When I decided to invite my friend over for lunch on Friday, I didn’t realize it was going to be such a production. The first thing you should know is, I usually don’t have over company so hosting is a little difficult for me. I can never get through all the cooking and cleaning without feeling overwhelmed even when I pick up the main necessities days ahead and wake up early. It’s really bad.
But, that’s not what made it a production.
Leading up to the lunch date, my electricity was acting a little weird. I’d be in my bedroom and hear the cable box and phone restart itself. I didn’t think too much of it because everything was still on in my bedroom and to my knowledge, it only happened at night. Man, was I wrong.
Wednesday, the electricity got crazier and shut on and off non-stop even when I was in the kitchen cooking. I called the fiancé and told him what was going on. The next day, a maintenance man showed up at my door. He thought it was a bulb that just blew out and that the system was still pulling energy trying to locate it. He informs me somebody will be by early tomorrow morning.
I woke up around 6:30 a.m. Friday because I couldn’t sleep so I decided to get my day started. I cleaned my bedroom, started the living room and headed out to get some last minute items. Time is passing, I have already chopped and started cooking the vegetables for my not-so roasted vegetable lasagna. The celery is also clean and chopped for the seafood celery and I am ready to put the noodles on. It’s about 11:30 and I feel like I am making good time when a different maintenance man stops by. I inform him what’s going on and he sees that I am cooking so he suggest that he comes back.
Me: Can you please do whatever you need to do because I am having somebody over for lunch and doing it now will help me figure out if I need to cancel.
Him: Okay, but it may take 30 minutes or it make take all day.
Me: That’s fine.
I am a little annoyed, but I’d rather get it done now then having the lack of electricity ruin my lunch. I call my friend inform her what’s going on and we decide if need be, we will do an early dinner. Bet, that will give me time to also finish cleaning.
The maintenance man comes back with a coworker who quickly changes my light bulb in the dining room. It’s not just that bulb. It turns out, there is something going on with the wiring in the kitchen because every time he plays with the light, he sees everything else flicker. They have to change something on the breaker, which sounds intensive. They also have to turn off the electricity and I look over at my noodles that I know are going to look a complete mess when they complete the job. In that moment, I am happy that I wasn’t cooking a meat lasagna. That would have been a whole other issue.
They work fast, but the lack of electricity has pushed everything back so I am scrambling to finish the lasagna. Everything still has to be put back in my bathroom because I cleaned that while the electricity was off. My dining room is a complete mess because I put everything on the chairs and table so I can vacuum. So much for a 2 p.m. lunch.
It officially started at 4:30 p.m. and when she came, I was relieved and STARVING!!! I had forced myself to eat a bowl of raisin brain that morning and it was not enough. When I open the door, I am chowing on some fudge stripe cookies, but ready for something real to eat. In addition to the lasagna and celery and seafood salad, I made a fruit and spinach salad.
