Company is coming

My sister, nephew and his girlfriend are coming down to visit for the weekend. It will be nice - it's been a while since they've visited. Last time we saw them it was for my nephew's 30th birthday party. That was in the fall. So we're all due.
Course company coming has always meant cleaning and food preparation to me (therefore exhaustion). Since i was little whenever we'd have company my mother would go into a frenzy. The house that was already tidy would be practically scoured. Everything was shined up and vacuumed and by the time the company would actually arrived we were all sick of the idea of company. My mom would have gone a little nuts with the cleaning and then there would be some very involved cooking that would just make her seem a little crazy to those of us around her. I mean what was the big schmeel anyhow? People come over to see you - not your house and we'd eat anything right? Well not to my mother - it meant putting on ze dog. Actually when i think back on it - she wanted to just make them feel very special. Making the house look nice of course was a reflection on her - but also for the comfort of her guests. And making something special to eat - just another way to make her company feel they were honored people in our home. And let me tell you - my mother could cook - she still can but now its a little much for her. But the woman is known far and wide for her wonderful food. She can take a box of tuna helper and turn it into fine cuisine - swear to God. And even if she didn't actually cook the food (now and again we'd get things catered) the woman knew how to make it look beautiful. I remember one occasion - it may've been my grandparents golden anniversary party? Whatever - a pan of lasagna disappeared. It became a long standing joke about that pan of lasagna - what happened to it we never did find out but we knew someone was eating pretty darned good is all. Cos Theresa made that lasagna. And she could make lasagna. The Irish girl made better Italian food than any of my Italian uncles families - no arguments from anyone.
So, one would expect that one of my mother's children would inherit her love of cooking, right?
That would be moi. I do love to cook. The sister that is visiting doesn't have the patience for cooking, The other sister is a fine cook as well except she's a vegan so her repertoire is a little limited for the rest of us. So, while i do some mad cleaning on occasion (like today - i vacuumed and cleaned and shined - so much so the cats went to the far corners of the house for fear of getting sucked up by the hoover) i do enjoy cooking something fun for company. On a day to day basis, at least lately, i have fallen into a boring routine of dinner fare. With company coming i try to think up something yummy to serve my guests (i am not named Junior for nuthin - yes, I'm a Theresa too).
Of course the first thing that pops into my mind is dessert. We must have priorities you know. i haven't come up with anything to serve for dinner yet but i do know we're having cheesecake for dessert. Not just any old cheesecake neither. My mother's recipe is the only thing i'd bother making. If you're going to do cheesecake - this is what you want. No Jello Cheesecake for us PULEEZ. That is not cheesecake kids. I'll be back later with the recipe. it is, without a doubt, the best cheesecake ever.