Turn if you will, back in your calendars to last Friday-December 7, 2007. This was the evening of my
hubbo's company Christmas party. My mom came to babysit the kids and got bit by middle son before we even got to eat dinner. Luckily, she survived but I think we better start searching for next years babysitter now.
We've gone to a good Chinese
restaurant the past 3 years & we always play "Dirty Santa" with presents we all bring. In addition to the presents we bring, there's the ones the boss buys & brings. I can't even begin to tell you where he gets such things. I picture it as a dock down by their sister company in Florida. Taking whole
pallets off boats for $100 "as is unseen". Usually there's some item he's purchased an
unusually large amount of, and that is the hot item during our game of Dirty Santa. We have a small grouping of Mexican
* families that don't speak English well, but they get this game. They are good at hiding the hot item under their chairs & keeping it till the end. They usually going home with several of the hot items in tow.
In the past these items have included, luggage, vases (I use that term loosely), 40
pc. tool kits, extra large calculators, pen/pencil sets, large carry-on bags with lipstick, animals or Route 66 on them, and comfort sets-king & queen sizes. We've made out fairly well just escaping with a nice comforter set one year. (Hey, having a king sized bed isn't cheap, I'll take any bedding for that bad boy.) We have numerous tool kits all around the garage & house, so we gave away one this year. I don't really usually want the hot items, but it's nice to have a little competition. If you know me, you know I'm always up for that. This year it was flower arrangements and MP3 players. Now, I'm sure these weren't high end, but hey, it's free right?
Hubbo always plays it smart & safe. He goes for small bags hoping for gift cards. He usually walks away with one too. He's good-this year he got a camp chair from
BassPro AND a gift card. There have been years early on where we picked our own presents to go home with it gets that scary.
I wish they'd take it seriously & just let everyone bring a gift & that's it. We are always there till midnight getting rid of all the extra gifts. I think the employees would rather have the money he spends on that stuff, in a bonus-cold, hard, cash. I was jaded after year 2 or 3 where some yahoo decided to bring a microwave cover & a Jewish teddy bear for his $10 gift. Guess who got that one? ME! It's not about I want a gift...I just feel that if I went to the trouble to bring a decent $10 gift, then so should everyone else. I still glare at that boy every time I see him.
Hubbo thinks it's funny. If I remember correctly though, he went home with $10 & a candle that year. Of course he'd think that's funny! All in all, this years party wasn't too bad.
Did I mention we had a famous entertainer come perform for us?? Edward John! A Scandinavian pop Christian singer. I felt bad they gave him a
sucky Karaoke mic & speaker, but he was good nonetheless. Here's a peek at his work:
http://www.speakerheart.com/edwardjohnOh and did I forget the laying on of hands & speaking in tongues during our prayer before dinner?
That'll have to be a different day, I'm not sure I have the energy for that today. I'm still recouping.
Two days after the party we had an ice storm here that knocked out the power in our state. Worst in history &
FEMA showed up. The president sent federal aid and declared Oklahoma a national disaster area. It was bad. We were without power for 4 days. The roads were clear and the ice was melted the next day, but the damage was done.
Branches had fallen in the roads & broken homes, fences & power lines. People had to put their food outside or loose it. Tons of schools had to restock their food that was all spoiled. I've never seen so many stores closes. EVERY
Wal-Mart was closed. Generators caused a gas shortage & there was a threat of a water treatment plant being on the fritz after power loss for so long. We had a gas stove to cook but our chimney wasn't clear so we had no way to keep warm other than layers & layers of clothes. After two days it got too cold & we went to stay with my mother. I can't tell you how happy my children were to get back to their routine, beds & home Thursday! I know I was. I still have a kink in my back & I think the baby and I caught some cold or flu. I was sick all Friday and can't seem to get enough sleep.
Plus, the holiday spirit has up & left me. I feel like that one week took 3 off my life and Father Christmas can suck my big toe. I'm sure once I get past the horror of having to come up with 20 teacher/bus driver/co-worker gifts due in three days, I'll be okay. In the meantime though, I'm just bah-hum-bugging it through the day. I have given serious thanks though that the kids got to go back to school today. Might just get them something else in their stockings!
And this one seems like something I'd like to say:
