Recovery

The boxes went out in the trash today, the stockings are empty and now being used as "slippers" by the girl, and I have read most of my operating instructions for the gadgets I received... It's beginning to feel like New Year's Eve!

As if the girl's gift pile wasn't big enough, Grandma and Grandpa (Hubby's Parents) arrived Christmas morning bearing at least as many gifts for the girl as we had for her. I think toward the end she started wishing that Santa would conserve wrapping paper- 'cause the

unwrapping became less and less enthusiastic as she got towards the end. We survived the day, and I did no cooking or cleaning and stayed in my Pajamas ALL DAY! I didn't even put on a Bra- which tells you how little gave a crap about apperances. Upon hearing this report, a coworker exclaimed " Do you EVER do ANYTHING????!!!!!" I think she was offended that all these years she has been a traditional wife and mom and grandma, slaving over every holiday with no appreciation or thanks- and here I am RELAXING with In-Laws, and Husband AND a daughter in the house. HOW DARE I??

So yeah, I slacked on the traditional neurotic compulsive busybody stereotype and I don't care one bit. For all I cared, I would have spent christmas day munching on the shredded gift wrap if no one else decided to eat food and make enough for everyone. That would not have bothered me at all- though Sam and Grandpa might have needed a bit more sustenance after their headbanded interpretive dance...

I discovered that I am getting WAY over the whole "let's freak out and do what the rest of the world is doing because it's a HOLIDAY" mentality. It goes along with accepting that my life will never let me have a peaceful holiday off. At least not as long as I'm in "showbusiness" as a career. So I slacked on Christmas day and let the Hubby make Blueberry pancakes and the Mother in law dry out the ham and forget to salt the potatoes. HA! See? No guilt! Nee-ner-nee-ner-neeeee-nerrrr!

We don't have any plans for New Years Eve- and that is also fine with me. I made the mistake of leaving the house today with the Girl, and ended up hissing at her in the grocery
store- we are so much happier when I get to stay in the house! We do have plans to go out for a grown-up night of dinner and ( i hope) a movie on our upcoming 12-year anniversary, but movies are always difficult for me to remain kind through- I'm so used to watching plays in a sparsely populated theatre during dress rehearsals that the other people with their crunchy popcorn and commentaries make my ears steam like in the cartoons...

The new year has made me a bit reflective- the year has gone by so quickly, and it has really been a great year for all of us. I am looking forward to the new year (AND THE NEW PRESIDENT!!!) and hope that your new year is joyful and full of hope!