Enough of this Christmas Cheer already. I woke up feeling a little crabby and fussy today, and despite our mild weather and a good, brisk walk, I'm not getting any better. Let's see if I can Write It Out of my system.
1. Food: I have a New York Times subscription. It includes access to NYT Cooking and all their recipes. "Oh boy!" one would think. "That sounds like a great resource." Well, it can be, but for the past 18 months, all the food editors can think/write about is gochujang and chili crisp. Before that, everything was about chickpeas. Salmon is featured constantly, and I detest salmon in any form. (That made our Alaska vacation awkward, let me tell you.) Do not get me started on their fixation with kale, which I think tastes like dirt.
2. Hair: Once again, I waited too long (no pun intended!) to book a haircut, and now I am in Ugly Mode. Absolutely nothing is working with my hair. The ends are dry and terrible. The layers are too long. It is flat. I have completely butchered my bangs so many times that--what? what can I even say? I am in such Desperation that I dragged out my old hot rollers and tried those with predictably clownish and frightful results. Susie booked me for 11:30 on 3 January thank heavens and she will get a sizeable tip.
3. Amazon: I'm happy to say that Rick and I did the vast majority of our Christmas shopping In Real Life and I only used Amazon for a handful of gifts. However, those gifts, although they were ordered on 11 December, did not come until TODAY, 27 December. Sam, whose Christmas shopping is almost done exclusively online and at the very last minute, had all his gifts arrive on time. I struggle to understand WHAT I HAVE LEARNED.
4. Old: There is no getting around it; I am Not Young Anymore. I thought I was Perfectly Fine with this fact, but apparently I am NOT. Did you know that, as you age, your body starts aching and bitching when you do stuff you always used to do? Right now, my neck and shoulder hurt a lot. And they have for days and days. So do my feet. Did I do anything different to cause this? No I did not.
5. Over It: I want my house back. All this Christmas stuff has got to go. Tomorrow, the tree comes down. Trust me, I don't decorate the house even a tiny fraction of what I used to, but I need the serenity of Things Back To Normal. Things would have been put away today, but Rick is now a Social Butterfly in retirement and had lunch plans and dinner plans today with friends. While he is gone tonight, I am going to take a muscle relaxer, put on my jammies, finish my book, and watch something not at all cerebral on television, and I will take recommendations.
Are you feeling a little crabby, too? If not, make me feel better in Comments.
YES. Let's have a little crab fest! I am with you, Nance!
ReplyDeleteI get SO CRABBY about the Christmas decorations once Christmas is over. Everything feels like it's closing in on me and I swear the dust collects extra thickly on Christmas decor! Out! I want it out! Complicating things this year is that I feel like I should (want?) to keep them up until my parents can visit which probably won't be for another week. Also on my crab-causer list is the laundry. So. Much. Laundry. I need to ban people from wearing clothing.
I am with you on the amazon frustration. I too tried to buy from other stores, and buy in advance (ish) because the shipping times were all wonky. And then some people sent gifts AT THE LAST MINUTE and they arrived just in time and that should make me feel glad for them and lucky for their gift recipients... but it just makes me cranky.
Suzanne--
DeleteOh, goody!
I, too, feel claustrophobic as soon as Cmas is over. Not that you asked, but I say get rid of it all even though the parents are coming. They don't want to see the tail end of Cmas, either, I'm sure. Take photos if you want to show them what it all looked like.
Sigh. Laundry. My appliances are in the basement, so I really hate it. At least Rick does his own, but I occasionally have to Do The Switch, and he loves to overload the washer. And his clothes are big. It's just a lot, as you know! Hang in there; we've got this.
Not crabby exactly. More just let down.
ReplyDeleteI did a thorough un-Christmasing and blast cleaned the downstairs yesterday. After our guests left the upstairs got the same treatment. Now I just have Mt. Washmore to tackle.
Hoping I sleep well tonight and hope you are feeling better soon.
