SSDreamin Blessings and curses

[CheerioLounge]

I can attest to the learning curve on boomerangs!! Ask my sister how she got the scar on her forehead when she was 8!

 

[SSDreamin]

Ouch! The crazy things we used to do as kids and are still around to tell about it! When I was 12, I asked for a Daisy Red Ryder BB Gun. Not JUST because it looked cool, but to defend myself! I had 5 brothers, 2 of which would hide behind snowbanks/trees and ambush me with their BB guns on my way to the barn to do chores! Once I began 'packin' heat' and became a pretty good shot, they left me alone

I am sitting here without water, again. The well guy finally came back, after rigging our pump two weeks ago to get us by. Prior to that, I had to got outside, climb down into the pit and either re-prime it or jiggle the pressure switch several times a day & night, depending on what it chose to do; or NOT do. I make this comment because I just watched the well guy drive away. AFTER pulling all my pipe. Without so much as a backward glance. :/

DH worked on the electrical this weekend - we now have overhead lights/ceiling fans in both bedrooms (why would someone only have lamps, with nothing overhead? In a 19 x 24 room, you NEED overhead lighting!), and overhead light in the storage room/'cave' (so named because there is no window, and there was no light at all in there ), and he found out that we have to rewire the entire house I love the way people 'partial patooty' things together, then hope for the best! DH says we will have to replace it all, including the breaker boxes. I kinda suspected that already. He was happy to knock off a whole page of my list though! Every house we move in to, I am required to make a list of 'must be fixed' things and 'I want it' things for every room in the house. Then, he adds anything he wants or I didn't know we needed, and spends his off time checking things off the list. Hey, it works for us, don't laugh

I had hoped to finish up my Christmas baking today, but will really need water to soak the dishes in. Yesterday, I made english toffee bars (a must have for my MIL), seafoam candy, pumpkin cookies and fruitcake cupcakes. Today I need to finish off the cupcakes with an orange glaze (they are non-alcoholic) and make some spritz cookies. I guess I won't be able to send out my care packages until tomorrow, at least I hope I can well-guy-willing!

The temperature controlled plug is working great for the chickens. Ice Cream has gotten all of her winter coat in - she looks completely different! Lots of black on her face now. and much more black on her body too. I know, I should take pictures but, as many of you know, I am a total slacker My camera takes lousy pictures in the cold, which stinks considering what it is.

 

[SSDreamin]

I made it through the inlaw Christmas! DH couldn't go (work, lucky dog ) so it was just DS#2 and me. Let's go over the misery, shall we? The 'guest of honor' (DH's sister, the whole reason the get together was on Tuesday) left 15 minutes after we arrived, to pick up something the other sister needed at the store down the street and finally returned three hours later. The other sister complained non-stop about having to cook, refused any help, then dropped multiple bombshells - brazenly saying things that I wonder about the legality of. References to taking advantage, scamming, even possible fraud. All the while claiming to be good Christians! Now she's talking about wanting another child- #8 DS#2 and I worked well past midnight - wrapping all the kids gifts, baking bread and goodies to take over there. She wouldn't let anyone touch my food - "They need to keep their appetite so they'll eat my food that I've slaved over". They didn't open our presents. We were told that they had 'misplaced' my son's gift. Then, when I'd had enough, and told them I had animals waiting at home for me to feed and water, they all got bent out of shape! We were supposed to show up at 1pm, sit through their garbage, and leave no earlier than 7pm (which SIL corrected to be 8, because her husband- who was due home at 4, arrived at 5, pushing everything back one hour). MIL sat there the whole time, mad at everybody, including me for needing to 'leave early'. FIL showed up several hours late. We left with promises of being inflicted with visits AFTER Christmas (so they can hit the after Christmas sales for DS#2's gift, I'm guessing)

DH called to make sure I had survived. I told him I would NEVER do that again! They are much better behaved when he's there, so he gets to deal with them from now on. Haven't heard a peep from anybody since I got home, so I'm guessing DH's 'gifts' (an emergency preparedness starter kit for each of them) didn't go over too well.

Now, I have to get together with my brother and his family to give them their kit :/ I will have to go alone - my son and my husband both refuse to go anywhere near there. Wish I had that option

I have decided to start saving any and all change I get throughout the year, to be used to get out of town every Christmas! We spent Christmas in FL a few years ago - and it was SO peaceful and SO wonderful!

I am beginning to remember why we moved away from all these people!!

 

[deb4o]

SS So sorry

this is for your DH "family"

and this is for you

 

[CheerioLounge]

That sounds so horrible that I am going to save my change for you!

 

[BarredBuff]

Im sorry!

 

[snapshot]

I think you need your own family traditions! And mail gifts early to in laws--if so inclined. Maybe a --family camping trip every Christmas--tradition! I definitely would not ever sit through something like you did again! Let them be rude to each other!

 

[Wannabefree]

Wow! What a great nasty family!!! I love getting to laugh at blatant morons who are so clueless they don't even realize how abrasive, rude, and vicious they are!! I wouldn't mind being a fly on the wall there for a holiday or ten. I love a good laugh!! You should write some of this stuff down and make a comedy routine for you and your son and hubby to perform a skit for them for their next Christmas gift and see if they "get" that your making fun of them. That would make it tolerable, and could be great fun, especially if they DO actually "get it"!! I know..I know...I am so mean, but I would SO do it, and love every second of it

 

[CheerioLounge]

WBF - I love that little mean streak!

 

[SSDreamin]

Thanks for the supportive comments everybody!

Last night, after I wrote that post, I actually felt pretty bad. I really shouldn't whine or sound so selfish! They were horrible, but I'm ashamed of myself for not being more forgiving at this time of year!

WBF, I think I will save my change so I can bring YOU up here next Christmas party - you really need to meet these people in person! (Then YOU can say everything I'M thinking, and I can just laugh and say "Oh, that other Cindi, she'll say anything!" ) They all lack a sense of humor - including DH for the longest time! Some would definitely get it, and be all the more crappy for it, but a couple are so self absorbed/clueless it would go right over their heads!

I agree Snapshot - I have been trying to start our own holiday traditions. MIL is the master of guilt and manipulation however, and will use every trick in the book to get her way Thankfully, DH is fed up. I have to deal with my family (which is a whole other kettle of rotten fish ), so maybe this will be the motivation for DH to deal with his.