Remember back when I showed you photos of Younger Daughter’s Valentine’s Day party-for-10 this past weekend (scroll down to see again)? Well, everybody had a great time and the food and decor were awesome but the best part for me was what YD, 23, learned from hosting her first party all on her own. She planned and organized everything and I didn’t even make one suggestion — even when it was the day before the party and not very much had been done and I asked her gently if there were anything I could do to help her AHEAD OF TIME (hint, hint) and she said, “Oh, no. I can get everything done tomorrow.” But the payoff was the day after the party when she realized the benefits of day-before party prep. Yes! Another maternal lesson learned. Read more in my weekly newspaper column, http://www.timesdaily.com/article/20100219/ARTICLES/2195005.
Coffee with Cathy
Pour a cup & take a break
Coffee with Cathy 
I usually take a whole week off when I have my high school class girls over for brunch. It takes that long to clean house.
Mary — I do not believe that you let your house get to that state. Well … maybe when it’s good weather and you’ve spent all your time outside!
I have a clutter problem. Stack of unread magazines, stack started, stack to go the the rehab center at Shoals, stack of paper to recycle, stack of bills to pay, stack of seeds to be saved for next planting season, stack of plant labels, etc. Yeah nice days the house gets neglected.