Dee--I am jealous. Not only are you deChristmased, but you are also all clean on the first floor. I vacuumed and cleaned a bathroom and thought I was going to die. I cannot wait until we rip out this carpeting.
DeleteI hope you sleep the sleep of the just tonight (where did that saying come from, anyway?). And thank you--I want to avoid a trip to a medical professional.
(I hope your guests were pleasant and gracious.)
Oh dear. The hair, yep, totally with you. I waited too long too and was thrilled to get it cut at the beginning of December. But already it feels like it needs cut again.
ReplyDeleteAnd getting older? I don't get it. Why, just because we are older, should we get these sudden aches and pains? And I get tired much faster too. It must be a conspiracy, that's all.
But as for Christmas, well...took it kinda easy yesterday, then today took the pup to be neutered and cleaned up some of the mess from the tree that smashed my van, washed rugs, priced stuff and loaded the van for the booths. Tomorrow we have company coming for the weekend, so all I have done is tidy up, mop, and plan what to feed them.
So no time for un-Christmasing yet, but I'm okay with leaving it up a while. I like it. I packed away the usual decor in the Christmas totes, so I am not feeling claustrophobic...yet. Next week I will be watching out for the pup, have a doc appointment Tuesday, then it's New Year's, but I am not planning any big hooha for that!
G Sue--You were smart and planned ahead with your haircut. I waited and I'm paying the price.
DeleteA tree smashed your van?! Yikes. That's awful! Are you still driving it, or are you using a different van?
If I had weekend company coming, I'd be a mess, but look at you, having the dog fixed and going on about your regular routine like it's no big deal. You're my hero.
Not crabby EXACTLY, but certainly not full of joy either and this cold, rainy, gray weather isn't helping matters at all. Usually, I would try to get Christmas put away before the 1st since I knew I wouldn't want to do it after going back to work...but since I don't have a job to go back to on the 2nd - I don't know when I'll get around to it; but I do want my house back.
ReplyDeleteGigi--We're getting that weather in a couple of days, but for now, I'm reveling in the 50s and dry sidewalks. I don't mind if there are clouds at this point as long as I can get outside and walk, walk, walk.
DeleteI'm sorry your retirement was so abrupt. That leaves you with a lot of unresolved feelings and energies, I'm sure.
I woke up with a bit of a head cold this morning, which sucks, but is also getting me out of things. Ted and I usually go to dinner on Fridays, which is lovely, but it means hair and makeup and sometimes I just don't feel like it. In honor of my head cold, we will have pizza instead. Ted went out and had the oil changed in one of our cars, and then took it to have a smog test. Usually I would go with him. I went to a volunteer gig this morning, cleaning up after kittens, came home and had a shower, and now I'm watching Bake Off (old episodes) and am trying to catch up on blogs.
ReplyDeleteWe generally take down our Christmas decor on January 1st. I suspect that is what we will do this time.
I'm sorry you're feeling crabby. I hope the muscle relaxant and good book help, as well as something non cerebral on TV. Bake off?
J--Ugh. A head cold. So unfair. I wouldn't want to go out for a nice dinner either.
DeleteMy car told us it needs maintenance, too. Rick is ignoring it at present, which puts me in a position I hate: if I keep reminding him, he gets defensive and snitty; if I don't remind him, he says, "Nance, how am I supposed to know if you don't remind me? I can't remember everything!" Sigh. It's the definition of Impossible.
I've watched all the episodes of BakeOff, including the specials. I'm rewatching House, with the wonderful Hugh Laurie, who I am still in love with. Sometimes I watch terrible reality TV, like My 600-Pound Life and Hoarders, and marvel at lives so different from my own.
It sounds like you are having the post Christmas blues... I get what you are saying and sometimes it is a lot. I had a wonderful time with my family and friends but am kind of ready to be on my own again. I know that sounds horribile, but the last few weeks have been a lot of time with and around people and my introvert self is definitely ready for a bit of solo time!
