[Perna]

I get to spend the day at my husband's ex-wife's house :-) with her, her boyfriend, sister, and sister's boyfriend (and stepson, daughter-in-law, and 2 grandchildren). My husband's ex-wife's mother was "supposed" to be there but the stepson says she won't be. I bought her a too expensive present, an article of clothing no less, that I'm terrified won't be the right size so I'm relieved she won't be there and whatever the outcome of the size thing, I won't have to "see". My husband couldn't even remember her name for sure so I made him call the stepson to ask about how to spell it, "Kathryn" (which spelling he thought was odd/special? :-) but he did remember that the shop I bought it from, small, local, boutique-style clothes, has some relationship to her family! With my luck, the wealthy clothes people disinherited her or something and she hates them?

Tomorrow there's a neighbor's open house 3 houses down we are invited to. I guess that says we're truly part of the neighborhood now, that's comforting if nerve wracking, chatting with a bunch of people I don't know well and pretending to be pleased/normal :-) and whose names I'm sure not to remember so next time I see them over garbage bags being placed by the curb I'll only be able to say, "Hey" instead of "Hey, Jan!" or something (Jan is the woman having the party; I desperately want to know the name of the little old woman 2 doors down; she and I are good "friends" now, often running into one another doing chores but I have no clue what her name is; hopefully the next door neighbors, Wendell and Char (Charlotte) will be there when I am and I can whisper/ask her what her name is or overhear someone calling her it, etc.).

Christmas day there are two parties, including the "dinner" at my stepsister's with the 3 nieces/nephews and their spouses and 12 grand nieces/nephews I only see this day each year. This year I decided that wasn't difficult enough for me so invited a friend of my husband's and mine, a single guy, to come with us! So now I have to worry whether he'll have a good time or my relatives will like him, etc. Just "notified" my sister (which I'm sure will be fine) in my Christmas card to her! Oh, well, I have to bring the $30 ham (and presents for 12 grandnieces and nephews) so I figure I get some leeway there. It is family and I'm sure it will be fine. . .

But, wait, there's more! If you order now. . . . My husband's 2 brothers and a sister-in-law are coming to his 3rd brother's house up near Philly and we and husband's 3 sons, daughter-in-law and 2 grandchildren will drive up there on Friday the 28th for an all-day party (and we'll probably spend the night). My husband's 22 year old niece will be home from London where she works and 20 year old nephew so a grand husband family get together. The ex-wife won't be there, a bit of a bone of contention the last 20-25 years. She has never even met the nephew. Now my sister-in-law (my age) is having prickings of conscious and is thinking everyone "blames" her for this (it was her only wanting the "current" sister-in-law at her house, that would be Me :-) and trying to back pedal and worrying that people think she "hates" the ex- (she was pretty pissed when the ex- called my husband on our wedding day, I wasn't pissed at all but still remember her hissing at me about the ex-wife's "nerve" to call on my wedding day, etc. :-) and explaining she never hated the ex and protesting her own sweetness and equinamity in the whole manner (for years I had to clue in my husband about her saying "I won't have that woman in my house") which is not quite how I remember it. I'm just trying to dodge the finger pointing in any direction. The ex- and I get along extremely well, obviously, if I'm getting ready to drive 2-1/2 hours to her house and stay for the day!

But we have no New Year Eve plans, if anyone wants a circus, my husband and I can come to your house and help out.

[_Hope_]

WOW,

[Perna]

Well, one party down :-) Minor crisis as the ex-wife's sister's boyfriend was a different boyfriend we'd never met today! Apparently the old boyfriend suddenly decided to start dating someone else (and we've known him 2-3 years now!) without even telling her. So the present for him, it was all "addressed" to him :-) But it was a gift certificate and I took the card out of the envelope so it was just a signed card from us and broke the name, to/from part of the gift certificate off to throw away so it was just the gift card itself but we're still wondering who to give it to when the sister reminds us that Monday is her birthday :-) so, gave her the naked card with the restaurant gift card to her and wished her a happy birthday, LOL. I think she suspected as she was saying that the new boyfriend would benefit from the gift certificate too. But she's cool, and I really like her; my present to her was a flying monkey sling shot :-) http://www.slingshotflyingmonkey.com/

[Doh2007]

Oh my Lord!