Monday, December 24, 2007

WTF?

Not really sure what to make of the holidays this year... My daughter and I flew to Anchorage last Monday on our first ever shopping trip- just the two of us. About 5 hours into department store overload, I get a phone call from my husband that his father in Ireland just died and that he has to go home. So, he makes arrangements to drop our son off at a friend's house, gets the neighbors to watch our dogs and bales for the old country. My daughter and I spend the evening trying to cram 3 days of clothes shopping for the whole family into less than a day. Talk about burnt! We flew home the next day and the house was like one of those sci-fi movies where a team of space travellers enters a drifting craft void of all signs of life- cup of tea half finished, clothing strewn about, lights left on- that sort of thing. Like they merely stepped out for a cigarette and would be back any second.

It took a few days to settle in and get the house back in order. Tried to work on some art projects but couldn't get my brain around it. Talked alot with my husband on the phone who was emotional to say the least- tough, burly fisherman that he is- and heard all the details about the burial and could hear the music and drunken singing in the background. It was quite the wake. Anyhow, the only flight he could get home to Kodiak was today- Christmas Eve. Yesterday was clear skies and beautiful. Today, fog to the ground and its blowing a blizzard. Needless to say he didn't make it in. All flights were cancelled. He's booked for an early moring flight but I seriously have my doubts. It's looking like he may well be spending Christmas in a hotel room in Anchorage, alone. Suck. All I can say is that I hope the hotel has a well stocked bar.

Now if you think thats pathetic, it gets even better. Today I busted my 9 yr old daughter shoplifting! I FLIPPED! Yeah I remember doing stupid shit like that when I was a kid, and most adults my age have similar stories, but the fact that its Christmas Eve... She got marched right back in the shop and had to own up to what she did. Ofcourse the owner's son who works there is one of the nicest guys I know- even when he's trying to be menacing he's sweet. She was so embarrased and ashamed. So now what? Its Christmas Eve. She's officially in the top ten on Santa's naughty list! Do I fill her stocking with rocks? Cancel Christmas? Or as my hardass husband suggested: Let her open all of her presents then take every last one to the Salvation Army? I did put her to work doing chores, took away her favorite distractions: tv, video games, access to the computer, her friends and music, and grounded her from them all. Do I let her open her gifts and then ground her from playing with them as well? This sucks! Kids need to come with very detailed instruction manuals that have an extensive chapter on trouble-shooting.

Anyhow, I'd like to wish everyone a happy holiday (free of family drama -as if thats even remotely possible) and all the best in 2008! Cheers!

4 comments:

  1. When it rains, it pours. I'm sorry for your loss. How did you end up dealing with your daughter? I have a four year old, so I don't haven any advice, but I would love to know what to do when that comes up. I hope your husband was able to make it home for Christmas.

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  2. OMf'nGanesha girl.. talk about pouring, that's flooding i'd say. You would by now have come up for air, & managed some kind of bouyancy throughout that storm, but i feel for you and for your loss.
    AS for your daughter, her Guilt is the punishment she'll be swallowing like razors for some time to come.. Could it have been an irrational emotional reaction to loosing her grandparent? Comr to think of it, the age Nine is a significant age when looking at Rudolf Steiner's bent about transitions in a child's life. So she is actually going through a milestone age right now, where there is a shift in consciousness - like the lightbulb goes off that death is final, that they are an individual ego seperate from their parents, and it is the age where they actually realize they can keep secrets from their parents - it's a huge time in coming of age.. there is possibly a lot processing in her mind right now, and a lot of pushing & pulling from you that will confuse her too. I wish you all the best in helping her through this transitional time. Wishing you a spacious New Year *_*

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  3. I like to come to admire your works on your blog, I don't often leave any commentaries because I don't write English very well! I wish you a happy new year 2008.

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  4. Well, she ended up with a bunch of chores that she did without complaint, handed over her prized distrctions: tv, games, etc. and went to bed fearing the worst- Santa wasn't coming. Santa came, but he left 3 peices of coal in her stocking. Lesson learned? She only reported having received 2 peices of coal after shoving them into the trash can. Sigh...

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