ReplyDeleteKyria--It's not The Blues, exactly. I don't feel a let-down or sadness at all. I just feel fussy and crabby. And I don't think you sound horrible at all for wanting to be solo again. I can only take so much of Gathering Time, and then I'm Over It. And I love my sons and their ladies. And Theo.
DeleteI'm a creature of habit, and I like things In Stasis, for the most part. Maybe it was teaching for 30 years--routine was a lifesaver, and not just for me, but for my students, too.
The Post-Christmas Crabby Complaint Fest: —Yes, let us all have a wail here!
ReplyDeleteIn Casa Ortiz, I was hoping we would get a breather from all the doctor and dentist appointments over the last few months. Since September, Mr. O. has gotten a new upper denture and also had to visit a nephrologist, an ENT, and a gastroenterologist (the last two related to problems swallowing.) The week before Christmas, he had a body wide attack of gout and could barely walk. He has had gout for years, but normally it only kicks in once or twice a year. We were thankfully able to get an emergency appointment with the rheumatologist who put him on the magic medicine that always works for this. Three days later, just when the pills began to take effect and he could walk normally again, Luis developed a strange bubbly rash on his neck. The urgent care doc immediately diagnosed it as shingles. This is ironic because I have been meaning to schedule a Shingrix vaccination for both of us, but too many other doctors were lined up for all of the above. The Good News: the meds prescribed seem to be working really well and controlling the spread. The doc said if we had waited a few more days, he wouldn't have been able to take it.
Taking down Christmas stuff was not an issue because I haven’t decorated for Christmas in years except for maybe a poinsettia in the living room and a couple of Christmas stockings I like to put up for each of us. Lucky me! And honestly, it just seems like a lot of pointless fuss in our case because we have no family in the Big D that would be visiting us. Even if we did, we would have cancelled Christmas plans this year anyway because: Jingle Bells got taken over by Shingles Bells.
Re: hair... I actually squeezed in an appointment to get mine trimmed in early December. Completely agree with you on the old electric rollers (which I also still have, lol.) Lately, if I have the energy, I use Ms. Jessica’s Jelly-Soft Curls. It’s a gel you put on your hair right after washing and then crimp your hair off and on until it is almost dry. After that, I use a special diffuser attachment on the hair dryer to give it a “loose perm” look. Makes my hair feel super soft instead of like straw, and lasts for several days. But, yeah, very worky, and not on the haircare menu lately.
I sent a few pressies via Amazon to close family members who live Elsewhere. They got them on time, but I also ordered stuff pretty early.
So sorry to hear about your neck and shoulder pain, and hope it goes away soon! I get pain in my right shoulder that I dislocated years ago, but mostly when I am cooking and have to stir something for a while. Lately, my hips have also started aching. Conclusion: Getting Old Sucks!!! God knows what 2025 will bring, but Luis and I both got Covid in 2024 (in spite of having our vaccinations), so I am hoping things will settle down a bit next year. Politically, I am expecting fireworks in all directions, but I have declared a moratorium on news headlines to (somewhat) preserve my sanity.
Take care, dearest Nance. I enjoyed your Christmas post and plan to snuggle up to a good book and some nice plonk very soon. XXOO
Ortizzle--Poor Luis! Shingles is a most unwelcome guest. I was adamant about Rick and me getting the vaxx as soon as we were eligible. I knew too many people who got it and had heard too many horror stories about its misery. I got chicken pox at 14--a severe case--and knew I would be in for it. Fingers crossed that Mr. O escapes the worst with this med.
DeleteI'm all in for your sensible Minimalist Christmas, but now with Theo, I think we're stuck having a tree for the foreseeable. I think, though, that may be it. I'm done with stockings that aren't filled but just decor. You've convinced me, and thank you.
Thank you for your kind words regarding my aches and pains. I hope the same for yours. I'm just resentful that I feel this way, I guess. It all seems like a lot of bullshit. As you know, Patience has never been my Virtue.
