OT Life is Good

So, here I am-- Christmas Eve-- trying to wrap the remaining packages *very*
quietly and waiting until the proper
hour to haul the loot to the livingroom to put it under the tree (the proper
hour being the last possible hour I can still do it
given the amount of Kahlua I've had--I only drink once a year so it doesn't
take much). "We bought too much this year," I tell my husband. "I think we
should unwrap half of it and take it back." "No. It's about time they had a
good Christmas," he affirms while thinking of all that child support we are
finally out from under. Christmas is still a thrill for the little ones
although they are beginning to question the logistics of Santa and those
reindeer. My littlest charge wonders how the elves can make that many toys,
so I did the only thing a self-respecting mother can do. I told him they buy
them at Wal-Mart. "But, that's gotta cost a lot
of money," he opined. "Wal-Mart gives them a really good discount," says I.
It's clear we won't be able to pull this scam off
next year. So, now I ponder my blessings of these two perfect little
children recognizing that two out of four isn't bad. The two imperfect ones
will be coming by tomorrow after spending time with their older half-sisters
and stopping by their grandmother's (my former MIL) to present the
obligatory smile when she squawks "When are you going to cut that hair??!!?"
It happens every year, like clockwork. I guess it's a good thing--She's
nearing 90 and can still squawk. My mother will
be arriving here about 1PM for the feast I've been preparing. She's nearing
80 and can still drive and remember where I live so that's good, too. My dad
won't be here because he's still married to the woman he left my mother for
after 37 years of marriage and that would just make things a little
uncomfortable, even if it was 20 years ago. But, he's still alive and
getting around which is a real miracle given his late stage kidney failure
and congestive heart disease. My semi-imperfect stepson has gone to FL for
the holiday. His mother sent him a plane ticket. Funny, all those years
when he was a minor child, she insisted it was *our* responsibility to pay
for his transport back and forth. Now we can say, "Hey, you wanna see him,
send him a ticket." Yep--Life is good. For all those who celebrate, have a
happy Christmas

Thanks Gini,

I'm looking forward to my "perfect" Christmas.:- 3.76 years to go.

Merry Christmas



"Gini" wrote in message
...
So, here I am-- Christmas Eve-- trying to wrap the remaining packages
*very*
quietly and waiting until the proper
hour to haul the loot to the livingroom to put it under the tree (the
proper
hour being the last possible hour I can still do it
given the amount of Kahlua I've had--I only drink once a year so it
doesn't
take much). "We bought too much this year," I tell my husband. "I think we
should unwrap half of it and take it back." "No. It's about time they had
a
good Christmas," he affirms while thinking of all that child support we
are
finally out from under. Christmas is still a thrill for the little ones
although they are beginning to question the logistics of Santa and those
reindeer. My littlest charge wonders how the elves can make that many
toys,
so I did the only thing a self-respecting mother can do. I told him they
buy
them at Wal-Mart. "But, that's gotta cost a lot
of money," he opined. "Wal-Mart gives them a really good discount," says
I.
It's clear we won't be able to pull this scam off
next year. So, now I ponder my blessings of these two perfect little
children recognizing that two out of four isn't bad. The two imperfect
ones
will be coming by tomorrow after spending time with their older
half-sisters
and stopping by their grandmother's (my former MIL) to present the
obligatory smile when she squawks "When are you going to cut that
hair??!!?"
It happens every year, like clockwork. I guess it's a good thing--She's
nearing 90 and can still squawk. My mother will
be arriving here about 1PM for the feast I've been preparing. She's
nearing
80 and can still drive and remember where I live so that's good, too. My
dad
won't be here because he's still married to the woman he left my mother
for
after 37 years of marriage and that would just make things a little
uncomfortable, even if it was 20 years ago. But, he's still alive and
getting around which is a real miracle given his late stage kidney failure
and congestive heart disease. My semi-imperfect stepson has gone to FL for
the holiday. His mother sent him a plane ticket. Funny, all those years
when he was a minor child, she insisted it was *our* responsibility to pay
for his transport back and forth. Now we can say, "Hey, you wanna see him,
send him a ticket." Yep--Life is good. For all those who celebrate, have a
happy Christmas

Thanks Gini,

I'm looking forward to my "perfect" Christmas.:- 3.76 years to go.

