In my family especially but also amount my friends I am not the voice of reason. I'm the impulsive, impetuous, bullheaded one. The one that usually flies by the seat of my pants with the basic idea of it's easier to ask forgiveness than permission. The one that often prescribes to the "what the hell.... you only live once!" line of rationale. Do you see where I'm going with this? Not the one to say "Whoa Nelly! Back that horse up! We really should talk about this first!". On the rare occasions that I am the voice of reason no one ever heeds it because its such an anomaly.
One of those rare occasions has been playing out since we got home from Florida last week. A bit of back story is necessary here. To my dad's line of thinking the only place he and his loved ones should be on Christmas Eve is in his house. Christmas Day is a repeat performance on a smaller scale. Go ahead ask my Dad if he'd like to do something incredible just as long as it isn't on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day. You could offer him the chance of a lifetime but if it requires him not being home on Christmas Eve or Day he'll turn it down. In all my years on this planet there has been 1, count 'em folks 1, Christmas Eve and Day that we were not home. We instead were at my Grandmothers house in Chicago. Didn't matter that we were with family and my grandmother tried her hardest to make it something that could work for my dad. It wasn't ok and that mistake has never been repeated again.
Christmas Eve has always been a huge dinner at my parents ranging from the original 4 of us to upwards of 40. If fluctuates every year. For the last several years my dad's best friend and his family have been in attendance. We absolutely adore my Dad's best friend Jack. I mean love him! We love his step children too. We just can't stand his wife. Regardless we know that there will be at least 4 perhaps more if roommates have come home with the boys. We have a dear family friend that comes every other year. My mom's brother and his partner usually attend as well. Actually in years past we've had more Jewish relatives here than Catholics but the bottom line is the same. Everyone is gathered at our house for Christmas Eve dinner.
My mom said something to me before we left about still planning to hold Christmas Eve this year. I asked if she just meant inviting my sister, brother in law and nephews since it was so close to the end of our trip. Nope she was planning on inviting all the usual suspects and any other strays that came her way. That was the first time I mentioned that holding our traditional Christmas Eve would be a mistake. My mom doesn't travel well and this trip was no exception. Add to it that my mom got hella sick while we were gone and she only slept about 3 hours a night she was not the worlds nicest person or able to accomplish much by the time we got back.
A Dr's visit the day after our return had my mom diagnosed with severe bronchitis and on a round of steroids and antibiotics and me diagnosed with severe edema (another story but suffice it to say the food at Disney is EXTREMELY salty) and I was put on a weeks worth of diuretics and cautioned to watch for signs of kidney problems since that's been an issue my whole life. I asked my dad since my mom & I were basically down for the count if he was going to cancel Christmas Eve.
No.
A few days ago my dad started getting really sick and mom and I are no where near 100%. Again I asked if he was calling Christmas Eve off.
NO.
Princess Bear started getting sick a few days ago. This time I said "Really we should just cancel now!". No! Just pay no attention to the child running the 102.1* temp. I thought seeing how miserable PB was my dad would finally cancel. Nope. He called everyone that was invited to let them now that PB was sick but they were more than welcome to come over. Really? Really? Today I took PB to the Dr. Again with the bronchitis. More antibiotics. Ok surely this is enough to cancel Christmas Eve.
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
I told the Dr. that we were planning on having company over and asked if that was ok. His response was "As long has her temp is gone". We as of 10pm she was still 101.6. My dad is finally starting to come around to the idea that no one will be coming here for dinner tomorrow night. Instead my mom and I are cooking dinner for everyone that was invited and delivering it to them.
Really? Really? If someone would have listened to me like a week ago this would be so much easier. Just sayin'
One of those rare occasions has been playing out since we got home from Florida last week. A bit of back story is necessary here. To my dad's line of thinking the only place he and his loved ones should be on Christmas Eve is in his house. Christmas Day is a repeat performance on a smaller scale. Go ahead ask my Dad if he'd like to do something incredible just as long as it isn't on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day. You could offer him the chance of a lifetime but if it requires him not being home on Christmas Eve or Day he'll turn it down. In all my years on this planet there has been 1, count 'em folks 1, Christmas Eve and Day that we were not home. We instead were at my Grandmothers house in Chicago. Didn't matter that we were with family and my grandmother tried her hardest to make it something that could work for my dad. It wasn't ok and that mistake has never been repeated again.