Enjoy these days before 20 January. I join you in not dipping too deeply into the current of constant news coverage. I simply cannot bear it. XXOO
"It all seems like a lot of bullshit." Oh, how that made me laugh! That has been my battle cry since I turned 70 two years ago. The first half of 2024, which was my last semester teaching, was full of health and other catastrophic bullshit: leak in bathroom ceiling board covering our AC system that filled with water from an upstairs leak. While we were "unlatching" the ceiling board to see why it was literally raining in our bathroom, the weight of a cascade that was like an aquarium spilling over us caused the board to fall and hit my arm. Minor damage, thankfully. After that, I got a painful heel spur. Then I sprained my poor right ankle which has been a problem for years. After that I got Covid, as mentioned above, very likely from a student as it was rampant in the uni at the time. And Luis followed by catching in from me, in spite of precautions. Thank God the government subsidized the $2500 price of Paxlovid treatment for the "elderly." The rest is a slew of medical complaints also described above. I was able to plow through the mid-year transition from employment to retirement coverage, albeit with mounds of paperwork. Full coverage by paying Medicare Part B out of our SS payments + a reasonable supplement to the special uni retirement plan to cover dental, vision and prescriptions. Best part of our retirement medical plan is zero co-pay for doctor visits which was previously $50 a visit. So there's that, but I'm ready for all the bullshit to settle down a bit. *sigh* —Wishing you and Rick all the best in your double retirement journey. XXOO
DeleteO--2025 has GOT to be better for you. (Now I've gone and done it--thrown down the gauntlet and dared all manner of peril to come for you!) Sit tightly at home and behave yourselves. Perhaps the two of you can take up cross-stitch or jigsaw puzzles; take yourselves out of the line of fire for a while. XOXO
DeleteIt sounds like you’re having one of *those* days, and I totally get it! Sometimes, venting it out helps. Here’s hoping that the haircut, muscle relaxer, and some mindless TV bring you some much-needed relief! I’m with you on the Christmas decorations—there’s something so satisfying about getting back to normal. Take care and enjoy your cozy evening! I invite you to read my new blog post: https://www.melodyjacob.com/2024/12/the-dark-side-of-tipping-culture-when-entitlement-turns-deadly.html.
ReplyDeleteMelody--Oh, I'm having several of *those* days.
DeleteHello, and welcome to the Dept. Venting does help, and if you stick around here, you'll find that ours is a supportive and chatty community.
I'm afraid that your link isn't working. It leads to a 404 page.
Ahhh! I am so cranky! I’ve done something to mess up my knee and of course trying to get into see a doctor around the holidays is such a challenge, so I haven’t even called. I’m lounging around in bed, knitting, and having Jane Austen marathons repeatedly. Which sounds fun but the reality of it is not as appealing! I hope you heal soon and get in some good walks while the weather cooperates. A good walk is the best!
ReplyDeleteDIBF--So nice to see you back here in Comments!
DeleteYes, we're in that fugue part of the calendar when the days are such a jumble and time is so elastic and strange. Are these days even real? WHAT IS THE DATE? IS IT STILL DECEMBER?
I'm so sorry about your knee. I've suffered knee pain and a surgery, so I understand. It's very frustrating and the pain can be terrible. Don't wait too long to get an appointment. I've already decided that if I'm not feeling sufficiently better myself, I'm calling on Monday. Ugh.
I still have my middle son's family (3 adults, 3 children) staying in my home so I have to wait until Monday to relax. However, today they are spending the day with friends so "All is calm..." right now and so I am catching up with blog reading and then I will catch up with book reading! So I am pretty happy right now! - so don't make me think about my age (I will be 75 in 2025 - ugh!)! ;)
ReplyDeleteEllen--You are ageless here in Comments.
