12/27/2004

 

A Christmas Comedy of Errors

Act I: Brian throws his back out

Yep, that's how our Christmas Eve started out. Brian was at the sewing machine making cloth gift bags (no, we didn't have everything wrapped yet) and all he did was bend over it a little. And couldn't sit back up. We still don't know what he did to it, but he was in a good bit of pain the rest of the day. So he laid down while I loaded the presents, food, overnight bag, etc. in the car, and at the appointed time we loaded up the dog and set off for Mom's house. We had a good dinner there, visited for a while, then set off for Brian's grandparents' house. "Let's go the back way", Lara said. So we did...until we came to the orange and white barricades. OK, so we got a nice detour through the lovely town (in the broadest sense of the word) of Georgeville. No problem, we were the last people to get there but what's new, right? We enjoyed the usual together-get there, munched on some more goodies, then it was off to midnight mass. Brian was in no shape whatsoever to sit in a hard pew for 2 1/2 hours, but he had promised we would go, so he gritted his teeth and we did.

Act II: Lara has no brain

I was wearing a skirt and hose, both of which were itching the crap out of me by this point. I was sitting in the pew, thinking how nice it would be to get back to my in-laws' and get out of these itchy clothes and into my nice, comfortable.......CRAP!!! I had forgotten to pack anything to sleep in. Great. Well, usually Brian packs a t-shirt to go under his sweater, I'll sleep in that. We got back to Brian's folks' house a little before 1am and headed off to bed. No t-shirt. I sure hope the covers are warm. Well, at least I'll go ahead and get tomorrow's clothes out of the bag so I can jump right in them. Here's the turtleneck, here's the sweater, here's the socks, where's......CRAP!!! I had done laundry that afternoon specifically so I'd have a pair of jeans to wear. I was going to grab them out of the dryer before I left. Guess where the jeans were.

Act III: Lara vs. the crud

7:30 am. I can't breathe and I feel lousy. Great, what timing for the crud that's been going around work. I got up, put on the clothes I had remembered and the itchy skirt from the night before - gee, what a lovely outfit - filled myself with sinus drugs, and headed out to the living room. Brian's back was no better. We did the present thing, had breakfast, and went to my grandpa's. There we did the present thing again and had lunch. Then we went home, exchanged stockings, and proceeded to sleep all afternoon. We woke up just in time to go back to Brian's folks' for dinner. I resumed fake-feeling-good mode for a few more hours, then came home and hit the Nyquil.

Epilogue: All in all, it was a very good Christmas, and more relaxed than they usually are. Emma got quite a few presents - I can only imagine what next year will be like! And Brian is REALLY relaxed right now - we went to the doctor yesterday, and he is on a prescription muscle relaxant. Which is a sedative. Unfortunately, between his pain and my being sick, we missed Eliza's 3rd birthday party yesterday - we just were in no shape to go, plus I probably would have gotten Eliza sick. I'm better today, and Brian's back is better as well, so hopefully things are looking up on the health front! The plan was to finish the laundry room, front hall, etc. this week - at this point I'm just hoping we can get something done on it.

Merry Christmas to all (a couple days late), and to all a good night!

5:49 PM