Two days later....

Happy New Year's Eve! Yesterday, I began cleaning my house for our family party. First on my list was the bathroom. I thought I would get the laundry pile washed and then begin cleaning. There was one problem, the laundry pile in our bathroom alone was big enough for the mob to hide a dead body in. I promise you, seriously, the police would never find it.

So, I spent yesterday focused just on that pile. As you can see from my picture, a huge chunk of it is still lurking there. It grew a little overnight. I am beginning to think it might be alive.

As the new year approaches, I begin cleaning things out. What will you be doing? Before 2012, I hope I can tame this monster.

Small Town Christmas

Ok, so I have been terribly cranky this year. But, there is nothing I love more than Christmas in our small town. For a little over a month everyone unites in one cause. To be sure everyone has a wonderful Christmas. The churches work together. Lights are strung. Every store front has a Christmas tree. People supply food for the food bank. Angels are put on trees so people can buy Christmas for those less fortunate. (All the angels were taken care of this year.) This year there is even a community dinner.

I forget sometimes that life is good here. How cynical  people can be elsewhere. This is the place were neighbors still bring gifts for Christmas. And when I am at our store, the last thing they say to me before leaving our door, "Have a Merry Christmas! "

Only cranky people apply...

Do to my lack of holiday cheer, I am no longer checking facebook. I have no desire to sing "Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer." Nor will I be frosting a million tiny sugars cookies in Christmas shapes. My tree is decorated half way and it will stay that way.

I figured out something this year, if I don't perform my Martha Stewart-like duties, life goes on. So, I will bake what is necessary, wrap the bare minimum, and let the house look like a tornado hit it. If nobody else cares, why should I?

This might be my permanent approach. Have a wonderful Christmas with your family.

Oh Fudge .....

Three pans of fudge made. Everything is on track for a wonderful Christmas. All I have left is wrapping presents, cleaning my house, finishing the baking, and finding a present for my husband. Not that big of deal.

Christmas Eve is usually my favorite night. This year we are joining my inlaws. I didn't think how that would affect our Christmas Eve. We usually stay in town, go to my parents, and eat Casey's take out pizza. We are supposed to go to their house, but I have made a decision. Instead of booze and their total lack of food. I am taking a stand for the first time in 10 years. My good friend suggested I be honest with them. Tomorrow I make the dreaded phone call. Christmas our way, take it or leave it.

Wish me luck. To all of those dealing with inlaws, as a daughter in law, just remember one thing, you are always to blame. So why not stir the pot? Give yourself a great Christmas present. And possibly a pissed off husband....Merry Christmas to all! And to all a good fight!

No You Are Not Allowed to Give Fudge to the Woman Who Runs the Candy Store

So, in Christmas spirit, I have so many ideas of what I would like to do. I am truly like my grandmothers. One of my grandmother's loved a good practical joke. The other thought she could do everything and do it better. I loved them both and now know where they were coming from.

As you probably know, we own a small shop in our town. Our neighbor refuses to put up Christmas decorations. I, in my great wisdom, have suggested that he does so. He refuses. Over the past several weeks the tension has grown.

My answer to the problem was to paint a grinch on his door. Write bah humbug across windows. No, nobody will let me do that. So, instead I began posting about the grinch on facebook. Now, an icy stare is all I get, but satisfaction was achieved. Atleast, he knows where I stand. Bully-1, Wimp-0, atleast that's how I am being treated.

On to fudge.......Every year for Christmas, I make homemade candies. I come from a long line of bakers and candy makers in my family. So, I was vastly disappointed to find out the candy store here ordered all their candy and just made their fudge and popcorns. In my eyes, that's cheating. So, I take my kids once a week to said candy shop. I was looking at the fudge and informed my husband that she needed a new recipe. How grandma of me. I told him, when I make my Christmas fudge I will take some to her so she can see the consistency. Again, I was told no.

So, I thought I would be like kitty galore and write down my plans. Although I have no intention of taking over the world. Don't you see, I just want to help people. Hehehe...Until Next Time My Pretties.....

At least Santa's not drunk

I was thinking about Christmas this morning. When I was a kid, we always had a happy Christmas. That was the one day a year at our house that the extended his family got together and no one fought. I hoped as an adult the same would happen at my house.

We are the only family with children. We have the largest dining room. Plenty of seating for the entire family. A large christmas tree in our bay window. Decorations galore and plenty of goodies. The one thing we are missing is alcohol. So, my inlaws must have christmas at their house. Wouldn't be christmas without someone having too much to drink and saying inappropriate things.

People tell me Christmas is not about gifts. Obviously, they are right. It must mean, get drunk, upset the sober, and exclude the inlaw at all costs.

By the way, my christmas gift to myself was honesty. How do you like them apples?

Thank you to my new phone

I was worried I would never blog again. Technology is a wonderful thing. I can now blog from anywhere. Unfortunate for you, great for me.

I am going to change how I blog. I am going to be honest.  No more happiness or lies. I read some blogs in realized that they are not telling the truth. No one can be back happy all the time and be that together. The truth looks more like this.: