Grandma, I know you’re smiling. I am too. There’s something about seeing the spark in my son’s eyes as he told me about making 7 dozen of my favorite cookies from your very old and secret recipe, taking them to work at the hospital today to share with doctors, nurses, residents, and a few patients for Christmas, then hearing back how everyone commented at how really good they were to the point where he will be taking more soon because not everyone was able to get one (due to others taking up to six!).
I know you’d have been happy that he did what he could to make working or being in the hospital at Christmas a little bit special.
And I know you’d be doubly happy that he’s refusing to give out your secret recipe! I’ve yet to see your cookies anywhere but in our family. I’ve had good memories of you today. I wish you’d lived long enough to meet him. I’m glad I believe you can watch from wherever your spirit is.
People threw caution to the wind re covid (and flu and RSV) this holiday season. Very few masks, low uptake of bivalent covid vaccination, lower-than-normal flu vaccine uptake, refusal to limit gatherings, etc. The country was warned about a surge post-holidays, but it seems like no one cared. Maybe the monster storm was the universe’s way of trying to slow down the tripledemic?
Yikes, what possessed me to watch “Still Alice” again? It’s way too realistic. Our friend and his wife with early onset Alzheimer’s are coming over Sunday night. She reminds me so much of Alice. The husband reminds me of Alice’s, too.
Oh big Mom fail alert… thought I was being good mom getting tickets to the Spanish Riding School Training. GFs are both into horses, so we got the good seats right at eye level. Totally forgot about the S’ allergies. Not so much to the horses, but to hay and whatever else is in the arena that they were kicking up. Within 5 minutes and both were suffering a full blown attack. Younger S was wheezing and I thought we would have to leave. Fortunately, I do always have Benedryl and that calmed it down some, but not enough to be given the stink eye by others…
A shower and a few puffs on the inhalers in the apartment and they were fine.
(And yes, they are now adults and could have thought about this for themselves too.)
Covid positive on Friday, and was only sick (fever and headache for 1 day.) Started on Paxlovid and feel fine, but the higher up at work said I can not come back yet as my rapid test is still positive. The rule was previously 5 days and I explained that I could text positive for weeks. This is a medical clinic where we are masked 100% of the time as are patients. Not how I wanted to use my PTO!
We are so short staffed and you don’t want a staff member that is willing to show up to work? Is it 5 days or a negative test to return? Figure it out and let me know instead of this back and forth texting!
My day to whine, I guess. SIL, do you have any idea how hurtful it is when you post pictures of your “new” family (courtesy of your son’s fiancée) and go on about how wonderful it is to have a family to share the holidays with? Do you know why your real family, your only brother, stopped coming for Christmas? Because in the almost 40 years we have been married, not once have you or your parents ever had any interest in visiting us for Christmas (or even for Thanksgiving). We didn’t move away … all of you left him. So when your mom is gone & your brother doesn’t stay in touch, I hope your new family fills the void. If you even feel one.
I think I need a whine day soon myself. Lots of little things are adding up to a bad attitude. I made it through much of the holidays and made lots of people happy though, so yay me.
In the ‘You Can’t Make This $%^& Up’ category:
4 of us in a 1 bedroom suite (DD, SIL, 4 y/o GS and me) on Christmas night - almost midnight at fire alarm goes off, Burst pipe/flood, evacuate to new hotel ( one room, no suites), little sleep, need to make a timed entry family outing. Nice outing and family visit. Sleeping in new hotel when at 3 am another burst pipe/fire alarm!
We decline relocation and head home to nap BUT it is fire alarm testing day at my building!
Very interesting crime case: 51 years and counting, but I imagine the most likely suspect is actually the newest - Milton B. Vordahl.
My wife was convinced it was Jack Collins on the 2nd episode and stopped there!
The FBI gave up after 45 years of investigation. 70 episodes later… I’m still not sure.
Dagnabit, I fell into the Vortex!
People must have bought WAY too much stuff for Christmas because our neighborhood FB selling pages are packed with stuff people are trying to unload. And some of the prices are nuts for FB - meaning maybe they have a lot of bills to pay!
We don’t need two laughing type emojis as reactions. Don’t see much use for lightbulb when “100” will often do. We absolutely need “hug” back and could use the one with big eyes for an astonished reaction. Wish I knew who to appeal to about this!
Dear Dad,
The last Christmas you spent with us was 12 years ago after Mom died. Your grandkids are now 14 and 16. Next year, the eldest is graduating from HS. You chose to stay away. You missed all of those years of baking cookies for Santa, leaving carrots out for the reindeer, sprinkling glitter in the driveway so Santa knew where to land, watching my kids’ faces on Christmas morning.
You have almost totally failed at the grandparent job. In fact, you totally suck at it.
My kids are awesome. Amazing, smart, witty, kind, not judgmental, open-minded, inquisitive, the whole 9 yards. You missed seeing them grow up.
You are the one who lost out by choosing to stay away.
So when you come visit in March, don’t you dare say one negative word about my dead mother. Because she deserves a medal for putting up with your shenanigans for almost 40 years.