DeleteBless you for being a host. It's truly a double-edged sword, isn't it? We love to have our people with us, but having others in our home is tiring and fraught. Monday brings you back to your life again. I hope it was a lovely visit.
I walked through the lobby of my CCC this morning and wished all the excessive Christmas stuff was gone. It's EVERYWHERE!
ReplyDeleteI book my haircuts three months in advance, one every 6 weeks. I can't stand that ugly stage if I let it get too thick.
Jean--How long do they keep Christmas alive at the CCC? I'm guessing they take it all down by the new year. Some people really love it, though. Those people drive me nuts.
DeleteI really should book my next haircut before I leave Susie's this time. It's a terrible habit of mine, this waiting too long between cuts. Maybe that should be a Resolution for me!
I am with you on the crabby! Ugh. Fortunately we didn't decorate this year, but we have strategically placed Christmas cards around the room and there are still gifts waiting to be given (next Saturday), so there are Things In My Way. My futon is an absolute wreck - I can't even look at it.
ReplyDeleteI've been thinking I need a trim, but so far my hair is doing ok. I use a curling iron to create large ringlets that I brush out to give me that wavy look, but Wash Day continues to be a trial. I might have to check out that stuff that Ortizzle mentioned. I wonder if the folks at work would mind if I scrunch & diffuse in the office? It would be very helpful if I only had to wash on Saturdays, but alas...
I absolutely agree about the getting older business. Why does my thumb hurt? Apparently I pulled something in my right buttock? Was that from all the sitting, because if so I AM SUNK. Sigh.
Bug--I'd give anything to have your nice, thick hair. Mine used to be that way, but not anymore.
DeleteI worked at a bank to put myself through college, and at one of the branch offices, their head teller used to come in some mornings, lock herself in the restroom, and completely do her hair and makeup. It would take an hour. She'd even bring in her lighted makeup mirror. Sometimes, we'd even open late because of her. I have no idea why they allowed it; maybe she was sleeping with the bank president. It's entirely possible. I guess my point is that A) you wouldn't be blazing new trails if you beautified at work; or, B) if you slept with the company president, you certainly could take all the time you wanted doing so.
Old. Oh, I get all that, Nance. I hope the muscle relaxer helps. Maybe that's what I need for my current health situation. Everything that hurts is tight and hard. No real improvement (although I know I was better when we last spoke--everything is relative, you know?). My situation is disheartening, annoying, and worrisome although all test results show everything is fine. Sort of like the meme with the dumpster fire and "Everything is fine!" I really just want to get on with my life. It's a lot of bullshit as you said to Ortizzle, is so spot on.
ReplyDeleteFood. People do seem to get stuck on certain foods and recipes. You'd think the editor would ensure that wouldn't happen in the NYT food section but ... Truth be told, they're probably sharing whatever gets the most clicks. Sigh.
Hair. My haircut is scheduled for that same day, two hours earlier. I've been cutting my bangs for a couple of weeks now. My stylist had a cancellation last Saturday and as much as I tried to convince myself I was up to going, I finally conceded I was not. Luckily, I've not seen that many people lately, at least not folks who were looking at my hair. (That's what I tell myself anyway.)
Amazon. My love-hate relationship continues. I'm waiting for an order to be delivered right now. It definitely comes in handy for these times that I'm stuck at home. Being half an hour from a proper town with all the choices means Amazon remains essential. Sigh. Not being able to give gifts on time is very frustrating to the giver but I will say that as the recipient, I like the extended celebration factor. Of course, I know that goes against just being ready for Christmas to be over.
Over It. Not much left here of Christmas but I didn't have much to start. Will leave out the stockings until the kids come in 2 weeks for my surgery but otherwise, I'll put it all away on Wednesday or Thursday, right after I'm sure my sister and BIL won't be stopping by while they're here in a few days.
Thanks for commiserating with us. Hope it helped but hope the muscle relaxer and jammie time helps more. xoxo
Shirley--I'm sorry that you're still feeling lousy. So disheartening. I was so hoping that things were on the upswing for you. Again, I hate that we're so far away from each other.
