The big day has now come and gone–I’ve survived the many and varied stresses that involve having people over to my house. Today it’s just me and the boys, and I’m so calm. The boys got a Wii for Christmas and I’ve barely seen the older one since. The little one loves all his stuff. We just got back from Big Lots! and a few other errands, and it took for-ever! The boys each got a $25 gift card from Big Lots! and it was an excrutiating ordeal for them to find a combo of stuff to total this amount. But I think they did good.

Tomorrow is my birthday, and so far, the only plan is that we’ll be going out for Tex-Mex at my favorite restaurant, thirty minutes away. There’s been no mention made of a cake, but honestly, I’m not sure I care that much. And that is definitely saying something! I always care about cake–I’m usually all about the cake. Maybe I’ve just had too many sweets lately, but even that is a foreign concept for me. I suppose I’ll just see how it goes–what my husband will dream up.

The SIL saga turned out to not really be an issue at all. Oh, it was definitely awkward, but I think mostly for me. She acted as if nothing had happened between us, as if there weren’t a HUGE matzah ball hanging there between us. And eventually I tried to act like that too. But it was hard. The process was helped along slightly by the fact that we lost power at the lakehouse for an hour. We played Boggle and laughed over several ridiculous little episodes involving our time in the dark. Oh, and my husband and I slept in the house across the street. She, of course, as suspected, had already claimed the room with the queen bed in the lakehouse for herself, but my husband and I slept in solitary splendor in the new house by ourselves. Distance is good.

Now I think we’ve sort of bridged the gap. I’ve even initiated a couple of conversations with her. This is all good, because she’s coming to stay with us on Friday. (Side note: some of you may think I’m making this harder than it is, but I can’t help it. For me the whole mess is just so…awkward. And I tend to avoid any and all awkward situations).

So that’s the update from here. I hope you all had lovely holidays!

I’m taking a break from cooking and cleaning to post about the continuation of The Saga of the Fourth of July. If you missed it the first time or just want to refresh your memory so you’re ready for the upcoming installment, go here.

In just a few short days, I’m going to be up at the lake again, potentially sharing the same house with my SIL. Although it’s possible I won’t (be sharing, that is). She’s already in town, which, by her rule would put her in the bedroom with the queen bed, leaving the bi-level trundles for my husband and I. But!…my in-laws have purchased the house across the street and been frantically remodeling with a deadline of Dec. 18–the arrival date of my SIL. It’s been delayed slightly, but is supposed to be done today. So…where will she be when we arrive? Anybody’s guess. Will the weekend be tension-filled and bordering on the brink of an all out cat-fight? Stay-tuned.

In other news, I’m dragging my boys to the dentist today. The older one just lost a tooth that was getting pushed out by the humongous big-boy tooth, and now my husband has hypothesized (to him) that he might have to have the adjacent one pulled. This is only days after warning him that he’d most likely have to have that baby one pulled if he didn’t work it out of there himself. I can’t say how much I appreciate his contribution. My little one has a cavity they’ve been watching and is now worried he’ll have to get a shot so they can deal with it. Oh, and he wants a gold filling, because in his words, “I’d look good with it.”

Back to work…

I’m no one to be trifled with–that’s all you’ll ever need know.

So no more memes…
Okay, just kidding (even though technically the above is true). My husband is watching The Princess Bride, and it’s just past the ‘Battle of Wits’. I will never get tired of watchng that movie. Ahh…but I must blog…

Not much of interest occurred today (and no writing, but it was errand day). But, there were two marginally interesting moments:

1. I was passed by a woman driving in a jeep with the bumper stickers, ‘Legalize Polygamy’ and ‘Bi Girls Rule’. Very interesting, I think. Ponderous, incredulous thought ensued.

2. I was listening to K.T.Tunstall in the car and had just parked at the library and heard ‘You see a penny in the street…’ when I opened the door and saw a penny sitting in the parking space next to me. I sung the part of the song that had gotten cut off, ‘Pickin’ it up is easy.’ And I picked it up–a lucky penny the week before Christmas. Perfect!

Also interesting is the fact that last weekend we were near record highs here (at about 84 degrees), and this weekend, we were near record low (33 degrees). Quite the swing. And then we’re back up to mid-seventies later in the week.

Tomorrow I’m going to M.D.O. for the Christmas party. I’m not working, and I don’t have to go, but I’ve been invited, and I love a little bit of Christmas cheer. Plus, I want to see for myself what really goes on at M.D.O. on Tuesdays. Is it as bad as they say (last Thursday was fine, by the way), or is it all drama and hype? I confess, I’m letting curiosity get the best of me… I will report back.