Feeling Humbuggy Today

Remember when blogging used to be the focus of every day? I do. Odd now that I rarely think to put up a post these days, although I still have a number of blogs that I check regularly. I still feel touched though, when I see comments and realize that people are still coming here wondering about me. Thanks you guys!

We're so close to Christmas ... only another five days really. HB and I will do our usual thing - play guitar and sing at two masses on Christmas Eve, and then head up to my folks' place on the 25th. For the first time since the Christmas before my brother died in 1999, my SIL and niece will also be there. I'm having some mixed feelings about that. Also for the first time ever, HB has asked that we go to his mom's for a bit before heading out to my family's place. His brother, whom I don't really know at all, is going to be there and he wants to spend some time there. Normally this would sound like a reasonable request, but there is a lot of history there with this brother. None the less, we will go for a bit.

Frodo and Mini-Me will come over on the 26th, and we'll do everything all over again. It just works out so much better that way - no stress of trying to cram everything into one day. We got them some pretty cool gifts this year (Guitar Hero III! THE score of the season - I ROCK!) and we're not having a whole truckload of company that day, so I think we'll just relax and enjoy each other and the new games that day.

I'm still struggling a bit with Knothead and her incessant requests for money and help. I believe she thinks we are just a bottomless pit of funds here. Well, today we realized that we do indeed have a bottom to the pit, and we've hit it. She called last night to inform HB that he has to take Frodo to a hockey tournament in another province at the beginning of January, which all together will run about $500, and truthfully, I'm not sure where we're going to come up with the money. I know she's doing it because she doesn't have the money either - but geeze Louise, shouldn't we be being grown up and just tell the kid we're all broke? This teaching kids early how to live beyond their means just doesn't quite seem wise to me but who am I? Just the step mother.

So tonight, I'm sitting with all of our financial transactions for the last six months, summarizing everything, and trying to figure out where we can cut. HB has already made a few comments about haircuts and waxing .... I'm thinking that perhaps we can cut down on the HUGE grocery bills or extra money that goes over to her house before I stop getting my hair cut, or start sporting a unibrow. Sheesh.

Bah humbug ... hehe.