Chestnuts Roasting Over An Open Fire

Here it is Christmas Eve and I just can't get into it the spirit. I don't care if I have to watch It's A Wonderful Life over and over. Part of it is because I stepped over to the dark side yesterday. I went into a Macy's. Now before I get called to the carpet on my disdain for Federated Stores I had to go under duress. B.J. told us to get Minnie a gift card from there. Actually his first boy suggestion was to get her French perfume. Um, you don't know what her signature scent is but because I share the same girl gene I'm supposed to automatically figure that out. It wasn't as bad as I thought. I saw some cute Coach boots way out of my price range. It killed me to see Frango mints with a Macy's box on the cover. So I picked up a different Frango Mint box. I would have splurged for the Godiva but no one was at the counter. The saleslady was very nice and patient. Parking was great. I just stopped in the middle of a parking lane and waited for anyone to come to their car. I waited about five minutes and poof a spot opened up just for me. I almost went window shopping but I thought why bother. Everything is going to drop to half price on Tuesday. That's where the real mania will begin. But I won't get to join in the fun because I'll be with Ethel at p.t.

Jeez sometimes men are so much easier to shop for. B.J. just tells me what colors he wants and unlike me doesn't change his size. Fred always gets pajamas. For the first time in eons I found Ethel a gift she finally liked and would use. A flannel housecoat. But she didn't want me to wrap it up she wanted to wear it now. She doesn't even want me to wrap Zach's gifts just to hand him a bag. Gee where's the fun in that?

I'll be wrapping tonight so I won't have a repeat of last year. Sometimes it's good to prepare in advance. Part of me wishes I didn't have to go out for the faux love fest. It makes me miss Ethel's sister who always brought joy whereever she went.

In the relative department, Fred touched base with his brother who back in the motherland. When it came time to talk about me, instead of telling him about how I got into grad school and the awesome grades I earned all he could say was, "Starla is still fat.". WITW was he thinking? I am more than just the excess weight. It realy hurt me that's all he could say to his brother. What a mean thing to say!
I cut his time in half today at the Jewel by introducing him to the self-checkout lane. Then Fred went on about how his great nephew is going to be a multi-linguist. It's not that he's a genius. In Europe, they are teaching children multiple languages in response to the global economy. Instead of No Child Left Behind, Bush needs to focus on introducing the a,b,c's of different countries at the little red schoolhouse.

At least, Ethel let me know what I was in for tonight. Cousin _______ is pregnant with baby no. 3. I'm happy for her and pray that the future baby is happy and healthy. Part of me wonders what difference my degree will make to the world? It's one of those slippery slopes where the grass is greener on the other side of the fence.