Merry Christmas

Snowed In!

We just got plowed! Four days after the storm! Two feet of snow in one day! The county forgot we existed (i.e. we are on the east side of the county and don't have enough money to be bothered with, also why our schools aren't so great).

Three days in a house with a 2-year-old. I think we fared pretty well. I can't say he loved the snow. It was too much. He couldn't walk anywhere. And it was cold, and he didn't want to wear mittens. He did help shovel, and mowed the snow. We need a sled, and a second shovel, and better mittens. My husband wants a snow blower, but I think that is being a little reactionary. The house is a disaster, but that's normal.

The CRV got out this morning. Mr. Jetta is staying home one more day and hoping for some melting. The real question is whether the CRV will make it back up the hill. People have been abandoning their cars at the bottom of the hill all weekend. Our neighbor is parked in our driveway because they couldn't make it up the rest of the hill.

Husband took child to daycare and I stayed I have a bad cold.I needed rest. I never stay home from work, so you know I must be feeling pretty rundown. I'm not feeling guilty about it. Life happens I can't to anything about it. I get snowed in for three days. I get sick. Work will wait, even if there is a clock ticking on my fellowship (and career). Perhaps all the more reason not to care.

Stay tuned for the holiday post. We will survive even if my brother -in- law gets a late gift because we can't get to the store....

Holiday Madness

(picture of boy "fixing" his new Hanukkah gift. Please not he is not mad, although he is quite often "Mad, Mad, Mad" in the toddler who wants dangerous things his parents won't let him have like scissors or stoves, sense of the word)

My family has quiet literally gone mad this season. Mom has been in a hospital since Thanksgiving. She has early onset dementia complicated by chronic alcohol abuse. It's probably the most complicated relationship I will ever have. It's still changing and I'm still trying to figure it out. She is a difficult and tragic character. The conversations I've had with my mom in the hospital are more normal than any I've had with her for ten years. I guess I am grateful for the opportunity to talk to her again. She should be home soon, and hopefully we can handle the new medicated mom.

My sister already commented on her loss and how it has been felt for years by our family, particularly around the holiday time. I'm cautiously optimistic we can now reach a better equilibrium, and maybe sort of have her back for awhile. We shall see...

In the midst of all these goings on the boy turned 2. He is a remarkable little guy. I feel like we maybe shortchanged him a little bit on the birthday, but he did get a party with all the Jersey relatives. This is probably the last year I can get away with planning nothing for him. But he was happy, and got to open lots of presents and eat carvel cake, and see his cousins, and Nana and Pop-pop (who he adores). Than last weekend Nana and Pop-pop visited us for early Hanukkah, and he got more presents and had a blast.

In our mixed holiday traditions, the tree will go up this weekend and I will make potato and sweet potato latkes. Hopefully we can finish our Christmas shopping. Maybe I will make toffee....

And I'm almost done my official Christmas knitting. I've knit two presents to be given alongside other "real" gifts. Neither item is worn. One is missing two legs and two ears. The other is a set missing buttons. Intriguing?

I have two things on needles right now. The aforementioned present missing parts, and a pair of "on-hold" socks, from Wendy Johnson's book. I'm itching to cast-on. I saw a cute hat pattern, and I'm thinking about Calluna. Also we need ornaments for the tree.....

I finished the diagonal lace socks, and have worn then several times. The fit very nicely. And the other set of presents.

Don't know if I'll get much time to post, so have a happy sane holiday for me.