Ours wasn’t perfect but it didn’t suck either. I guess these days that should count for “good”. We had Christmas Eve off and for the first time was able to go to the family Christmas Eve at someone elses house. Usually it’s at our house due to the store being open until about 4 or 5 that day.
Christmas day started off great. Mom and Dad and Grandma came up as did my Mother-in-law. The husband didn’t go to work until 11. Later in the day however plans changed and Mom realized that she wasn’t feeling well enough to stay. At that point the store was pretty busy so I draggged the kids to work and we worked the rest of the day until we closed an hour early to go out to dinner.
Now, there have been countless times that I have worked Christmas Day. Even after having the kids. It’s a fact of life and the luxury of always having a holiday off just hasn’t been in the cards for me. (Hell, my kids worked this year) I’ve even worked for the selfish you-know-what of a co-worker who refused to ever work Christmas Day regardless of who she inconvenienced. It never ceases to amaze me how many people absolutely do not appreciate the fact that you are giving up your Christmas Day to be open for them. I probably had about 3 people express gratitude. Most did not. And a few were downright bitchy. Shoplifting was, of course, another thing I had to deal with. One I kicked out but the other two thought they were being sly by just slipping one thing in their pocket while buying a few other things. They never caught on to the fact that I added the item in their pocket to their total and they paid for it anyway. Sometimes that’s a much better route to take than a confrontation.
We closed early to go out to dinner at a place that we know is always open, 365 days a year including holidays, and I made sure to thank each and every person who served us for working Christmas (not to mention tipping well).
So while another year with my family was great, my faith in humans in general just slips lower and lower as times goes by.
I managed to break away from the store long enough to see the kids in their 4th of July parade. This year I didn’t stay any longer than the kids karate demonstration though.
Breaking bricks.
Demo Team
The parade was as good as usual. The kids did very well. Kenny had 3 bricks stacked to break at the end of it all. I missed the shot of him actually breaking but you can see in the picture that he managed to break 2 of them.
When we got there, there were two women standing at the edge of the shaded area. We needed my husbands dad to be in the shade so we started to set up his chair so he could sit down after the walk from the parking area. The women said they were saving the whole area. The entire shaded area? Ok. I can understand attempting to save some spots and I said that was fine, I had no problem setting my chair up in the sun but told them we had one person who absolutely needed to be in the shade. I even set my chair up behind someone else in the sunny area. The two witches (with capital “B’s” I might add) wouldn’t stop complaining to each other. Unbelievable. His need was pretty obvious and they would begrudge him a spot at the edge of their saved shade? After listening to them he decided to just go on home. Said the heat made it hard to breathe which it may have but I hope like hell those women didn’t drive him away with their pettiness. He recently saw another of the kids demos so it wasn’t like he missed it. Then I find out those women were with someone else from the Dojo! I’ve yet to have a bad experience with anyone from the Dojo so I’m sure they were just relatives of someone. Who, I don’t know, and I don’t care to know. As it was, when I got back they had their chairs all set up and they didn’t even have all that many. They certainly had no reason to bitch about my father in law needing a bit of “their” shade. But, karma being real and all, the shade had moved and they ended up sitting in full sun the entire time and we were in the shade. 
Before going back to work I shot this:
A drive through is a drive through after all
I think we are finally having the family Christmas Eve party this weekend. I think. The night we usually have it is Christmas Eve but this year it was storming so we put it off. We’ve done that before, the only difference is the absence of holiday decorations. I have my tree almost put away, not quite as it’s been so busy but it’s getting there a little at a time. The Christmas presents we each bought for the give a way are ready to go and have been for almost a month now.
We didn’t get too creative this year. I’ll have to find out what my baking obligation will be and head to the store. I may let the kids do one more Christmas project for the party. I found this Hot Chocolate Mix Recipe online and it looks like a fun project. I’ve bookmarked it to send to my mom for next year.
We’ve gone through a lot of hot chocolate this year. Maybe because it’s been colder and more snowy this holiday that usual. I made sure we had sugar free hot chocolate on hand as sugar irritates my arthris. It’s a good idea for next year and I’ll be sure to keep an eye out for gift jars that will work.
