Being Courteous

Occasionally Daddy will add a blog he wishes mouse to read.  Usually it has to do with manners, not that mouse isn't courteous or lacks manners in anyway.  It's just something she doesn't think about often.  For example, before being with Omega, the thought of sending a thank you note to family, seemed silly to mouse.  Sure, if they lived far away or something.  Otherwise it wasn't something she routinely did.   Until Omega came into her life and would prompt mouse to send to a note.  

It wasn't like you must do this, it was subtle.  After a dinner party once, mouse remarked to Daddy that someone gave us a nice bottle of wine as a hostess gift.  Daddy replied offhandedly, "How nice, you should send a card to thank them, I'll get you the address." Now, to be honest, the first thought mouse had was couldn't just email them?  No, Daddy felt it was best to send a card.  

So, when mouse logged into her blogger account Wednesday to blog on her main blog, she noticed a new blog or website blog that popped into the feed.  After spending a few moments reading she realized she'd never sent a thank you note to a few people after our New Years Eve celebration.  All the holiday thank you's were sent right after that holiday.  The only thing Daddy disagreed with, rather hotly was the time-line section of that post.  Particularly responding to wedding gifts, which they wrongly suggest 3-6 months.  No, according to etiquette champion Emily Post, you have around three months and should start them before the wedding, as many will ship gifts ahead of the big day -- even if unopened until the wedding -- send a note acknowledging the gift.  Really, that was something mouse had no clue about.  

Now, here's the odd thing, mouse never considered sending a close friend like Lucy a thank you note for helping with a big dinner party.  Yet, when Daddy said mouse should, she of course did it and it was very well received.  Lucy absolutely gushed over it.   Sending a thank you note just because you received a thank you, seems silly, and not needed.  Maybe it is the idea of getting something special in the mail aside from the usual bills and junk mail that makes it so nice?  

It seems any hand-written correspondence is completely becoming a very lost art,  which is probably sad.  We've all but stopped writing letters today, in lieu of sending emails or even text messages to friends or family.  They don't even focus on penmanship anymore in schools at least the way used to. It is interesting that mouse now receives more thank you notes from friends because of this.  Imagine that?  Trendsetting mouse.  

For When Daddy Comes Home

It's true autumn is upon us and the days are certainly growing shorter and there's a chill to the air.  It's odd because during the spring and summer months, aside from Shabbat, mouse rarely lights candles, sometimes outdoors during the summer she'll toss out a few candles if we're entertaining.   It's odd also, although a few candles don't give off any substantial heat, it the room instantly feels warmer.   For parties it creates a relaxed environment and let's be honest, it hides the cleaning flaws.  

When Daddy goes away, we have a candle that sits in the entryway atop a high desk that we light each evening.  It's flame extinguished at bedtime but it's become a ritual of sorts that the candle's lit for him.  Does Daddy care that we do it?  Probably not to be honest.   Recently, we added a few more candles to it, so it illuminates the whole entryway.   Those candles were joined by others in adjacent rooms we frequent.  We never light candles in rooms we don't go into.  

When Daddy comes home, depending on the time his plane touches ground greatly determines the routine for his homecoming.  Early flight and mouse will be sure to have coffee and breakfast or brunch like things set up for his arrival.  An afternoon flight he'll find lunch waiting with a tall glass of iced tea fixed exactly how he likes it -- with a touch of mint.   Early evening flights find mouse planning a normal day, with dinner on the table and our home bursting with activity.  

Late evening arrivals, although the most taxing on him, are the best for mouse -- especially if the children are in bed and mouse is reasonably certain he's already eaten dinner.   The baby is fast asleep, the dogs are groggy from their day of play (seriously mouse wears them out hours beforehand).  He can step through the door and just feel the tension leave him.  Many candles are lit for his arrival and mouse puts together a tray with some snack of cheese or wine and a hot bath.  After long flights there's nothing he likes better than to peel off his clothing and soak in a tub or take a long hot shower.   It is very much a mental signal that  he's home and life can again return to normal.  

He enjoys traveling and seeing new things or revisiting places he's already been, but he grown to hate -- like most people today -- airports. 

From the first text saying he's at the airport and through security mouse begins the mental countdown to his eventual return home.  He'll continue to send random text messages updating his flight or telling mouse when boarding begins and again when he's on the plane.  Then the long silence as mouse busies herself with routine of life.  Depending on the time of day determines what she'll be doing.  Generally speaking there's lots of cleaning and maybe a chance to watch one more romantic movie that will certainly make mouse's eyes damp.  

Then the text comes and mouse's heart begins to race a little, saying he's landed.  The next text will be that he's in a cab and on his way home...that's when the real countdown begins for mouse.  Knowing how long it takes from the airport to our home, mouse plans out everything so the wine or champagne is chilled.  Cheese is placed on the tray so it can warm to room temperature.  Depending on the hour, the fireplace might be stoked, lit or another log thrown on.  His mood is hard to glean from text messages but mouse can assume if he's had a long wait, he's not happy.  Once he (and of course everyone)  had to wait 10 hours for his connecting flight to bring him back home because of mechanical issues or something.  

One thing regardless of the time of day of his return the first thing he'll do is kiss mouse and then he'll sink into his chair for  a few minutes, while mouse removes his shoes for him and rubs his feet.   Upstairs she will undress him, and let him slip into the tub.   It's the act of pampering him a little, fussing over him a lot that maybe is more for mouse than for him.  He appreciates the effort but he'd be just as happy with a cool towel and maybe a cocktail.  This is all for mouse....

Nervous

This is a companion place to The Power Exchange blog we maintain. It's a place for mouse to freely discuss party ideas and other obligations of her slavery, mothering, and being a wife.

It's a way for mouse to address her fears...of people. It's weirdly convoluted. But mouse is afraid deeply so of being an embarrassment to Daddy. It should be noted for the official record that he hasn't any such fears. He dislikes entertaining because he finds it rather taxing on his nerves. He prefers to stay aloof than to be at the center of anything. However, it's a requirement more or less for his job.

It's an obligation he's graciously been shirking for sometime and it just cannot be ignored any longer. For some reason, while people seem to not mind the occasional restaurant gathering, it's not acceptable really to invite people out. It's awkward when the check comes (even if the server is prewarned NOT to deliver it to the table). It seems most people prefer to be entertained at someone's home,

We're invited out each month it seems twice, but only recently did we actually begin accepting the invites. Well, Daddy began accepting them -- truthfully it was something mouse was in the dark about. Little bit of peer pressure -- colleagues wondering why he refuses.

He enjoys very much his coworkers, and they do understand how intensely guarded and private he is.

Not very concerned about the cooking part....it's more about being scared about everything else one must do. And this will be happening much more frequently. At least once per month Daddy explained. These dinners could actually affect his career! No pressure there!

So, we're hosting our first really important meal next month! 8 couples and none of them "friends" but people Daddy is quite aquatinted with. Perhaps they will become friends? Really mouse can only hope. Two couples have been to our before...they seem very nice...but the others...just no clue.

Let the countdown begin....