Patty, that's a whole lotta stuff going on all at once! No water right before guests arrive seems the most drastic (to say nothing of no water for just you at the house!) Good luck with the computer/screen setup. Do you ever use books (like the beloved/reviled Rise Up Singing)? Slow cooker for the corned beef? How far are people travelling for your event? And will they all arrive with their own accommodations for a collection of RVs around the yard?

Yesterday's run to the discount grocery store was for research; I have concluded that Thursday is most likely to have the best array of produce available outside of Saturday (with the crowds and long lines). Since my ex often goes with me I let him know that he might want to plan for twice monthly Thursday trips.

A couple of loads of laundry today of the heavy robe, sweaters, lap quilts, etc. as I prepare to put them away for the summer. Another blanket off the bed to be folded and zipped away in the vinyl under-bed bags. The washer only did a UL symbol once with this first batch (as an old pinball player I always refer to that as the "tilt" message.)

While preparing to mow the lawn I pulled a few sprigs sprouting from the Mexican Plum roots. One is in a pot now to grow through the hot weather and I'll plant it in the far back by the creek next winter. I'm considering taking the plum out for a couple of reasons; in fire danger it is too close to the house, and it suffers from poor drainage right there. A few feet further over is a large baldcypress (planted 23 years ago), that will stay put. It has been my experience that for every three trees I've planted here I've had to remove one of them when it gets too big. I have a couple of smaller trees in pots (Texas kidneywood) that I'll plant on the far side of the baldcypress in a sloped part of the yard with better drainage. I still need to put in a French drain close to the house even if the plum is removed.

Declutter via eBay continues.