DeleteToday, the NYT ran yet another salmon recipe (urk!), and added a few recipes using some more of their pet ingredients: kimchi, miso, and hot honey. I'm going to design a drinking game based upon the NYT Food Section's trendy ingredients, and everyone will get instantly hammered.
Yesterday, while I went to the grocery store for the umpteenth time in the last week, Rick completely deChristmased. My hero! I'm sure your kids will help you when they arrive; don't tax yourself.
Jammies alone help me immensely. Hug Dozer for me. XXOO
Yikes. Where to start. I am painfully typing this by propping the heel of my hand on the keyboard. I banged up something called a rotator cuff and my right arm will not lift. Luckily I am left handed. Even more luckily I have two wonderful daughters and a wonderful added son who dealt with the Christmas feast including cooking (thank you Wendy), planning and plating (thank you Katie) and stripping the bird (thank you Steve). And taking home most of the leftovers.
ReplyDeleteChick peas? Wendy made a special dish of them with spinach and other goodies for Christmas Eve dinner. Seb is vegetarian and I am shellfish allergic. The rest of them had a marvellous concoction of mussels, oysters, shrimp and whitefish, with chocolate fondue for dessert. And that was just Christmas Eve. I do not want to see or think abo\ut food until maybe February.
Hair? I had an appt with my years long stylist who can make me look reasonable. Arrived at shop with some trouble to find out she was ill and not there and the idiots had not had my phone number, they whined, to call me to cancel. There are all of two Gilmours spelled our way in the phne book. And only one lives close to stylist, with whom, it should be clear, I have been neighbours for 30 years, Was I pissed? Sigh. I now have a horrible hair chop from one of the walk-in stores, and I still am not sure what was wrong with my neighbour/cutter.
Amazon. Amazing deliveries out here in the boonies, and even after dark. Cannot fault them. Except I got two copies of the same book. Luckily one that my grandkid will enjoy as she got it for a gift.
Old? See Christmas Day rescue above. See arm that will not lift. S🎈
Hit those by accident.. But theme is ... enjoy your New Year with Good Wine and Good Company. Best wishes and a lot of love from MG.
Mary--Dear friend! My goodness. I hope the rotator cuff injury will not require a surgery. I'm so sorry for your pain. I know it well. I had two bouts of adhesive capsulitis (one in each shoulder), and one was misdiagnosed as a torn rotator cuff. The disability and pain are the same.
DeleteOf course your wonderful family stepped up and took care of everything. The food sounds delicious! Give me the seafood and the chocolate, and I'll be happy.
Is there anything more irksome than bad service? YES! A bad haircut! Put them together, and you've really been put upon, my friend. And you are left wondering about your neighbour.
Thank you for your good wishes. The same to you. Please take care of yourself! Let me know what the doctors decide about your injury. Don't overdo. XOXO
I am with you on the decorations. Started taking everything down yesterday. I love Christmas and the lights, but I decorate on Thanksgiving. That is plenty of time to enjoy. Packing away seems to take twice as long as getting everything out, though; no idea why. If you have Netflix, watch Black Doves; love Ben Wishaw. I also enjoy all the detective shows on Acorn/Brit Box. Am waiting for the final season of Vera to start up on Friday....this is what passes for excitement at my house. Take care & hope your New Year's celebration is peaceful (I don't honestly "celebrate" it anymore, so I know mine will be!).
ReplyDeleteElle--Thanks for the recommendations. We do have Netflix.
DeleteYesterday, while I was at the grocery store (again!), Rick took down all the Christmas stuff and packed it away. My hero! To say I was excited is an understatement. THAT is what excitement is in my house!
We may have Theo overnight for New Year's Eve, so our celebration will be joyful that way, but definitely peaceful. We rarely see midnight--hell, we rarely see 10 pm. I hope your New Year is calm and serene as well.
