<p>Hi guys. I have been away from this site for some time so please forgive me if this thread has recently been posted. It’s really nice to see so many old faces. Even if a similar thread has been posted recently I do know there are some like me who may like to elaborate. So should you care to tell us how the holidays went for you and your college age kid(s) please do post! </p>
<p>The holidays were not as busy as they have been in the past for us as most of my family has either passed on or kids have grown and the parents have gone to visit them. However, there was much action as our last two came home from college. It was back to large meals and baking desserts, back to retreating to the bedroom after 9 to avoid many young men wandering our house at all hours. Back to high water and gas bills, lights on all hours, restricted computer use due to competition for the living room computer and cars and kids arriving any time, day or night. Back to being sure there are enough soda and wings in the fridge for a crowd . Back to half eaten pizzas and empty pizza boxes on the kitchen table every morning (due to one son’s part time job at a pizza joint) and back to my diet being shot to heck. </p>
<p>One bright spot was a trip hus. and I made to visit our daughter’s family after the holiday. She lives in one of those new planned communities in the South complete with a protected natural forest with paths through it to a planned urban town center. Gosh I’m SO jealous. It was really nice. We enjoyed our 18 month grandchild and spent much time at the local playgrounds-oh, so familiar from my past! However, it’s really tough being a grandparent as the relationship is not quite the same as raising one’s children. This is my daughter’s child and SHE is enjoying every aspect of parenthood and it’s really hard for me to accept me growing old! But it was all fun. Another bright spot in the holiday was our 26 yr old son returning from his job out West to visit.It was great to hear his enthusiastic description of the country and stories and old friends dropping by. It was sad to hear about son’s friend’s parents who had passed on, and the misfortunes of kids I remember as cub scouts.</p>
<p>HOW was your holiday?</p>