Keeping "bah humbug" at bay...

I posted on November 18th about my Xmas present to me. Well, unfortunately, that went down the tubes as a huge issue at work popped up and I wasn't able to leave town to go to DC, haven't been able to take my scheduled PTO and will probably wind up working 12-hr. days until the end of the year. (Happy Happy Joy Joy)

It appears that Santa decided I've been a bad girl this year, as there was no UPS delivery today as hinted at (although, I'm sure on Xmas Eve UPS delivers late into the night... but still, I'm being a Scrooge at the moment).

I do have lasagne in the oven though. It's a "White Family tradition." Though, not my family. My first husband's family traditionally did lasagne on Christmas Eve, and it's a tradition that I have continued long after the marriage dissolved. I have to admit, those Christmases spent with R and his family were probably the most joyful holidays I've had in my life. His family was so close, and so large, and it was the kind of free-for-all at the holidays that I always dreamed of as a child.

But, for the first time in many years, I finally have some place to be on Christmas that I *want* to be. Not an obligation, but a true desire to spend it with those people present. For that I am grateful, and even if I have to remind myself every five minutes of that fact in order to keep from being a total Scrooge, I'll do it.

Happy holidays to you and yours.

Ciao for now.