I'm not feeling crabby at all, but I understand all of your points! Also not a fan of Salmon; no matter how many times I've tried it, ughhhh, it's just not my fish. (although I do enjoy kale)
ReplyDeleteI've rid our house of all Christmas Evidence and it feel so good!
I tried to do all my shopping in person, but ended up using Amazon a few times. I don't know what you did wrong, but you certainly didn't get the memo on How To Amazon. 😆
I hate it when I wait too long between Hair Appointments, that's why I book the next one as I'm paying for the current one.
BB Suz--You and I must be the only two people in the universe who dislike salmon. The NYT shoved it at me again today, urging me to bake it lovingly in a bath of olive oil with lemons and the herbs of my choice. Honestly, slathering myself in a bath of lemons and olive oil sounds dreamy, and way better than salmon.
DeleteYou Hair Efficient People are starting to annoy me. How do you know you'll need that haircut by then? What if your hair looks awesome? What if you're having a String Of Great Hair Days? And don't you know you need to suffer so that you can earn that haircut? Hmpf.
As per usual, this post made me laugh so much. I'm sorry your crabby. I get it. I'm not feeling overly crabby, but that will def become my life the day before the small charges return for my daycare and I have to get out of bed at a set time and holler at my people to get game pieces and shoes and new gifts PUT AWAY.
ReplyDeleteWe had Shenanigan side Christmas last night and it was so much fun. His side is more pleasant than mine. Something 25 year old me never would have believed, as I was still drinking the kool-aid and trying to figure out where I fit in with my family of origin. Turns out, I just don't and that's not a bad thing.
Coach and I have to complete an online certification by tomorrow morning at 8:36 am in order to adopt the girls. What a terrible month to have to do this. We both got reminders for weeks, and ignored them because DECEMBER. I did some of it in the car on the way to and from the 45 min away Christmas party yesterday and during half times of Curly's b-ball games the last few days. One section remains. And yet, here I am trying to catch up on blogs.
I hope your mood improves soon. I have no TV recommendations to suggest. I watch what my kids put on and enjoy the time with them until I snooze on the couch and they take funny pictures of me and post them in the family group chat.
Ernie--I'm so glad to have given you a laugh or two. AND to know that, in spite of all the balls you have in the air over there, that you are Not Crabby. You should be my inspiration, but I'm too old and set in my ways for that, I guess. Plus, Rick got some noisy power engraver tool thingy for Christmas, and I cannot get ONE MOMENT'S PEACE whilst he plays around with it in the basement now.
DeleteSomeday, Ernie, you and I will have to have a MeetUp and talk a lot about Families. I have a feeling it could be therapeutic for us both. Rick could definitely join us--his Story is...well, let's just say that we three could close down any bar/restaurant even if we got there when it opened.
Like you, I absolutely love spending time with my kids (and now their ladies), and it doesn't matter what the heck we do when we're together or where we are. I even pretend to watch football just to hang with them. They're the absolute best.
I know you'll stay up all night if you have to in order to finish that certification and do it well. Those girls are important to you; you felt a real and profound calling to adopt them and make a difference in their lives. Look how far they've come already.
Not to brag or anything, but I am NOT crabby. I love having the holiday lights staying up and they probably will in our house until mid-January. I am off work for DAYS still. I live near an Amazon distribution center, so things always get here on time. Once I ordered something at 8pm and it was on my porch the next morning before I left for work. I AM PURE JOY!! Okay, that does sound like bragging.
ReplyDeleteThe cat is sick again and has barfed up her food for the last three days. Our vet actually made a house call on Friday night. I gave her (our vet - not the cat) a dozen cookies for her trouble. I'm starting actually get worried that Zelda may be...getting old? And I'm going to have to make some decisions? And that makes me soooo sad.
