Merry Friging Christmas

Today I sit here with glazed eyes trying to remember the last week. It seems as though this time of year just blazes by and not in glory; leaving you dazed and bewildered. Two days of shopping, which is one more than I like; traveling, eating, presents, more traveling, left overs, then more traveling and thus dazed and bewildered. 



Shopping seems to be the average housewives revenge on humanity, getting in their way or stick your hand onto a sale table and you could lose life or limb. I have even had the pleasure of being hip butted into the next dimension. Thankfully most of my family was getting Wii machines, so accessories were in order and I avoided most of the physical abuse you can be subject to in other departments. Still when I witnessed a gaggle of women surrounding a table or rack I just deemed it unnecessary to wonder close.  On top of all the shopping frenzy, the only person who wished me a "merry Christmas" was the Wal-Mart greeter. Merry friging Christmas.

Now, when I say traveling I mean heading home. It is only 30 miles from here, but half the trip is on back roads. I travel most holidays with my grandmother in tow, who this year for some reason thought we needed to be there at 8am. The youngest child we have in our family is a teenager; so being there early is no longer a requirement. Lots of convencing and 10am was the latest I could put her off. 

To the assisted living home I went. Upon arriving I had to figure out to get the power door on the Lexus to open, which I never seem to be able to do. Having my grand mother in tow means I can not drive my own truck; I have to borrow a car she can get into. Once I got the door open she was coming out of the building and I proceeded to take all her goodies and load her in. I loaded her present bag and then her walker and off we went.

Then came the 50 questions game; none of which I knew the answer to. Even with dementia I believe she sits and thinks of questions she can ask knowing I have no answer for. But after the 50 question game she noticed the GPS and it kept her busy for most of the remaining trip. Though she did think it was magic it knew exactly where we were going and where we were. I let her think that. Merry friging Christmas.

We arrived safe, except for my nerves and of course Mom wanted to know why we arrived at 11am instead of 1pm like she had told me. What could I say, I just held both arms up and shook my head.

Like someone opening a gate the rest of my family arrived on time and we proceed to eat. The usual for us ham, potatoes, pea salad, green beans(2 kinds), dumplings, rolls...etc. My mother always has plenty of food and at her house there is always the unexpected dropping in so it has become a habit.

After the meal we all file into the living room and open gifts. We try to go one at a time but it never works that way. We also have a tradition of the bear. Several years ago I bought this crazy looking real bear and started a tradition of passing it around to a new person every year. I think it has become a favorite with the family. This year my new brother in law received the bear. Which my sister in law informed him he could not keep in the box, it had to be displayed for the next year. We will see, that bear might have a great year knowing him. 

That was Christmas. Now I did the whole getting there thing in reverse and then I got to rest. Well, I got to sit down my roommate had my truck so waited up until 1am so I could pull it in the garage. Merry friging Christmas.

Off to the return lines.