Christmas, the empty nest version...

My nest is not empty, not really - but it feels that way.

I have mentioned that this year my son (PFC) joined the Marines, and my daughter (Buffy) moved to Florida to go to school. I have Dub, Neeper and Roomie living in house with me - along with 9 cats - so you see, the nest is not really empty.

PFC has been home since the 22nd, and will be headed to the midwest in early January for MOS training - but he has not been home much.

Christmas Day was really though for me, it was just all wrong. Showers took too long, the Fudge was not packaged and I was missing Buffy something dreadful. I took Neeper to Da'Rents (my parents house) for breakfast, but had to go back and pick up Dub cause the hot water was lacking after 2 had showered. (Neeper doesn't know the meaning of 'quick' in the shower)

Da'Rents house seemed REALLY empty. Brodar (my brother) was not around (yet), Mom was bustling around in the kitchen and Roomie and her guy (does he have a name yet?) were helping with vittles. PFC was sitting in the living room with his PSP, but I felt the hole.. the missing thing.. Buffy was not there. It made me cry, and just re-living it the tears are flowing again.

Some would say, that 'at least you had one of your kids there for the holidays' and that is true... but I really miss Buffy. I worry that she's not sleeping enough, or eating right. I didn't plan for her to be GONE so I didn't have the funds saved go pay for her to come home for Christmas. Next year, I hope will be better with that.

I'm not sure why I was dragging my feet when it was time to return to Da'Rents after Dub was ready to go, it just felt so wrong. When we arrived, the breakfast dishes had been cleared and folks had already started opening gifts. (Thanks for waiting people!) There was a flurry of activity as gifts were opened and for a while I was distracted. There were lots of ooh's and aah's, many nice things were gifted and some odd things too.

Roomie and her guy (I'll have to come up with something for him, I'm just not sure yet!) left for his family do. I had a short phone conversation with Buffy while she waited for others to 'wake up' or 'come home' so they could have their meal. Buffy and her crew didn't have anywhere to go for a Christmas dinner, so I'd ordered sammies, veggies and deviled eggs for them from Albertsons. Who knew grocery stores in Florida didn't do ham or turkey dinners for Christmas, or maybe it was that you had to order them more than 4 days ahead of time.

I mixed up some eggnog with brandy, then Mom, PFC and I started a game of rummy while Neeper talked with Valkyrie and Mr. Peabody on the phone. About 3 hands in, my head pounded so bad I needed a nap. Not sure if it was the brandy, stuffy sinus or stress, but the head won.

Buffy and her crew called and woke me from my slumber some time later, to thank me for the yummies I'd ordered. It was nice to talk with them, and some of the sorrow I had about Buffy's holiday lifted. She was having a good time, with folks she liked, and she was safe.

I'm still teary about it, even now.. though I'm sure it has something to do with the approaching new year celebration and PFC's departure soon after. I suspect it will be better in the years to come, but I'm not looking forward to my kids (that are not kids any more) having lives of their own where they are not able to be with me during the holidays. Is that selfish.. you bet, but I won't apologize for it. I love my kids, enjoy spending time with them, am proud of the adults the have worked to become and I miss them bunches when they are gone.

Beta is better ... how?

I've done it.
I switched to Beta. Figured I'd better do it before they did it for me.

Already I don't like HAVING top put the damn labels on things before you can post put up a post, and that ASSUMES you remember how you have labeled things in the past... YUCK!

Crossing my fingers this doesn't turn out badly!

Support your local Sheriff? uh no..local Romance Author!!

Multi-published author Shelli Stevens has a signing!!

Where: Saturday, December 16, 2006
What time: 2pm to 4pm

Where?
Lynnwood Borders at Alderwood Mall (upstairs!)
3000 184th St SW
Lynnwood, WA 98037
(425) 776-7530

Let's do the time warp again.... 6 mo in speed review

This is a time warp of semi-weekly proportions...

