Hanukkah and Christmas 2009 are now in the record books. This diary will provide you with an opportunity to air all your holiday grievances. In the grand scheme of things, I really have nothing to complain about. Son 1 became engaged on Christmas to a wonderful woman. Son 2 is finally getting paid for some of this writing (Anyone need a good writer?). Son 3 was accepted early decision to Franklin and Marshall, and he received a very nice financial aid package. Dad and I are headed to Egypt in January. Basically, it's all good.
However, here at Casa Blue Jersey we always try for an old-fashioned family Christmas. Unfortunately, our holidays are more like a week at the Griswolds than a Norman Rockwell painting. Please follow me below the fold.
WYFP is our community's Saturday evening gathering to talk about our problems, empathize with one another, and share advice, pootie pics, favorite adult beverages, and anything else we think might help. Everyone, and all sorts of troubles, are welcome. May we find peace and healing here. Won't you please share the joy of WYFP by recommending?
No Blue Jersey holiday could be complete without a medical emergency and some major property damage. This year the medical emergency was minor. On Christmas Eve, my old gray cat Spooky was congested and her eyes were running. My vet was able to see her, and she is now on meds and getting better. We had a much more serious cat medical emergency on New Year's Day 16 years ago. Our cat Tiger collapsed on the kitchen table. My vets, Columbus Veterinary Hospital, brought him back from the brink; even they didn't think he was going to make it. He is still with us 16 years later.
This year the property damage was a bit more severe. Son 2 is cat-sitting for one of Son 1's friends over the holidays. Yesterday he drove back from Princeton with the hand brake on. By the time he arrived at my house, one of the rear wheels was smoking. The smell was awful! We had just replaced the brakes on the car in November. I did not have the heart to take it into the auto shop today.
Our other blue jersey Xmas disaster was our Christmas tree. Like the Griswolds. we try to cut our own tree every year. Trying to get everyone in blue jersey land to agree on anything is difficult, and a Christmas tree is no exception. After much cursing and driving around in our '98 Ford Escort, we finally found a tree that everyone liked--nice shape, right height, straight trunk. It looked perfect. Unfortunately, it started dropping needles last Tuesday. The tree will not make it to New Year's Day when Son 1 arrives home. Granted, we have had worse trees. When we lived in the UK, dad and I had the ultimate Charlie Brown tree. It was small and its needles were falling off. All the needles had fallen of by Christmas morning, and it was in the trash by Xmas night.
So here is your opportunity to air your grievances. How was your holiday? What went wrong? I want to wish this community all the best for the New Year. I am glad to see the end of the decade of W. Yes, yes, I know that the decade technically ends next year, but on Friday we move out of the aughts and into the teens. This decade started with the 2000 election and hanging chad. I am just glad that W is no longer in the the White House and Dick Cheney is no longer our president. Happy New Year and all the best for 2010.