NGS--Your Holiday Bliss is bordering on obnoxious. Yet, you are young(er), so I will take that into consideration. I was That Way for a long time, and I live with a real Scrooge. And isn't the academic calendar wonderful during The Holidays? (Except for trying to get students back on track when they return, an obstacle I encountered even in high school. Hopefully, it's not much of an issue on the college level.)
DeleteI'm so sorry about Zelda, especially after all she/you have been through. How comforting to have a vet who makes house calls! I hope you keep us updated on her condition. We've all gotten invested in her progress. How old is she? Cats have amazing longevity, but Zelda has had a tough road. I join you in hoping for the best.
Zelda is 13. I mean, I guess 13.5. Cats can live into their twenties and I was SO SURE we had another at least another few years of good health for her. And maybe she'll rebound from this and in a few months I won't be talking about it anymore. But right now? It seems bad. *sigh* No. I will be optimistic. She's going to be FINE.
DeleteEngie--My cats are 14, and I swear that Marlowe is showing signs of dementia. Now that they're both very senior, I worry each time they act differently. Rick tells me I'm worrying over nothing.
DeleteYou know Zelda better than anyone. Now that you're back to cuddling her, she can feel your support and love more tangibly. Sending you hope and healing thoughts.
I'm pleasantly surprised to see a post; I'm horrified that it has been a couple of days! Is there a way I can sign up to be notified? I suspect I'm behind the times here.
ReplyDeleteNance, whom I think of as the voice of reason and decency, is crabby? Well then the whole world probably needs to be crabby along with her. I am sorry though for the unexplained aches and pains and weirdass shipping times. Forces in charge of those things need to get their acts together.
I too am over X-Mas as soon as Christmas is over, but tend to keep things up until the New Year because of holiday visitors. Also, and this part is unrealistic in the midwest, I tend to expect Spring right after a White Christmas.
maya--You can always subscribe by email to my posts. There's a little box to do so right at the top right of the page. I know it's tough to keep up with my very erratic posting.
DeleteGoodness! I do hope that I don't set the tone for the rest of the world when I'm cranky. I'll be on my best behaviour far more often if that's true. I've always said, however, if everyone else would follow my rules, the world would be a much better place. LOL
Oh, I'm so glad I'm not the only one who is impatient to usher wintertime out once the holidays are over. Or at least January. I've lived here all my life, but as soon as January is done, I start truly pining for Spring. The best winters for me are sn*wless.
Proud subscriber!
DeleteAnd I'm chuckling over your spelling of "sn*wless." (You would think I would enjoy this too, but it's a bit worrisome from a Climate Change perspective?)
maya--Welcome aboard!
DeleteWe haters of frozen precipitation are a superstitious bunch. We try not to mention the word, even in written/typed form. We keep our shovels for it by the back door well into April just to ward it off, and we only see one positive side to it, ever: missed days of school. Now that I'm retired, if it does happen, I use shovelling for my exercise when I can't get out to walk. It's very odd, but I do really enjoy shovelling that stuff out of the way--must be a Control Issue.
I love Christmastime so much, I can't be crabby. That's for the whole rest of the year. ;-)
ReplyDeleteBridget--I find that my crabbiness does not discriminate; it rears its head whenever it desires whether tis The Season or not. Thankfully, it's not often. I know you love this time of the year and all it brings.
DeleteOh, wow -- you really were in a grouchy mood when you wrote that, weren't you. Despite that I wish you a Happy New Year but --- we're likely going to have some "interesting" times ahead. I should add that in terms of aging, there are some annoying aspects though maybe that isn't a strong enough word. Whadda ya think?
ReplyDeleteJoared--Yes, I was. Writing about it helped, and so did a visit from the grandson and a few walks in between. All are great therapy.
DeleteAnnoying, disheartening, irritating, sobering...and those are just single word adjectives. Sometimes, coming to terms with aging makes me resentful. But compared to lots of people, I'm in great shape, and I'm grateful for that. Happy New Year, and we'll take each day as it comes.