June, My Mate (a.k.a. Dub) and I flew to MD to pick up the Neeper for the summer. The day we left, one of my kitties had a blood clot and had to go to the Vet. Then my daughter (we'll call her Buffy for now) reached the age of 18, and the family went bowling to celebrate. The next week my Divorce was final. Buffy graduated High School the following week and her dad came up for the event. June saw lots of calls from Neeper's mom, much turmoil (catch up here) and head scratching about her future. Kitty improved, and the mercury began to rise in Seattle. The work, it just kept coming.

July saw the passing of Dub's Mom, JEast, and more turmoil for the Neeper. Dub started working on the King County Airport Runway Project, and the hours were long! Neeper started coming to work with me more often, as Buffy was making noises about finding a job, and Kitty dislocated his back leg and ended up in a splint. The work, well, it was the work.

Mid/Late August my son, age 20 and we'll call him Jake for now, went San Diego, for Marine Boot Camp. I cried, was moody, and then there was lots of work. Buffy started working for Home Depot, that meant that Neeper had to come with me to work every day. Oh the work!

Beginning of September Neeper started school (hear the loud cheer: YEAH!) and work kept on keeping on. Kitty saw a specialist about the leg and we hoped that it would not come to that. I started cleaning in Jake's room, thinking to move Neeper in there so Buffy could have her space. It was more emotional than I thought - I cried and didn't make it very far.

Late September My Mate started working Sunday's in the bus tunnel and My Roomie started spending MORE time with her boyfriend. And the work kept coming.

In the Beginning of October there was the ECW Conference (note to self, finish the damn post that's in the drafts section) and then there was more work. Kitty's leg was so bad it had to be amputated. I cried, we paid the hefty bill and he came home as a tripod, but on aspirin for the rest of his life.

Mid October Buffy decided to move to Florida to go to school. I cried, was moody and there was the work. She at least packed up her stuff in boxes so I could send it to her, but there was cleaning to do in her room too. Kitty improved and things seemed to be going good, but there was always the work. Neeper had fun with her new cousins on Halloween, but I have forgotten where we hid her candy. Oops!

Early November Dub and I went to see Stephen King at Benaroya Hall. There is a post forthcoming on this one too... I think, a place holder at least! Kitty had a relapse and was back at the vet. They didn't know if he'd recover this time and I cried. Work was work, school was school and my Roomie kept putting words to file on her book. Work, work and more work.

Mid November Dub and I flew to San Diego for Jake's graduation from Marine Boot Camp. We'll call him Private First Class (PFC) or Marine now. PFC came home with us for 10 days, which included Turkey Day. The holiday was great, food and fun and family - but Roomie's boyfriend didn't make it. (He's still in trouble with me for that one!)

Late November we had snow, and it stayed for a couple days. School was closed and I worked from home. Work was done, but backed up more, just love the work.

Early December, Neeper reached the age of 10, though if she'd been any more excited about her birthday she may have exploded before making it there. She went shopping with Roomie for clothes and toys, then we met for lunch and had a mini celebration.

The work was the work, but Kitty had a relapse again and ended up at the emergency vet. I cried and was moody and worked very hard not to bite off the heads of those I love. Sadly I had to put him down the next day. I cried, and spent as much time with him as I could before he had to go. The rest of the day I spent with my folks helping them with a Christmas project, though my heart was not in it, at the very least it was a nice distraction. There is another post about the Moo (Kitty) forthcoming, but it's still too raw to do right now.

It's technically still early December, and I'm so ready for this year to end. Roomie's made leaps and bounds of progress on her manuscript, Neeper's doing well in school though she rushes her work and has nasty handwriting. Dub's been taking art lessons when he can and his drawing is shaping up nicely. I think Buffy's going to have a job at Winn-Dixie soon, if she doesn't already. PFC will be home on or around the 19th for another 10-12 days liberty, and some of the work is easing up. And I've cried all the tears I think I can, without dipping into next year's allotment, so I'm done ok.

That's the news, what there is of it... let's hope the posting will pick up now - these review shows are difficult when the memory fades.