We survived............

Thanksgiving that is.  We made it!  It almost seemed non-eventful.  Which was what I was looking for actually!  Quiet.  Laid back.  Easy.   The brunette went to her dad's house.  So it was just me, the husband, his parents, the blonde and the Prodigal Son.  The Prodigal Son only joined us for the meal and stayed in his cave other than that, so he doesn't even really count.  He is having a rough go at college - like we all did - and I guess felt it safest to just stay hidden his entire break.  Although that really just angered me and hurt me more than anything else.  I had a chat with him, but it was cut short because his dad called and we never returned to our conversation, because he is evidently a vampire and sleeps all day and only wakes up after I've gone to bed.  His shitty spirit really kind of dampened my whole attitude, to be honest.  I kept trying NOT to let it affect me - but it was.  And that was pissing me off.

The father-in-law was funny.  He talks.  A LOT.  I love him dearly - but I don't know that he ever quits talking.  He narrates his life - as he's living it.  It's kind of funny in a way.  Anyway, he was a meat cutter all his life, so while I was in the kitchen, alone, making the gravy, he stopped by to quiz me on turkey facts. 

Him:  Let me ask, when you took the thawed turkey out of the packaging, did you wash it with cold water in the sink before you dressed it?

Me: (FUCK!  I did not!) - Yes!!  Of course I did!

Him:  WRONG!!!

Me:  (FUCK!!  This is where lying gets you!  But I was committed...)  Oh?  Well hell.  Oopsie!

Him:  And do you know why you shouldn't do that?

Me:  (DAMMIT I wish I hadn't lied)  No.  But please.  Do tell.

Him:  Well - it contaminates the sink area - and now you have bacteria all over your sink area and that will lead to cross-contamination to all the other food........

Me:  Well, I did use that bleach concoction...

Him:  Nope.  Should have never done it  - unless you sterilized the whole thing afterwards........

Me:  I did.....

Him:  It just isn't necessary and you shouldn't have done it.

Me:  Okay.  I'm sorry.

And this conversation carried on for about 15 minutes - Me.  Apologizing for fucking up the sink and really really wishing I had not lied to begin with.  I then got a quiz on fire safety in the kitchen.  Which I passed with glowing colors!  YAY for me!!!

Later in the evening, there was a card game - which I had no interest in playing - and I'm glad I skipped it because I believe it ended in a fight of some sort.  Not a fist fight - just a verbal fight.  This is why I don't play cards.  Although I do love to play cards.  But I hate the fighting.

Friday, I really wanted to just lounge around all day - but the husband thinks that is stupid.  I did it anyway.  I was tired and Aunt Flo had dropped by to further ruin my fucking holiday spirit, so I just lounged around chowing on Taco Hell and watching quality TV all day!

Saturday, we had family pics and then took the blonde to the local Christmas Parade.  Which was totally fucking lame  - AGAIN.  Although this time the husband really did get a t-shirt - it wasn't a roll of toilet paper!!!  YAY!  But the whole bag of candy we collected was nothing more than tootsie rolls and dum-dums.  Bleh.  BUT - - - the blonde LOVED it and it was all about her at that moment!!!  We hung out with some great friends we hadn't seen in a very long time (too long) and the night was pleasant.  Although I think I whined too much.  It happens.  Aunt Flo takes over my persona and spreads her shitty attitude around.  I hate her. 

Sunday, we decided to get out the Christmas decor and have a little fun!  The brunette got me up and moving and insisted I put on make up and do my hair and we cleaned up the house - because you can't decorate if the house isn't clean!  She donned her santa hat and was rearin' to go!!!  At 1:30, we drug the tree up from the basement.  We usually do two trees, but due to rearranging of the house, we will have room for only one this year.  The girls insisted we put up the big tree and that they put the ornaments the kids have collected over the last 18 years on that tree.  That tree is usually "MY" tree - all perfectly adorned with matching ornaments and ready for posting on Martha Stewart's holiday site.  But I really wanted the girls to enjoy the decorating so I let them decide how it would be done.  Me, being a control freak over the tree, really doesn't display much holiday spirit, so I'm letting go this year.  I don't care where the decorations are placed around the house.  It doesn't matter.  Anyway - so it was 1:30 when we drug that tree upstairs.  At 4:30 we put the first ornament on.  Because it took 3 fucking hours to get the damned lights working.  By then, everyone had pretty much had it.  The husband's patience were gone.  The blonde was in the way helping.  The brunette had lost interest, and I had fallen asleep on the couch. 

But, the brunette slapped her santa hat back on and the decorating began.  We tried to find some holiday music - but couldn't  - (but we did get the DVD collection all organized in the process!) - and I sat back on the couch, watching the memories be made.  And I wasn't feeling nostalgic.  It didn't feel "right" - something was amiss.  And then..... the fighting began - over the ornaments.  And it was at THAT moment that all the holidays past came rushing forward.  Now THAT felt more like it!  So I took some pics and relished in their arguing and at the end of it all - the tree was decorated and I didn't have to do anything but sit back and enjoy!!  The tree does look a bit like someone puked decorations all over it - and it does make me a tad crazy to look at it.  Maybe while they're all at school I'll just move a few things around - you know - just tweak it ...

just a tad!