Plan B: Imperfection
My parents were due at my house today at one pm and I had done nothing yesterday to prepare. It was so busy, I ran out of time and energy, so my plan was to get up early today and shop, cook and clean.
What happened is, I woke up at 1130. That led to plan B. I sort of cleaned and got food from a restaurant. That worked too.
There was a time when I would have set my alarm and just about killed myself trying to make sure that every thing was perfect. Now, I've decided that "good enough" is just fine. I still battle the desire to want to be perfect, but when I'm able to relax my standards, I'm much happier. Striving for perfection just leads to unhappiness and disappointment because nothing can ever be perfect.
Written by Melissa on 7:12 PM
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Melissa blogging from sunny Santa Clarita, Southern California, United States.
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8 Comments:
I completely agree with you. Trying for everything to be perfect is exhausting and kind of like chasing windmills. ;-)
I love what Sting had to say about it:
"To search for perfection is all very well,
But to look for Heaven is to live here in Hell."
Sounds like you hit the right balance.
Thanks, Karen, Dave and Brandy.
Dave, I'm trying to take it one step further, I'm no longer searching for perfection. Well, at least that's my goal. :)
Melissa, first let me tell everyone that you are a fabulous cook, and your baking and dessert skills are extraordinary. I always tell people you cook better than I do.
But there is an advantage to this whole obsessive compulsive thing. Since I hoard food, I have a fully stocked bar and an obscene amount of beer, wine and champagne, I am always prepared for a dinner for a good 20 or so people. This weekend I had a small dinner party, I prepared everything in advance and I hardly had to do any thing but stir a couple of pitchers of lemon drop martini's. It was a simple meal, salad, french bread, baked potatoes with all the fixin's, fresh sweet corn, and New York steaks (I give mine to the dogs when no one is looking)! The desert was a simple cake, figs and port.
The key is to invite a man, more are better because then they will actually fight over who gets to be in charge of the BBQ, and the main course must be a meat for the BBQ. I guess they have some kind of a fire gene that I do not possess. They will not allow you to come near the BBQ. It works every time!
And to think that I passed on your invitation. I should have just brought my parents to your house and let you feed them. :)
I don't know where you get your energy. I wish that I could borrow some of it. Now, I feel guilty that I didn't do more for my parents.
By the way, I made brushetta pizza bread for dinner this morning with my home grown tomatoes and basil and it turned out terrible. The cheese really must go on the bottom. When it's on top it prevents the basil and tomatoes from getting cooked. I'll never make that mistake again. I'm glad that I didn't do that for company.
I'm sorry you weren't able to make it as well. We had a lovely time but there will be a rain check. Maybe in 2 weeks, especially if you promise to bring some new friends to meet Daisy, (I'm thinking TJ & Nana) of course their dad & Anne could come too.
As for the nervous energy, you don't want it, trust me. While you were peacefully sleeping at 4am I was up cleaning the kitchen, reading the paper and making cocoa before the meds finally kicked in and I got a couple of hours of sleep! (And I had taken a benadryl and then a sleeper at about midnight last night!) When the weather cools down it will come in handy in the garden though.
You spend more time than anyone I know with their parents, they must be thrilled to have a daughter like you! (So that's what a family is like!) Just wait till I drop dead and they find out I am leaving everything to my dogs!
Sorry to hear about the bruschetta. I will never live down how my bruschetta pales in comparison!
I accept your rain check. My schedule is a little different for the next couple of weekends, so we need to discuss dates.
Every batch of brushetta turns out different. Someday we should figure out the best proportions and write it down, so that we have a real standardized recipe.
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