A bit, though without the whining–thank goodness. Her mom did attempt to explain that being in love isn’t all there is to it. We encourage them to wait a while, save money, see if they still feel the same later, etc.
We’ll see. I did make it clear, however, that I am not taking on a boarder.
Good on you!
And for some odd reason it seems to me that OE19YOG would be a cool screen name. 
Well, I won’t win the contest or anything but I did have greatly mixed emotions yesterday when I went to bring my dad ‘home’ from the hospital. Actually, I didn’t bring him home where my mom and his parents live, I took him to his girlfriend’s house where he would be surrounded by her family and friends. My parents have been separated for about 3 years now but suddenly all over again it seemed like the first holiday season after they told me that they were getting divorced. Thirty three years of living together as a family (before the separation) are not very easy for me to forget. I suppose that he’s happy in his new life but it’s sure taken a toll on me and the rest of my family.
That’s not to say that I don’t love him but it’s just a big, HUGE adjustment to make.
I’m glad I don’t have to spend holidays writing obituaries any more.
I have to do a fairly involved project every year at work, which boosts my income a bit. Somehow, some way, I totally missed the November 1 deadline and didn’t realize it until the other day. Now I have to knuckle down and do it all before Monday. And it may not even be accepted late; I have no idea if there is a grace period or not.
I’ve been cursing myself approximately every 5 minutes for the last few days.
But, damn. Reading this thread put it all into perspective. I have a good job, loving family (both sides), had two huge dinners yesterday, and things are really going well for us in general.
So, my best wishes to every writer in this thread. I sincerely hope your fortunes swing in your favor, sooner than later.
Happy day-after-turkeyday.
Check. FIL yells at MIL for opening a drawer that ended up being in his way.
Check. Though it took until desert for the meltdown to happen.
Pass. We only had football on for a few minutes because it was well, the Lions. However . . . .
While we were watching the game, MIL gives us these crazy eyes, and finally grouses to my wife about no one helping clean the dishes. My wife was actually spending time with one of her nieces and nephews so they don’t go apeshit all over the house. Also, keep in mind that in reality, only 3 people can fit in the kitchen, so I don’t understand how she expects 6 adults to cram in there and wash dishes. We did help clear the table.
Semi check. We went to another relatives house, where he actually offered me a beer. Now, keep in mind, that once I drink that whole beer, it will sit empty the rest of the night and I wont get offered another one, so I passed. After an hour, we make our way out the door and wouldn’t you know it? FILs sister begs us to stay and eat some pie. The pie has been sitting there for an hour, why would we want it now? And thanks for the half-hearted offer now, as some sort of bribe to keep us there.
I finally get hold of my Mom last night. Guess what she did for Thanksgiving yesterday? I’ll give you 3 guesses and the first 2 don’t count.
Overall, it actually was not a bad Thanksgiving. My wife pointed out how I never say “That was a GREAT Thanksgiving!”, it’s always “not bad”, I survived" etc etc. which should tell you all you need to know about how I just love holidays like this.
a little elaboration-
I wore a dress all day- I did the cooking in it, some shopping and some cleaning. she decided suddenly, post-dinner, that my skirt was too short and my ‘whole ass was hanging out’. Rather than mention this like a civilized human being, her respose to my ‘I’ve pulled it down as far as it goes- it’s been like this all day’ was, and I quote in full-
‘Shut up, shut the fuck up, shut the fuck up and get upstairs’.
I usually live in the UK and was visiting home, sans husband, this holiday season.
Wow.
So the dress was OK to go shopping in public, OK for cleaning, OK for cooking the meal, OK for eating the meal, but suddenly it was NOT OK to drink coffee after dinner. Suddenly “your ass was hanging out”. Followed by obscenities.
Wow.
Someone (not you) either has some serious issues, or was drinking a little too much cooking sherry.
I think I understand why you now have an ocean in between you and your mother. Bet you’re looking forward to the flight home!
eta: Your REAL home that is, not the place with the crazy lady.
Wow - I’m really sorry you were treated this way. I hope the rest of your weekend looks up {hugs}
300 words or less?
I started typing the whole sad tale, but then deleted it. I’ll spare you the details, and better yet, I’ll spare myself them too. Backstory: they didn’t want to have me in the first place, but were too Catholic to use birth control and too middle-class to give me up for adoption, so acted like they were doing me the greatest favor to raise a child they didn’t love, and pounded it into me that it was somehow my fault. And now I have to make it up to them by visiting on holidays.
I just want to put some distance between yesterday and my future, as quickly as possible. I had today off, but went in anyway and did some mind-numbing tasks, so as to switch from “disatisfying family Slithy Tove” to “functionaling on an unemotional level Slithy Tove.” For many years I lived on the other side of the country with a raging alcoholic spouse who, true to type, jealously limited contact between me and my family as much as possible. I played a close game to keep her in the dark that, in my case, this was the up-side to having a raging alcoholic spouse. Now she’s dead and I thought I’d move back to reconcile since they’ll be gone soon, too. Fuck me! And fucking Christmas is only 4 weeks away. I wish I could just stay home with my cats.
Bonus points: they had Glenn Beck’s angry moms town hall on TV all the while.
No you don’t. There are always somebody that is at home on Christmas by themselves. Start asking people about getting together for a dinner or activity. People get invited to our house when they make it known they will be home bored out of their mind.
Sad to say, I think it’s Loach for the win.
I hope things get better, man.
{{{{{Loach}}}}}
I spent last Thanksgiving in Kabul and was looking forward to spending it with my parents this year but my Mom passed way the end of October and I couldn’t make it home to visit my Dad yesterday.
But I do have a house and a dog and I made turkey and stuffing for just us.
Once upon a time, Gobbles the Turkey lived with many many others of his kind. It was crowded, and the food wasn’t all that great (and the portions were so big!), but he was happy to be alive.
Then the leaves started to change color. A chill, both literal and figurative, came over Gobbles and his fellow turkeys.
It was time for The Purging.
The end.
Years ago, my cousin C. served up some no-carb stuffing that tasted just like cardboard.
I am thankful that she has never inflicted it on us since then.
My Thanksgiving:
12 1/2 hours at work (I work in a modified 3/4 size shipping container) on a drilling location just outside of Carmel, Louisiana. My Thanksgiving dinner was a Pint of no sugar added Blue Bell country vanilla ice cream.
Unclviny
Moving.
You win.
Bad as my Thanksgivings are, I just KNOW someday I’ll be in your shoes, PapSett. :(The friends and relatives are dwindling down at an alarming rate around here. Was your Thanksgiving as miserable as you predicted? Did you get through it OK?
When that day comes and I’m all alone, I plan to do some volunteering at the Samaritans (if my health holds up), or just ignore the Big Thanksgiving Holiday altogether. Watch or go to a movie, eat something that is NOT at all turkey related, or go for a hike (weather and health permitting). I figure if I can’t have the Norman Rockwell Thanksgiving, I won’t have it at all!
2010 UPDATE: The niece is no longer in a relationship with the guy she was determined to marry.
She is now in a relationship with some other guy in another state; she met him online as well.