to him, but he hadn't known for sure.

When I called him around 7:30 PM, he and Laura were almost to Tallahassee!!!

They have Dane with them and had found an Air BNB to stay in. 

Hooray!!!

And Tony told me Smitty was going to be at the party, too!

So I called Smitty and he was just settling in at Lake City. He'd selected that site as it would put him closer to home, as he wanted to be able to watch the Masters golf championship on Sunday. His plan was to leave Tallahassee after the Tea Party to drive to Lake City before dark.

Oh, no! Aunt Linda wanted to take the entire family out to dinner after the party!

I had not found out about that until today.

I did talk Tony and Laura into going to that dinner, but Smitty had his hotel reservation and his golf and would not be staying for the dinner.

That's okay, though, that's absolutely okay.

Both of my brothers will be here to celebrate Aunt Linda's 85th birthday, and that is such a blessing for all of us!!!

Now, to sleep, perchance to dream, with my head on my very own pillow.

(smile!)