Christmas Eve has always been a huge dinner at my parents ranging from the original 4 of us to upwards of 40. If fluctuates every year. For the last several years my dad's best friend and his family have been in attendance. We absolutely adore my Dad's best friend Jack. I mean love him! We love his step children too. We just can't stand his wife. Regardless we know that there will be at least 4 perhaps more if roommates have come home with the boys. We have a dear family friend that comes every other year. My mom's brother and his partner usually attend as well. Actually in years past we've had more Jewish relatives here than Catholics but the bottom line is the same. Everyone is gathered at our house for Christmas Eve dinner.
My mom said something to me before we left about still planning to hold Christmas Eve this year. I asked if she just meant inviting my sister, brother in law and nephews since it was so close to the end of our trip. Nope she was planning on inviting all the usual suspects and any other strays that came her way. That was the first time I mentioned that holding our traditional Christmas Eve would be a mistake. My mom doesn't travel well and this trip was no exception. Add to it that my mom got hella sick while we were gone and she only slept about 3 hours a night she was not the worlds nicest person or able to accomplish much by the time we got back.
A Dr's visit the day after our return had my mom diagnosed with severe bronchitis and on a round of steroids and antibiotics and me diagnosed with severe edema (another story but suffice it to say the food at Disney is EXTREMELY salty) and I was put on a weeks worth of diuretics and cautioned to watch for signs of kidney problems since that's been an issue my whole life. I asked my dad since my mom & I were basically down for the count if he was going to cancel Christmas Eve.
No.
A few days ago my dad started getting really sick and mom and I are no where near 100%. Again I asked if he was calling Christmas Eve off.
NO.
Princess Bear started getting sick a few days ago. This time I said "Really we should just cancel now!". No! Just pay no attention to the child running the 102.1* temp. I thought seeing how miserable PB was my dad would finally cancel. Nope. He called everyone that was invited to let them now that PB was sick but they were more than welcome to come over. Really? Really? Today I took PB to the Dr. Again with the bronchitis. More antibiotics. Ok surely this is enough to cancel Christmas Eve.
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
I told the Dr. that we were planning on having company over and asked if that was ok. His response was "As long has her temp is gone". We as of 10pm she was still 101.6. My dad is finally starting to come around to the idea that no one will be coming here for dinner tomorrow night. Instead my mom and I are cooking dinner for everyone that was invited and delivering it to them.
Really? Really? If someone would have listened to me like a week ago this would be so much easier. Just sayin'
4 comments:
I think folks have a hard time letting go of their traditions because it's the traditions that make the holiday a, well, holiday. Hope things are still Christmasy at your house! Maybe you started a new tradition!
Leigh,
I understand exactly what you mean. It just seemed like such a bad idea from the starts and the fates were telling us that too! The funny thing is my mom kept thanking PB that it had been cancelled since she was feeling so poorly. It did make us rethink how we'll do Christmas Eve in the future. I suggested a dessert and wine gathering. My mom is thinking more low key sandwiches and potluck kind of thing. Something we were still see everyone but it isn't SOOOOOO much work.
Yesterday was pretty rough. Christmas Eve in the middle of the night PB's temp went up even more (102.5*) and she started vomiting. I did finally get her comfortable and sleeping. Then when she woke up she just started started at her pile of gifts for about an hour before she felt well enough to tackle it.
Mom, Dad & I are still fighting bronchitis so yesterday was a day of lots of naps and movies. We rented Dolphin Tale 2 and watched holiday movies on Netflix. It was very chill. Which was nice! now to get all of us healthy! PB and are are doing elderberry and using essential oils like crazy. Keeping my fingers crossed that we're healthy soon!
Hope you had a wonderful Christmas!
EXACTLY what holidays are for: making the well people sick, and the already sick, capable of spreading germs with one sneeze or one scoop of mashed potatoes.
If your little one had been full of good health, I would still have kept her home for her own good, not the good of your dad.
Sheesh. Glad the madness is over til next year.
My daughter and I live with my folks. Not always the best situation for anyone but PB. She thrives on having the 3 most important adults in her life in one home.
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