Friday, December 19, 2008

Winding It Down

Today is the Evil Twin's last day of work until January 5. Thanks to holiday time and some well positioned vacation time, he managed to score a big chunk of time off. Yay! Now, let's keep our fingers crossed that we can actually stand to be together solidly for all those days.

Sometimes, I think there is such a thing as "too much togetherness".

Anyway, today is also what I THINK should have been Buddy's last day, but he has to go a full day Monday AND Tuesday. I get the 180 day rule for school attendance, but really... I think 2 days into June would be preferable to cutting it so close to Christmas. Oh well. Nothing I can do about it unless we get so much snow, school is cancelled on those days.

So, that is my schedule for the next few days. Then, Christmas break! Yay. I am so ready for it. Typically, I don't like change, but I do like breaks from the normal routine sometimes. And, I'm ready for this break.

Last night, we had Buddy's school Christmas play.

That is almost too much people interaction for me. Apparently, everyone thinks the Christmas play is THE event of the school year, so grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, etc. are all invited. The result is that the gym is over crowded - people are standing up and standing in aisles to photograph/videotape their little darlin' and it seemed like when I could HEAR anything, it was mostly all the people around me snorting and snotting and carrying on.

I swear, I have stayed healthy this far this year and if I wind up with a cold or worse because I had to be around a bunch of filthy germ wagons last night, I will be royally pissed! Royally!

Of course, Sissy wouldn't sit still and that just added to the drama. But, really, who can blame her? My ass was numb after an hour on the metal folding chair and I was ready to get the h-e-double toothpicks out of there as quickly as possible.

The play (what I could hear or see of it) was cute, but the next time I have to attend such a function, I think I'll slip a lump of coal up my butt. Most likely, I'll have a lovely diamond to show off later. That's how tense those things make me.

Anyway, the highlight of the evening was that after the play - and since we were already out and about - we decided to go to our little town's Festival of Lights. At the city park, they have a Christmas light display each year and we had never been.

It's neat because you just drive along the path and get to take in all the lights. There is one location where you can stop and get out. Santa is there with hot cocoa, but since we already saw Santa at Tamarack, we just kept driving.

So, you wind all up in and over the park and let me tell you: when they say "Festival of Lights", they ain't kidding. It was sooo elaborate. The kids loved it. The Evil Twin and I admired it and it just made the previous stress of the evening melt away!

We've decided that touring the Festival of Lights will be a yearly activity from now on.

And, now, I can sleep well knowing that when I die, I have had at least one full hour knocked off of my time in purgatory. I "gave at the office (school)" last night!

30 comments:

  1. LOVE the line about the lump of coal. Nice little cottage industry you could start up there!

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  2. Hmmm... you could start maketing Butt Diamonds. The sparkle like diamonds, but the smell makes em cheaper.

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  3. I love those kinds of set ups where you can drive through and look at the lights. I wanna go!

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  4. yeah, I am not a fan of too much timee off for Tim (my husband) either. that seems cruel, but what ends up happening is he stays up all night playing games or looking at online porn and then he wakes up at noon the next day. Then if there is something to do and I have to wake him up he is a grumpy mess. he is a great husband and father except when he is on vacation.

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  5. You are too funny. My son's school doesn't do "Christmas Plays" anymore, apparently they are politically incorrect. But I do not miss it. Hey can you put a lump of coal up there for me, I could use a diamond to hock. And yes, there is such a thing as too much time together.

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  6. How come you write 'pissed' but won't write out 'Hell'?

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  7. Tiff - yep, a business could be born here. It's either that or I sell used panties on eBay.

    Ron - I'd wash them and polish 'em real good first. Besides, my colon is clean, brother. Remember?

    Ginger - drive on over!! It's open until the end of December.

    The Girl - Buddy attends a Catholic school, so they can do whatever they want.

    Anonymous - because I think h-e-double toothpicks sounds HILARIOUS!

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  8. Alex - why is that Moms never seem to get a real vacation? I've often wondered that....

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  9. You are so lucky to have an extra pair of hands for such a nice chunk of time.
    that means you can stay up an extra hour and have three extra glasses of wine each night!

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  10. I love that crowded-mess-let's-pack-everyone-and-their-cousin-into-the-room program too. And my favorite part you didn't mention...that smell, you know the one, of too many people with sweaters on in too small a place.

