<p>I guess I could have called it * What I appreciate* thread- but I just watched * The Ref* & I am feeling a little snarky. :o</p>
<p>While I feel for those whose friends/relatives are having transportation snafus- I admit that I said to myself
D2 is just 90 minutes away- by car & D1 is less than 4 hours ( in good traffic)*</p>
<p>I also am content that 22 yrs ago we started the tradition of * going away* for Christmas- by ourselves- spurred by relatives that were just :p, & because my husbands workplace has had a lot of forced overtime throughout the years ( and although when I have posted on this before- someone thought that getting doubletime would be worth it- I want to say- no it isn’t - I would rather have him home) </p>
<p>His company also forfeits most holidays throughout the year to take the days between xmas & New years off ( although there always is the chance that they could call you in)- but if we are out of town- * they can’t call!* ;)</p>
<p>So very smug that I will get to see him for a nice chunk of time.
Another perk to going away is the kids can’t run off at least for a few days- although oldest D will only be with us for 4 days- that is much longer than we have had for a few years & I am going to enjoy it throughly.</p>
<p>Anything making you feel like the cat who ate the cream?</p>
<p>PMKjr asleep in his bed after getting home late last night.</p>
<p>Mr PMK being a civilian for the first Christmas in 22 years.</p>
<p>Christmas Day coming up to be celebrated with our military family, New Years Eve with our Texas family, that our families are healthy. That I have made several families out of friends and am still close to the family I came from. </p>
<p>emeraldkity4, What will you and your H do when your kids start doing Christmas with their spouses and children? I’m trying to plan ahead so it will be a good thing for Mr PMK and I and not sad.</p>
<p>My one D who lives far away, in London, came home early on Thursday because of a last minute appointment she was notified about regarding one of her plays. She was happy about the interest in her work, but a little miffed about having to change her plans, and missing travelling with some friends. Well, she’s home and her friends are all delayed at Heathrow because of the terrible weather there. So, yes, I’m happy happy happy!</p>
<p>p.s. I love The Ref! “Slipper socks, medium!” :)</p>
<p>Mr PMK being a civilian for the first Christmas in 22 years.</p>
<p>wow congratulations- to your family- what an accomplishment!</p>
<p>I don’t know if either D will ever have kids- but stranger things have happened-
I didn’t get to see either of them last year actually on Christmas - although I did see them a few weeks later when we had my mom’s memorial.</p>
<p>There are lots of things going on in our neighborhood- I would like to volunteer at one of the centers that serves homeless teens or have a community potluck. </p>
<p>I also like that our neighborhood has quite a few young kids- although the census just showed that only 19% of homes have kids- it helps that since the neighborhood has small city lots & sidewalks- there is a strong feeling of community.</p>
<p>Which is * something else* I can be smug about.
When we bought our house- our neighborhood was " blue collar- semi industrial" but that was what we could afford. Lots of our friends and relatives had larger homes built in the suburbs and couldn’t understand why we would want to live here. ( it didn’t occur to them that we wanted to limit our mortgage)</p>
<p>But this was where H had lived the bulk of his childhood, it was close to my aging grandparents & it was much easier to get to work, without even having to get on the freeway.</p>
<p>I loved being able to walk to the library, the grocery store, the park & even the zoo.</p>
<p>People on our street stay for decades- one neighbor recently passed ( his funeral is actually today) he was 97! Our neighbor across the street is 95! I’m not real social, but I do enjoy getting to know people slowly & they stay here long enough so that you can. However, when I see parents of kids who were younger than ours- I am in shock to hear they are now in high school - funny that kids don’t stop growing.