I’m always relieved when Christmas is over. The day’s right after Christmas are the worst because the store is extremely busy. This year, with those days falling on a weekend we were even busier and I’m not sure if it’s the economy or what but this holiday season people were even more rude than normal. I swear just the thought of working means it’s a 2 xanax day. We did get a lot of snow and we do need the business considering how slim it’s been lately. I really shouldn’t complain but I’m pretty sure I’m getting burnt out on the place. My patience is thin and I’m getting to wehre I will tell people what I think of their behavior more and more. :) Sometimes that’s fun because so many deserve it so much.
Regardless, I have to wonder if there isn’t something else we can do. Somewhere tropical maybe? Just the other day I was browsing online for a franchise for sale. Something I could do on my own time and from home. I got the idea after watching someone on tv talk about their home based coupon book business. Now I’m wondering what else might be out there if we took off for warmer climates. I have a feeling getting the husband to try something new would be a monumental task. He really does love it up here. Even as he’s plowing out the driveway, he still loves it. Of course, he doesn’t have arthritis to deal with in the winter.
Still, I’m interested in something I can do from home that is more relaxing than dealing with the snow crowd.
I wanted a wreath for the entrance way but the prices of the large wreaths were more than I could pony up for this year. So with Michaels having everything on sale this time of the year I bought two of their cheaper garlands, wired them together, made a bow out of the remaining ribbon I had (cursing the fact that I didn’t have more) and attached it to the bridge railing in the entrance way.
The bow needs to be bigger and it’s not as sturdy or holding it’s shape like I wanted but it’s up. Next year I’ll dress it up a bit and make it better. Or, maybe I’ll scour all the Michaels stores in the area after Christmas for a large wreath on clearance.
I started a new book tonight and the first paragraph was just classic. You have the real classics, “Call me Ishmael” or “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times” but this beats them.
London, England, 1868
The vultures were gathering in the vestibule. The salon was already filled to capacity, as was the dining room and the library above. More of the black-clad predators lines the curved staircase. Every now and then two or three would bob their heads in unison as they gulped from their glasses of champagne. They were watchful, expectant, hopeful. They were also vile and disgusting.
They were the relatives.
Lol, I love it.
Speaking of “the relatives”, of which I shouldn’t really, with Christmas so close, I lost the bid I had made online for a pair of diamond earrings. Well, I say diamond and the description said diamond but in reality each earring had 2 small 1mm diamond surrounded by silver faux pave. Still, there are some decent deals on the auction site that I’m watching. The kids are pretty much taken care of with the exception of the stocking stuffers and little items. The Christmas party gifts are taken care of as well, all that’s left are the few incidentals and those who surprise us with a gift that we hadn’t counted on buying for. There’s always one of those each year. :) This year I made a deal with our closest family. No adult gifts. Period. No exceptions. I’m not buying for them and they’d better not buy for me. Kids only and the Christmas party. As far as the earrings were concerned, I had it in my head that if they wouldn’t do for my niece, I would keep them for me if I got them at a deal.
Years ago we decided that it was getting too expensive to deal with Christmas gifts to in in-laws the parents, the uncles and aunts, etc. Since we get together every year anyway we decided to do the Christmas game. Everyone brings a gift no more than the cap for that year. I think we started out around $30 or $40. (this year should be less with the economy the way it is) Draw numbers and pick your gift from the pile. Choose to keep it or steal one someone else has already opened. Once a gift has been “stolen” 3 times it can’t be stolen again. If there’s anything that’s especially popular with more than one person it can get interesting.
Today and tomorrow you can get great deals on Zazzle. I buy my Christmas Card postage every Thanksgiving and this year they have up to 50% on some items.
www.zazzle.com Or, have a look at my Zazzle Store if you’re interested.
Happy Thanksgiving!
Reindeer Antics!
On a roll with the Christmas Mugs. This design is a remake of a design from last year using the same characters called “Reindeer Antics”. Two of Santa’s reindeer decide to take the sleigh for a joy ride but never decided who would pull the sleigh.
I’m hoping to create more along this line as the season gets closer.
Purchase ‘Reindeer Antics’ here
