I love the holidays, but I find that the family gatherings just deflate me. We had a surprise guest at the dinner table yesterday, my brother, whom I wrote about
here and
here, came for the weekend. As I have mentioned before, he ships out to the Middle East in Dec and is the middle of a divorce. It was lovely to see him, and it was a complete surprise for our mom. She thought he was in Ohio with his children and that she wasn't going to see him before he shipped out. My father was also here from Canada, although he dines at my aunt's house, as he and my mother don't get along very well. It is an emotional roller coater when family gets together and we are about as dysfunctional as they come. Divorces all around and our fair share of vices to boot. It is nice to see them come, even nicer to see them go. I was so excited to decorate today. I dreamt about it for days. When the time came and all the boxes came down from the third floor, the spark just wasn't there. They are sitting in the formal living room, half opened. I put out a few things, but it's just not a happy thing for me right now, so I think I'll wait. Besides, I get the two year old to sleep and the baby starts screaming or vice versa. The Thanksgiving/Autumn decorations need to come down first too. Another job that just exhausts me thinking about it.
On a brighter note, here is my boy, Clyde, (of Bonnie and Clyde) feeling guilty about his theft of a stuffy. Later, the stuffy hit the can. Clyde had tortured him and the stuffy spilt his beans all over the living room floor. We do have Bonnie as well. They are brother and sister and I didn't realize when we brought them home, how appropriate their names would be. They drive me crazy and bark at everything. To give you an idea, Clyde barks at the reflection of the TV on the stainless steel fridge at night, or at the reflection off the skylights of the movement down below. He is as useful as a two headed nail, but I do love him and the house would be VERY quiet without them.
I love the holidays, but I find that the family gatherings just deflate me. We had a surprise guest at the dinner table yesterday, my brother, whom I wrote about here and here, came for the weekend. As I have mentioned before, he ships out to the Middle East in Dec and is the middle of a divorce. It was lovely to see him, and it was a complete surprise for our mom. She thought he was in Ohio with his children and that she wasn't going to see him before he shipped out. My father was also here from Canada, although he dines at my aunt's house, as he and my mother don't get along very well. It is an emotional roller coater when family gets together and we are about as dysfunctional as they come. Divorces all around and our fair share of vices to boot. It is nice to see them come, even nicer to see them go. I was so excited to decorate today. I dreamt about it for days. When the time came and all the boxes came down from the third floor, the spark just wasn't there. They are sitting in the formal living room, half opened. I put out a few things, but it's just not a happy thing for me right now, so I think I'll wait. Besides, I get the two year old to sleep and the baby starts screaming or vice versa. The Thanksgiving/Autumn decorations need to come down first too. Another job that just exhausts me thinking about it.
On a brighter note, here is my boy, Clyde, (of Bonnie and Clyde) feeling guilty about his theft of a stuffy. Later, the stuffy hit the can. Clyde had tortured him and the stuffy spilt his beans all over the living room floor. We do have Bonnie as well. They are brother and sister and I didn't realize when we brought them home, how appropriate their names would be. They drive me crazy and bark at everything. To give you an idea, Clyde barks at the reflection of the TV on the stainless steel fridge at night, or at the reflection off the skylights of the movement down below. He is as useful as a two headed nail, but I do love him and the house would be VERY quiet without them.
3 comments:
I got an early start to the decorating but I have now hit a wall.......next available decorating day is Monday.....so, I'll crank up the Christmas music and see if I can work through my dilemma areas.
Holidays are happy times that can also be full of not so happy times. Keep your chin up, my friend :-)
Wishing your family and especially your brother, the best of wishes. Be safe and thank him for his bravery!
Rose
Oh Abbie, this may sound terrible, but I'm sort of relieved to read about someone else who doesn't have the perfect family gathering! :) I really never see my family -- only a few cousins -- because they don't get along with my husband, and this year my husband's family has been broken up by their father's illness, and so we didn't really want to see them, either! So, while it wasn't a stressful family situation, it didn't seem like a holiday, either! And Christmas will probably be the same...on the other hand, we have a roof over our heads, and enough to eat (although if I ever see another turkey, it'll be too soon!), and some kids that we're sort of proud of...I guess we're doing OK.
xoxo,
Mary
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