    Ah, the Christmas ramp-up!

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  11. If I had to spend that much time with my hubby we'd probably be heading for devorce court by time the holiday was over... :)

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  12. The tradition is now..a Christmas program every other year. I can live with that, as I can't see a damn thing when I go anyway, with the same type of attendees.

    I will be sending my own lump of coal for next year's show!!!

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  13. LOL @ h-e-double toothpicks. You must have one hell of a skinny arse ;-D

    I hope you escaped the germbugs, btw!

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  14. LOL: I almost could have written this post! CBoy's Christmas play was last night as well: but of course it was a Holiday Play, and the song Silver Bells went:
    silver bells, silver bells...
    It's wintertime in the city
    Ringaling, hea them ring
    soon it will be winter-time.

    Fooey on that.

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  15. After kids being in school for the last 12+ years, Momma hates those wretched plays and chapels - UGH! I'm impressed you went! I blew off Toots' chapel today...
    Loved the card and pic - cute, cute kiddos!!

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  16. MsPulp - lucky or deranged, depending on how you look at it! LOL.

    Warren - my friend who sat with us said she thought it smelled like there had been a basketball tournament earlier in the day. I had doused myself in Coco Chanel, so that's all I could smell! LOL.

    themom - Buddy will be in public middle school next year and Sissy has another year yet for preschool, so I think I'm safe NEXT year....

    Carolyn - thank goodness, someone else finds h-e-double toothpicks to be funny!

    Lorrie - Fooey, indeed!

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  17. Momma - well, this is his last year in Elementary school and he did have two lines and all... LOL.

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  18. I was double-lucky this week -Emma's concert was Wednesday and Mickey's was Thursday. Lucky me.

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  19. See that is why I stay isolated in doors! No people to be around and no chance of germs! lol

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  20. Right. The kids and Big T are out, until the 5th... therefore, I will get no rest. None.
    They will run me to death and I will be grateful for January 5th :)

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  21. I love LOVE LOVE the Festival of Lights!

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  22. K - You need a special prize. That stinks!

    Sabrae - it's nice when you can do that! :-)

    Diva - Moms don't get vacation, but we do get a tiny break if there's no school/work schedule, right? Right? LOL.

    Laura - It was soooo cool!

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  23. I laughed out loud at the lump of coal comment!!

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  24. I know what you mean about the too much togetherness.

    I think it's that you don't get enough time just thinking to yourself. I can be with Ms. Allclick in the office and both of us computer and it helps us both be together but can tune into our own worlds lol

    But sometimes I just have to escape to my room or Walmart to get my space.

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  25. I don't miss those Christmas plays whatsoever,,,,you're right....a zillion people packed in like sardines.

    But, they always made me smile tho :)

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  26. My kid's school doesn't really do plays so much, but every "graduation" and a few other functions get packed like that...standing room only. Couple that with their having to repeat all the relevant info in Spanish every few minutes just makes for one long drawn out event. If it's a school hours event, wife and I usually bail as soon as whichever of our kids is done with their part. Love your blog by the way, I'll roll it if it's ok with you.
    Take Care,
    FMD

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  27. I used to be married to someone who epitomized 'too much togetherness' - after about 15 minutes. Gah. In my current life, we've both been sick most of a week, so there's been a LOT of togetherness. None of it has been unpleasant (unless you count volcanic sneezes).

    My munchkins' early Christmas events were like that - overstuffed rooms with overstuffed programs, so every precious snowflake had a moment in the spotlight. Since middle school (different school district), they keep 'em moving fast with pretty good quality. Worth going, which is saying something.

    I wouldn't buy a butt diamond, but I'd have no problem selling one...

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  28. I can't believe they're making them go to school both Monday and Tuesday.
    My vaginal-bobsled team are only going half a day Monday and then they're off the rest of the week.

    Weird and I agree about the extra days in June...that would be much better.

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  29. kenju - It's a serious experiment I may be willing to conduct at some point. LOL.

    AC - I hear ya! I am a person who loves my alone time!

    Efen - the littlest kids are the cutest!

    FMD- thanks for the visit and I've already added you to my roll!

    Spiffytown - I'll be happy to experience Middle School next year. (surprisingly enough).

    BG - I know! I told one friend (who has kids in the same district as yours that I wouldn't even bother with the half day! What a crock!

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