Merry Christmas



"Gini" wrote in message
...
So, here I am-- Christmas Eve-- trying to wrap the remaining packages
*very*
quietly and waiting until the proper
hour to haul the loot to the livingroom to put it under the tree (the
proper
hour being the last possible hour I can still do it
given the amount of Kahlua I've had--I only drink once a year so it
doesn't
take much). "We bought too much this year," I tell my husband. "I think we
should unwrap half of it and take it back." "No. It's about time they had
a
good Christmas," he affirms while thinking of all that child support we
are
finally out from under. Christmas is still a thrill for the little ones
although they are beginning to question the logistics of Santa and those
reindeer. My littlest charge wonders how the elves can make that many
toys,
so I did the only thing a self-respecting mother can do. I told him they
buy
them at Wal-Mart. "But, that's gotta cost a lot
of money," he opined. "Wal-Mart gives them a really good discount," says
I.
It's clear we won't be able to pull this scam off
next year. So, now I ponder my blessings of these two perfect little
children recognizing that two out of four isn't bad. The two imperfect
ones
will be coming by tomorrow after spending time with their older
half-sisters
and stopping by their grandmother's (my former MIL) to present the
obligatory smile when she squawks "When are you going to cut that
hair??!!?"
It happens every year, like clockwork. I guess it's a good thing--She's
nearing 90 and can still squawk. My mother will
be arriving here about 1PM for the feast I've been preparing. She's
nearing
80 and can still drive and remember where I live so that's good, too. My
dad
won't be here because he's still married to the woman he left my mother
for
after 37 years of marriage and that would just make things a little
uncomfortable, even if it was 20 years ago. But, he's still alive and
getting around which is a real miracle given his late stage kidney failure
and congestive heart disease. My semi-imperfect stepson has gone to FL for
the holiday. His mother sent him a plane ticket. Funny, all those years
when he was a minor child, she insisted it was *our* responsibility to pay
for his transport back and forth. Now we can say, "Hey, you wanna see him,
send him a ticket." Yep--Life is good. For all those who celebrate, have a
happy Christmas

I planned ahead this year. I rented plenty of movies.
Phil#3

"Gini" wrote in message
...
So, here I am-- Christmas Eve-- trying to wrap the remaining packages
*very*
quietly and waiting until the proper
hour to haul the loot to the livingroom to put it under the tree (the
proper
hour being the last possible hour I can still do it
given the amount of Kahlua I've had--I only drink once a year so it
doesn't
take much). "We bought too much this year," I tell my husband. "I think we
should unwrap half of it and take it back." "No. It's about time they had
a
good Christmas," he affirms while thinking of all that child support we
are
finally out from under. Christmas is still a thrill for the little ones
although they are beginning to question the logistics of Santa and those
reindeer. My littlest charge wonders how the elves can make that many
toys,
so I did the only thing a self-respecting mother can do. I told him they
buy
them at Wal-Mart. "But, that's gotta cost a lot
of money," he opined. "Wal-Mart gives them a really good discount," says
I.
It's clear we won't be able to pull this scam off
next year. So, now I ponder my blessings of these two perfect little
children recognizing that two out of four isn't bad. The two imperfect
ones
will be coming by tomorrow after spending time with their older
half-sisters
and stopping by their grandmother's (my former MIL) to present the
obligatory smile when she squawks "When are you going to cut that
hair??!!?"
It happens every year, like clockwork. I guess it's a good thing--She's
nearing 90 and can still squawk. My mother will
be arriving here about 1PM for the feast I've been preparing. She's
nearing
80 and can still drive and remember where I live so that's good, too. My
dad
won't be here because he's still married to the woman he left my mother
for
after 37 years of marriage and that would just make things a little
uncomfortable, even if it was 20 years ago. But, he's still alive and
getting around which is a real miracle given his late stage kidney failure
and congestive heart disease. My semi-imperfect stepson has gone to FL for
the holiday. His mother sent him a plane ticket. Funny, all those years
when he was a minor child, she insisted it was *our* responsibility to pay
for his transport back and forth. Now we can say, "Hey, you wanna see him,
send him a ticket." Yep--Life is good. For all those who celebrate, have a
happy Christmas

I planned ahead this year. I rented plenty of movies.
Phil#3

"Gini" wrote in message
...
So, here I am-- Christmas Eve-- trying to wrap the remaining packages
*very*
quietly and waiting until the proper
hour to haul the loot to the livingroom to put it under the tree (the
proper
hour being the last possible hour I can still do it
given the amount of Kahlua I've had--I only drink once a year so it
doesn't
take much). "We bought too much this year," I tell my husband. "I think we
should unwrap half of it and take it back." "No. It's about time they had
a
good Christmas," he affirms while thinking of all that child support we
are
finally out from under. Christmas is still a thrill for the little ones
although they are beginning to question the logistics of Santa and those
reindeer. My littlest charge wonders how the elves can make that many
toys,
so I did the only thing a self-respecting mother can do. I told him they
buy
them at Wal-Mart. "But, that's gotta cost a lot
of money," he opined. "Wal-Mart gives them a really good discount," says
I.
It's clear we won't be able to pull this scam off
next year. So, now I ponder my blessings of these two perfect little
children recognizing that two out of four isn't bad. The two imperfect
ones
will be coming by tomorrow after spending time with their older
half-sisters
and stopping by their grandmother's (my former MIL) to present the
obligatory smile when she squawks "When are you going to cut that
hair??!!?"
It happens every year, like clockwork. I guess it's a good thing--She's
nearing 90 and can still squawk. My mother will
be arriving here about 1PM for the feast I've been preparing. She's
nearing
80 and can still drive and remember where I live so that's good, too. My
dad
won't be here because he's still married to the woman he left my mother
for
after 37 years of marriage and that would just make things a little
uncomfortable, even if it was 20 years ago. But, he's still alive and
getting around which is a real miracle given his late stage kidney failure
and congestive heart disease. My semi-imperfect stepson has gone to FL for
the holiday. His mother sent him a plane ticket. Funny, all those years
when he was a minor child, she insisted it was *our* responsibility to pay
for his transport back and forth. Now we can say, "Hey, you wanna see him,
send him a ticket." Yep--Life is good. For all those who celebrate, have a
happy Christmas