[I can’t wait till they open one of these in our neighborhood- yam ice cream!](<a href=“http://dailyuw.com/2010/1/14/restaurant-review-full-tilt-ice-cream/”>http://dailyuw.com/2010/1/14/restaurant-review-full-tilt-ice-cream/</a>)</p>
<p>DD is stuck in Munich, after being stuck in a tiny military Eastern European airport while trying to get home from her Peace Corps assignment. She should make it 48 hours late. At least both airlines provided hotel rooms and food.</p>
<p>No cream here. DS will be alone on Christmas and not with us for the first time. He says he will probably go to a friends so I am hoping that he will receive an invitation.<br>
I am working but with zero business as we are in day two of a predicted ten days of rain. No much under the tree because I felt both broke and not in the mood this year. Okay pity party over now…enjoy your cream kitty kat!</p>
<p>I had never heard of it- it sounds really weird- but a little gelato place had a strawberry/basil flavor that I thought sounded strange too- but it was really good!</p>
<p>hmmm. My girls are home and getting along with each other. H made it home from England before the snowstorm hit. We both work for the company (EK’s H’s?) that gives us 12/24-1/3 off this year. We’re also taking the 23rd off for family time.</p>
<p>My sis will be undergoing a bilat mastectomy on Monday, but we are happy that a) it was found, and b) we live where there are fantastic med facilities and doctors to make it all right. It is 3 years since I had BC and it is all good.</p>
<p>The dogs (18? 19? and 16) are still with us.</p>
<p>** *“My Mom is important because she is awesome. It’s true. She is the coolest Mom in the world. She loves me so much. The most important thing about my Mom is she is A-W-E-S-O-M-E!!!” ***</p>
<p>Along with The Ref, I also just watched ( one that is actually much better) State & Main by David Mamet & noticed that although it just came out 10 years ago ( and I don’t know when it was actually filmed)- Alec Baldwin looks like he has aged alot more than 10 years. ( I am also a big 30 Rock fan).
He still looks good- but definitely his age.</p>
<p>I don’t have any pics of me ( that I can think of) from 10 years ago, but I know that 10 years * from now* I will be thinking back on this age and saying " boy, I didn’t know how good I had it!"</p>
<p>So I am going to appreciate it as much as I can :)</p>
<p>I wouldn’t say smug, but as of this point I’m roughly content with how things are going. We too have gone out of town the last ~8-ish holidays but are staying home this year. In all that time we hadn’t put up a tree, or really even done presents–the trip was our family present (always to the same pretty nice ski resort). We actually put up some lights, and I found the stockings (including that one dang broken holder) and got a tree yesterday. I’d forgotten how good the trees smell, how much I like our ornaments. DS#1 is not home yet, DS#2 was napping, but DS#3 was actually humming as he helped me trim the tree. Kept saying how Christmas is his favorite time of year. We were all a little disappointed not to be able to make the ski trip this year but there is definitely a silver lining.</p>
<p>Not exactly smug at our house but very calm, which is a blessing.</p>
<p>I’ve managed to get this coming week off at work, although I will be working on Christmas day, not unusual for a hospital employee.
So, last minute wrapping and maybe Christmas movie watching.</p>
<p>Now if DS who is at school a few hours away would send up a smoke signal to let us know WHEN he will be joining us (he’ll probably just roll in), it would be truly nice.</p>
<p>We are feeling pretty good out on the ranch. I am grateful. Next year I’m hoping for smug. ;)</p>
<p>Although I haven’t mentioned it much, my wife lost her job last January just in time for D’s med school expenses. She couldn’t find one worth doing. With my decade of medical issues our ready cash and “near cash” was already …uhhhh…“limited”. It wasn’t fun.</p>
<p>Well, the cruel whip of poverty (our whiny version, not the real one) is a heckuva motivational tool. My desire for my D to want for nothing is another good one. Her desire to want to spend money like a wealthy drunk is a third. ;)</p>
<p>I have been successful in re-gaining some old clients and changed my practice areas around for the third time in my career. I have had the stamina and I used it well. And…drumroll, please…my W just got a job she wanted that starts 1/18!! Only 1/2 what she was making but that’s O.K… Her mood jumped up immediately. "Somebody wants me!! 2011 is gonna be a good year. "</p>
<p>Be sure to check back next year to see if I make it all the way to “smug”. But right now, I’ll stick with being very grateful to still be sucking clean air. Every day top-side is a good day, whether you are talking literally or financially. Happy Holidays!</p>
<p>I have enjoyed your posts.
Glad to hear that things are looking up at your house. I especially love your reinventing yourself- for a third time! Best wishes for continued (better) health.</p>
<p>Yep, I am smug that I discovered Iceland Air and recommended it to DD and thrilled she chose to go with my idea…the less popular airport was also one of the few UK airports without transport issues and the plane change in Iceland was vastly better than Paris/Chicago/Frankfurt or any other places she’s flown through. Mellow & easy trip. Thanks, Mom.</p>
- although I did see them a few weeks later when we had my mom’s memorial.</p>
Happy Holidays!</p>