The Disappearance

I wish I could say that my blogging absence was due to something exciting - like a lottery win and an around the world adventure, or a spontaneous cross country move. Unfortunately, the hiatus was the result of more mundane events - some work related problems and some family chaos. Neither is something that I can comfortably talk about right now. We are all fine, but this past months has left me asking myself some difficult questions about our future plans. Sorry for being so cryptic - at some point, I hope to be able to laugh about all this, but right now I'm just a tad overwhelmed.



On to the excitement of Christmas . . . the blurry pictures show the result of global warming in Maine. That's right - no snow this year. This is our first Christmas trip with no snow and we have been traveling to Maine for ten years, except for 2001 when I gave birth to KK two days after Christmas. The kids asked about the snow, but were content to play with their cousins and the numerous Christmas gifts bestowed upon them by Grammie and Grampa. For them, the trip was a great time -- Santa and their relatives were exceptionally generous, hours of play with cousins and friends, walks on mud filled roads -- even without snow, it was a wonderful time.

We arrived back in Florida two days ago to 80 degree weather. Three out of the four of us have lingering colds - 'tis the season! No plans for New Year's tonight, except to put the kids to bed early and relax. Hope everyone had a wonderful holiday and I wish you a joyous New Year! Bonne Annee! Ein Gluckliches Neues Jahr! Godt Nytt Ar!

Over the River and Through the Woods

The quick and dirty on Thanskgiving in New Hampshire (there was a 'nice' photo of the trees and stream where we stayed but Blogger does not wish for me to use photo at this time - Damn you, Blogger!):

1. Hew to KK as they walked outside the first morning - "Hey, look at the frosting on the car!"

2. Attempting to make fudge with powdered sugar results in chocolate taffy, but NOT fudge, no matter how long you put it in the freezer.

3. Children who refuse to sleep for their parents and then sleep perfectfully for their grandparents WILL NOT receive a visit from Santa.

4. My parents are becoming the old, obnoxious, retired people who winter in this state. Not only did my father who used to ice race cars fail to drive over forty miles an hour, he also refused to follow the direction to my brother's house given to us by my brother. We spent an hour driving forty miles an hour through the mountains for no apparent reason.

5. This is the first time in ten years that I did not make the meal and I missed it. Plus, we had no left-overs.

6. It is amazing that my sister and I grew up in the same house. Sis has been building a house for more than three years (according to their bank loan it was suppose to be done in a year - yeah, that tends to impair your credit rating) and there was a list of things the bank wanted done before the end of November. We all go over there to help - there is no system or order. Neither Sis nor brother-in-law (BIL) is sure what to work on first. Food has not been made (there are ten people coming to your house, you might want to plan a little!). Sis planned to make lasagna but forgot. I made it, realizing after I cooked the noodles that the only cheese in the house was shreaded cheddar and colby jack. At night, I am sleeping on a pad from a lawn chair, in a room with no heat, with my four year old niece's blanket that doesn't reach my toes. Next to me is PH who is sleeping on an air mattress with a leak thus resulting in the middle of his bed sinking to the cold floor and PH being wrapped like an enchilada by the air filled sides of the mattress. Both kids are in the room and I have dressed them in full length pants and sweaters to sleep. There should be a test people must pass before they attempt to build a house - Sis and BIL would fail it.

7. I love my family. I love to visit with them. I miss them. But living with them would result in my hospitalization in a psychiatric facility.

Friday Feast

Appetizer: Have you ever flown in a helicopter?
No never. I tend to become ill in small planes and make use of those cute little bags that are so thoughtful placed. I imagine flying in a helicopter would produce the same results and I fear they would not have the cute bags.

Soup: What color is your warmest coat or jacket?
I have a stylish, fitted ski jacket in sky blue and white. Never did I think a white winter jacket would be slimming, but I look positively svelte in it. Living in Florida, I get to wear it for one week when I visit my parents at Christmas which is too bad because there is little else in my wardrobe that has the effect of that jacket.

Salad: What is your favorite rainy day activity?
Before children, it was reading. There is nothing better than a cold, rainy day, a blazing fire, hot chocolate with Bailey's Irish Creme, and a good book. Now, it's building a tent from chairs and blankets or playing the game "Put Mommy to Bed" which allows Mommy to lay in the bed while the kids read me stories and put me to sleep.

Main Course: Describe your hands.
Small, short, slightly swollen fingers. The life line is longer on my right hand. I have prominently veins which is why my Husband says I am a Borg.

Dessert: If you could eat only one nut for the rest of your life, what nut would you pick?
Cashews, of course. My Husband thinks I should have a different answer to this question.