And A Happy New Year
December 31, 2006
So…I’m home, and I brought the family back with me. Nice, eh?
Note To Georgia: Someone needs to slap the GDOT upside the head. Is it really necessary to have torn up I-95 all the way through the state? I just passed through your fine state both ways over the holiday, and I’m not looking forward to that trip ever again. Stop and go traffic doesn’t thrill me at all, and it thrills even less when people stop for NO REASON at all. Also, I don’t know what you guys are dredging up in the name of construction near the Brunswick area, but please STOP IT. Unless you want to remind people of the Newark area of I-95 in New Jersey, and I’m suspecting you don’t. Just a friendly suggestion from a weary traveler.
Anyway…
The Highlights of the CrazedMommy Holiday:
- Mixing a quasi White Russian and drinking an entire bottle of Chardonnay all by yourself is a hangover in the making. And just in case you were curious, it’s a DOOZY.
- It will rain on the way to North Carolina. So let it be written, so it was definitely done.
- Have I ever mentioned how much I HATE being a passenger in a vehicle on a highway when it is raining? Oh, look, I just did…
- Many people will go grocery shopping to feed a group of 17 people and it will still not be enough. There will be many trips, and something will inevitably be forgotten. Every. Time.
- Spiff and Scamp will still bicker and fight with each other over absolutely nothing. Lucky for them, everyone will find this behavior adorable, except for their parents. They will want to leave them behind and make a break for it.
- The fighting will continue in the car on the way home. The urge to leave them on the side of the road increases with every mile.
- All of which will be negated by stopping at a fireworks establishment that makes The Hubby sign a waiver absolving the store of any negligence if any fireworks we purchase damage someone when we set them off. We can’t enter the store until he signs it, and we can’t purchase any fireworks without it. The Hubby got that glazed look in his eyes like he does when he sees boobs. Then we found out it was buy one, get one free. Then my eyes glazed over. New Year’s Eve is gonna be awesome!
- 24 hours after you return home to a clean house, it will look like you haven’t cleaned for weeks.
- Latkes rock. More importantly, My latkes rock. This year’s batch was especially yummy. I think I ate my weight in latkes this year.
- New cameras work better if you know what you are doing. Or read the manual completely.
- Christmas Day + Monday Night + Football = Don’t tell me I have to listen to Christmas carols and can’t watch the game. It’s not my fault that Christmas fell on a Monday, but it is your fault if I miss the game. I might have to injure you, or spike your drink, or something.
- Other people’s beds are not as comfortable as your bed. Especially if it is smaller than yours is.
- If you are doing a Yankee Swap, drawing the number one is akin to being a kid in a candy store. You are guaranteed the best gift of them all. You are also going to piss someone off, but at least you get the best gift to make you feel better.
Pictures are on the way, and next week, I’ll be writing some of my famous letters about things that I want to talk about, but I have to be all cryptic. C’mon back, it’ll be fun.
Stay safe, party hard, and I’ll see you on the flip side, in 2007. Happy New Year, everyone!
January 1st, 2007 at 12:29 am
Come along now! You can’t use a term like ‘Yankee Swap’ without squeezing in a little translation for the foreigners!
Americans don’t say ‘swap’ they say ‘trade’, so I can’t even guess what you mean! It’s wasn’t in my citizenship exam!
I resolve that in 2007 my translations will be automatic, I will think like an American, I am an American…..
Cheers
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January 2nd, 2007 at 9:27 pm
Hi there!
Believe it or not, us Yankees do say swap, especially in this case! A Yankee Swap is when you buy a gift, usually a maximum of $20, and you wrap it. Then, everyone gets together and draws numbers, one through however many you have. When your number is called, you select a wrapped gift and open it. When it is your turn, after you open a gift, if you like someone else’s already opened gift, you can swap yours for theirs. Other people who open gifts after you can also swap their gifts with yours if they choose. when you get to the last number and that gift is opened, the person who had #1 now gets to swap their gift with anyone else’s. It’s the best spot because no one can swap after you, and you get to see ALL the opened gifts instead of just guessing with the wrapped presents. It’s pretty cool and yet very frustrating.
I got a $15 Williams-Sonoma gift card. I made out like a bandit!
Congratulations on becoming an American! I’m glad you’re here!
(I LOVE British TV though – I’m so hooked!)
Take care and thanks for reading my blog!
Shash
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