I’ve reached the point in my party prep season when I am tired of the whole process and ready for the event to be over. This is a pattern I’ve followed most of my life. I’ll get interested in a project, envision the result, plan the steps and get through two or three of them, then lose focus (not necessarily interest) part way through. My history is littered with unfinished business. Sometimes I laugh it off, saying I’m in design, not execution. Other times I think I have some sort of glitch in my brain chemistry that doesn’t rise to the level of a diagnosable disability but that is certainly part of my personality type and my working style.

In general, I follow a plan outlined in the December 1990 issue of Classic Pillsbury Cookbooks. This was a booklet-sized series of recipe collections usually sold at supermarket checkouts. I can see myself in line at the Giant, five-year-old at my side and midweek grocery supplies in the basket. It’s getting on toward 4:30, the winter twilight coming on, dinner to be gotten on the table and some work to be done on Lynn’s angel costume for the church Christmas program. I pick up the little book with a picture of Poppin’ Fresh grinning at a sheet cake that features a Santa face with a beard made out of marshmallows. I turn to the section called “Having Company” which offers three party plans for multiples of 25, complete with detailed menus and preparation timetables. “I can do this,” I say.

And I did, using the magazine’s outline as a template, adding and subtracting elements over the years as I learned what worked best for me and my guests.

Today then is Dip Day, the day I prepare the mixture for the Wine and Cheese Pinecone and the Creamy Salsa Dip. Both use cream cheese. The traditional Philadelphia brand bricks are on special as “buy one get one free” at the Giant this week. I need one brick each for the pinecone and the salsa mixture, and one each for the Festive Pear Tart, and a hot crab dip that I’ll mix up and bake on Sunday. So I bought four but only paid for two. My Very Frugal Mother would approve.