Thursday, December 10, 2020
and then today...
...I used my new vacuum cleaner.
I stopped at the thrift store with some of my girls yesterday. While they oohed- and ahhed over a whole selection of Zara clothes with the tags still on them, I scoped out this vacuum. It looked like someone bought it, tried it once, and didn't like it. It is shiny and almost new. I opened it, and the dirt cup is still white and clean! It came with a whole package of disposable cleaning pads for the bottom, the total cost: $6.99. Not too shabby.
This fine morning, I got a call from Mr. Wulf, my two year old grandson. "Can I come to your house, Grandma?" Yes, you can, little guy. He brought his mama and his baby brother, too.
Later in the day, Camille accompanied me to pick up some freshly roasted coffee beans from my favorite local coffee place (roasted fresh this morning!), then for a curbside pick up at Kohl's (a winter coat for Sonja, her present jacket ripped). We went to Aldi just for a few things, important things like avacados, cilantro, ground beef, and frozen chicken. Then ah, home.
Home. I had beef marinating, beef that was $1.99 a pound. I broiled it, along with some onion rings, for an excellent dinner. It's a tough cut of meat, but it was very good anyway.
Today is Aaron's birthday, so talked to him on the phone from California. He is my 6th child, and is a nurse educator at Stanford Hospital, in the Bay area. I miss him, and am hoping to go see him when things get better...
My shopping is almost almost done, and my wrapping is 75% done, I think. When I wind down the shopping, I find something else for someone, then second guess and think I need more for this one too. It doesn't have to be even, but will Ben think I don't love him if I only got him one lousy thing?
Ah well. I will tell you one thing, Christmastime is tricky with lockdown restrictions, when you have a huge family. Do you just have some kids over, then others over later? Does that actually matter in the long run? Should they all stay home? What about the three girls who live by themselves in a big old house in town, do they just stay home and have Christmas all by their loneseomes? I am not sure what we are doing yet...
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7 comments:
I don't have 16 kids (LOL) but our kids have known forever that we spend approximately the same on all of them - so if one kid gets 5 gifts and one has 2 - it's all good and even. But in the case where one of them only had one (1) gift I would probably find one or two little things to buy for them as well; for girls it's easy - fluffy cute socks, makeup, a travel mug, water bottle or something. For a guy I've 'filled in' with a travel coffee mug, sports fan type or hunting socks, gift card for something...
As for Christmas - as most people aren't going to get Covid, 99% of those that do will either have no symptoms or very mild symptoms, once in a great while they might have moderate symptoms and of course then you have the elderly or those with health issues that might actually get really sick from it. And then from those numbers a small amount of people may pass away from it... we are having our family over. They agree. Even if I had 16 children - even if I had your governor (thankyouGODIdont) I'd invite them for Christmas and let THEM make their personal decision. If the 3 older girls (who are smart, capable and responsible) feel they are ok to come over - or come over and wear masks, etc. I'd let them make that decision. Same with the other adult kids you have.
But that's just me and my thoughts... I'd let my adult kids make their own minds up about whether to come or how long to stay or whether to come and wear masks, or if they want to come separate, yada yada. :)
I have a good list this year, as my phone and laptop are in sync. I can check in the store, or wherever I am. In years past I've kept a list in a notebook, and done fairly well keeping track. See, I wrap things in fits and starts, here and there when I can fit it in. I do think I still need a few fillers. Some of the kids WILL be here for Christmas morning. My son from Virginia is planning to come and stay the week, with his wife and little Grant, the audacity! It's kind of like peer pressure, telling us how wrong and selfish it is to gather together. So we keep it on the down low. The fact is, if you're in healthcare, and you do go to big gatherings, and get sick, you CAN get fired. (You've prob seen where the Oregon dr. was stripped of his medical license, and the nurse from there lost her job for speaking out against masks...it is utterly shocking!). I do agree we cannot live our lives in fear though.
I wrap that way too! Which is why all my boxes, wrapping paper, tape and big box of gifts is out and ready at all times... waiting for me to get time to do them. Sometimes 5 minutes, sometimes an hour. I started one yesterday that is still laying there half wrapped. ha ha ha.
(You have the same empathetic yet rebellious spirit that I do. I think that's why I stumbled upon your blog once and ended up sticking around. Our personalities are so similar!!)
But I know your girls are in healthcare, are smart, know the pros and cons and can make a decision that is right for them.) :)
I think when it comes to having your family with you for the holidays you have to weigh what and where they have been. If you hav some that work in said place do they get tested frequently? You know the drill.... ugh... so tired of it. We opt for our family that is near us. I see my son and his wife and kids once a week or so... so they are in our circle. I see my parents almost every other day so they are in our circle. But I have family about 30 mins from me and we don't see them . I miss them just like everyone else miss their families. I had a call from some of them and I told them I missed them so much and tried to convince them to come the weekend after Christmas! lol In my house I am the host so I always throw some trivia game out there and this year I had an epic game. The winners get a very nice GC of my choice and the losers get a gag gift from he dollar store... no one can have to many over sized mouse traps or pink shower caps! lol That is what I miss the most, just the laughing. But sadly they did the political thing and said " I think we have to call it for this year!" UGH.... How dare they!!! lol I get it. I want to be the grown up and say NO to everyone but my heart gets in the way. So thankfully I have a real adult family and they put me in my place!! ha.
My Christmas closet , yes I have a closet. Is full. Wrapped. And I counted yesterday. Do all grandmothers count how many each child has to open? I want them even , I want their money amount to equal. And its hard to pull off! So if Caylie has 12 to open and Leeland has 10 I go and buy 2 more but then that dolly is so cute for Cay again.... never ending! My husband cracks up at me... I'll say "I"m done!" "No more shopping for me , everyone is good to open!" He says "Its not Dec 24th yet, you still have time to shop!" LOL
MEN! :)
Take care!
Rose, you sound like an excellent grandma! I am that way too, I keep getting just a little something else, I try to generally keep it even, but...just generally. I have always had a present closet, but now that the kids are older, I don't find as much through the year to put away for Christmas. It would certainly work with the grandkids though. Their parents all only want like one or two gifts for them, they all have a lot of toys already. So I try to behave. I have a cartful of clothes on Kohl's online, but haven't bought them yet...do they need more clothes from grandma? hmmm.
Oh that does sound just like me, to leave a gift half wrapped,...today I was wrapping, and actually had to stop and examine the gift I had just finished wrapping, and figure out what it was and whom it was for, I was in a daze, oops. Yes, this rebellious spirit, I try not to be too strong willed and find the middle ground in this whole Covid thing...ugh.
one thing i did this year to try to keep it even is to give each grandchild and each child a set doller amount of money and then a second small gift to have something to open. i can't do ten gifts each grand-kid-- there are 10 of them now. i used to be that way tho! however, i do get them things during the year too for just because. i am 99% done and wrapped. dinner is planned but only one family will be here. the others are far away or not scheduled till christmas day.
Happy Birthday to your son. Let me tell you, since this year I am working, we really went overboard. I am so upset with myself over it. Wishing a beautiful weekend, my friend. smiles
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