Thursday, December 29, 2011

So glad Christmas is over/past. Now days it is such a painful time. This year was no different. DH took gifts to his dad/step-mother, and to his son's family. Like my family, it is not a good relationship. DH has never seen his grandson and he is now 2 years old.

We got everything ready for my daughters' families and took it over on Christmas Eve. It was VERY obvious we were not wanted there. But, we did get to see both sets of grandchildren and drop off gifts. I was thrilled that all the children seemed glad to see us. Well, not the 2 year old - she was asleep, bless her baby heart. It was quite painful knowing that the two daughters want absolutely NOTHING to do with me. and it was very painful to read something my youngest daughter posted later about having had to see us.

That posting was on the heal of her text response to me when I inquired if we should deliver gifts Christmas Eve or wait until after Christmas. Her remark told me it was up to me - she couldn't contend with it right now. So, we decided we wouldn't deliver at all. Later that day we received a text message from my oldest daughter that if we wanted to deliver gifts to the children we could, that she would be home until 5. Of course the reason they couldn't make time for us is because they were having the big Christmas party with their dad and stepmother and family (I raised these kids as a single mother on a shoe string with absolutely no help or input from him...now he's the great FATHER.) The christmas celebration I had for years and years with my children was taken away from me and given to the dad and step mother. My youngest daughter even claims her step mother as her MOTHER on her FB page. And my oldest daughter has gone so far as to tell me that I am NOT her family, and that I am to have nothing to do with her or her children.

Thankfully my oldest child, my son, is always wonderful. But, he doesn't live in the same state as us and it's too far to drive and too expensive to fly there for holidays. So Christmas was, as it has been for several years now, very hard and very painful. I am always so glad when it is past.

We were invited by my niece to come to their home for Christmas Day. thankfully we didn't have to spend it alone. Bless you my beautiful niece. We got to see my most of my oldest brother's family. and it may be the last time we get to do that since my oldest brother is not well at all. My nieces and I spent a lot of the day crying, and my oldest brother did what he used to do when I was very young - couldn't stand it because I was crying. But, we got past that and had a great time. My two nieces had been at bingo on Christmas Eve and sent me a text telling me to bring "10 pounds of peanut butter fudge!" They were teasing, but I decded to do it anyway - well, not quite so much, but still pnut butter fudge. I told them one of these days I'm going to give them the dang recipe but they don't want it, just want me to bring it. That's what they remember of Christmas's long ago when they were younger - I always made the candy; their mom makes the fantastic from scratch chocolate pies that are to die for.

And then it was Monday - what would be a holiday week for me, but now I'm retired so NO holiday. We began on this house with a vengence. So dirt, nasty, cluttered, horrible. We have spent the entire week working on the den. We gave away the kitchen table and chairs, moved the table and chairs from the den into the breakfast area. nobody ever comes to our house anyway - we don't need two dining spaces. Then we dismantled the rest of the den. We have had this huge wall entertainment center for 10 years and I have been sick of it for at least 5. With it in use the only way we can set te couch is in the middle of the room which means there is absolutely no room in the den. We moved the center piece to the master bedroom and put the side pieces on separate walls in the den to use as curio shelves. Earlier this year we had the bar wall raised and the bar top changed to a pony wall cap instead so that we can actually use that wall for the television. We don't yet have a low tv stand for the tv but we moved it to that wall anyway and used the sofa table as a stand for now. We had to have AT&T come out and hook up all the televisions again. The price will be worth it. They also had to change out all the old cable wiring because we've been having issues - we have AT&T Uverse. Way too expensive for what it is.

We've spent 4 days and are not yet finished with the den. We tok everything out of the entry closet. Not really a coat closet. When the house was built I had that closet made deeper into the garage so it is a much larger closet. It is where we keep the Christmas crap. That closet was a disaster. Someone in this house just opens the door and throws crap of all kinds in there. All that had to be cleaned out.

Yesterday we spent scrubbing the kitcen floor tiles. Toda we swept, swiffed, mopped, and put orange glo on the hardwood floors in the entry hallway and den. DH is PO'd because I am not allowing him to wear his nasty shoes in the house. He tends to go grunging in the garage and in the back yard where there is mud and dog doo and then come traipsing back into the house. I've had enough of it. No more. He can take his shoes off when he comes in the house. I've been telling him for years.

DH is beginning to regret that I have retired. I have been giving warnings for the 3 years he has been home that the house is going to be put back into shape - he's not happy about it. But at least the den area is beginning to look better. Still need to buy new sofa/chairs for in there, tables, and a tv stand, but all in good time.

Tomorrow we finish the den -- tables need to be cleaned with Murphy's Oil Soap (I don't like polish because it attracks dust). Still have some crap to go thru/put up. But I'm beginning to feel like the house is once again mine. Got so very much more to do.

But tomorrow will be a short work day. We are going to a wedding at the Triple Cross Cowboy Church tomorrow evening so we will have to leave here about 4:30 so we can make a stop at the square in Granbuy and then head on to the church. It will be a great wedding and party. The Baggy Bottom Boys will be entertaining (look 'em up - you'll be surprised).

We have a party to go to Saturday night (New Year's Eve), and then a New Year's Blackeye Pea part on Sunday afternoon. Then on Monday we will start back on the house.

The work has been good for us - I am already terribly sore from the exercise of moving things and mopping!!!