My Favorite Night of the Year!

Cozy Pajamas. 

Paper hats.

 Delicious food. 

Hearty laughs.

Hot Cocoa.

Christmas lights.

Fun Friends.

Make for one Fun Elf Night!



Feeling the Spirit

Pissed as I am about having to work on yet another Christmas, I keep reminding myself how unforgettable last year's Christmas was which eases the amount of anger even if for a little while.  As an act of rebellion, I vowed to not put up my tree or any decorations.  That would sure show them!  Besides that, it somehow seems pointless to put up a present-less tree for the cats. They just undecorate it and chew on the power cords anyway. Its just a bunch of unnecessary work putting up a gawdy tree in a teeny tiny living room.  So no tree or lights for me this year.

Then something happened after listening to some Christmas songs on the radio (Little Drummer Boy, anyone?)  Perhaps like the Grinch, my "heart grew three sizes" after hearing that song, but the spirit came over me. 

The Spirit of Christmas and the Spirit of Elf.  Yes, Elf.  Its time for my annual Elf party on Tuesday.  Usually I like to decorate for my buddies to help us get into the Spirit of Elf.  I was going to consider not decorating, but I am just so excited to host Elf that I decided to decorate! 

First, it was just going to be lights.  Then, I figured "what the hell" and got out the tree.  Then the ornaments.  Then the shelf of snowmen and Santas.  Yes, it looks a little like Will Ferrel vomited Christmas in here :)

 I am more excited for Elf Night than I am for Christmas, so why NOT decorate?  Yet another newcomer will be making an appearance making the grand count at 5 humans, 3 felines, and one overgrown Elf.

Tino had to help me decorate :)

Out of Care and Concern for my Brother

My brother called me up frantically asking if I could pick up a prescription for him. Since he had to pick up his girlfriend from the airport, he would not be able to make it to the pharmacy before it closed.  Whatever medication it was, he could not wait until the next day to get it.  So I obliged, and agreed to pick up his prescription for him.

Before calling me to get it for him, my brother called my parents' house to get my phone number.  Of course, my mom questioned why he wanted my number so my brother told her about the prescription.

Now, my mom was unaware that my brother was on any kind of medication and was rather curious what he was taking especially because he has a reputation for misusing prescription medications.  As any mother would do, she phoned me up and told me to be sure to let her know what this medication was that my brother needed so urgently. 

After I picked up the prescription, I immediately wondered how on Earth I was going to tell my mom what I had discovered. 

Would I be breaching my brother's confidence?

Would he want his mom to know (let alone his little sister)?

Could I keep a straight face when I told my mom that my brother was taking........


Viagra?

My Momma and Me

Who would have thunk that such a tiny critter could cause such a huge scare for my family. 

This is the culprit

Not the penny.  The tick on the penny so shown to illustrate the size of the tiny creature who caused havoc on my momma. 

My mom got sick.  Real sick.  So sick she called me to bring her to the ER on Saturday.  After tests and more tests, they found "nothing" and sent her home with a "stomach ulcer" and prescriptions for Maalox and Prilosec. 

Whatever.

Three days, 2 CT Scans, 1 Ultrasound, 2 Chest X-rays, 1 EKG, 3 urine tests, and about 30 vials of blood later, we have our answer.  Erhiculosis.  A tick borne illness similar to Lyme's Disease treatable with antibiotics.  WHEW!

Though it isn't all hunky dory.  In addition to Erhiculosis, she has pneumonia complicated by Emphysema, and another bacterial infection called H. Pylori. Other possibilities thrown around are concerning words  like "diabetes" and "oxygen tank".  Though the last two are unlikely, it remains scary stuff, but overall that news is way better than what could have been. 

Yes, we thought she could be at death's door, and wow, did it age my ever youthful mom.  Weak from dehydration and not eating for 4 days can do that to a person, but to see it done to my mom is petrifying.  A glimpse into what the future could hold.  Giving my mom a shower in the hospital is not something I ever thought I would be doing.  Seeing her so weak and vulnerable saddened me.  She is still in the hospital, but hopeful to be home soon with added strength and usual humor.

My dad has more important things to do, like keep the bar stool warm, so I have been running two households:  my own, and my mom's.  Dogs, cats, and fish to be fed and exercised.  Never mind my dad; he can fend for himself.  Though in his attempts to be helpful, he did unload the dishwasher.  Too bad the dishes were dirty and needed to be returned to their original position in the dishwasher.  It was a good attempt I guess.

If all of this has taught me anything, it has taught me that I am capable of handling a crisis situation.  In fact, I do pretty darn good in the midst of a crisis, and take charge when other's won't.  Especially when it comes to my mom.

See, she is more than my mom.  She is, in every sense of the word, my Best Friend.

My mom and I at my Aunt's Hawaiian themed wedding.

At yet another wedding