I've been checking the college website obsessively, to see whether I still am listed as having classes to teach in the spring semester. As of an hour ago, I do. This is important, because if I am "in a covered position" at any point during the month of January, I get to keep my health insurance for the entire month of January. Right now I have two classes, neither of which is likely to go through because they have tiny enrollments. But if my department holds off on cancelling them until mid-January, I'll be in pretty good shape. I might even get a small paycheck at the end of January, but I'm not sure about that.
I guess "good shape" is a relative term, because I won't have a job. But I'm clinging to every possible version of good.
Before 2016 ends, I'll just write a little more to wind up the holiday season. For Christmas Eve dinner we had honeybaked ham, green beans, rolls, and sparkling cider. Although we don't like turkey and we don't eat much meat in general, we do like ham well enough (sometimes we get one at Easter, too). I tend to feel guilty about eating meat, so I say a little prayer of thanks to the pig who died for our dinner. Honeybaked hams are expensive, but they also last us a long time, so they end up being fairly economical. We started eating this one on December 24th and now it's the 31st and we still have a few meals left out of it. I could make my mother's rice-ham dish this week, maybe.
The boys are being silly in the photo above because, hey, it's Christmas Eve, and they're starting to lose it for real. This is the first year that I put out a lot of presents (mostly from my sisters) before Christmas, and that made them nervous all week. Even so, they went to bed very early on December 24th. We told them they could not get up until 6 am Christmas morning, which meant that they made little pilgrimages to the kitchen throughout the night to check the clock on the microwave. I heard some of these little pilgrimages, so did not sleep well myself. Finally, at 6:01, they were at our door. I got up and put on my robe, so that I could watch them with their stockings. After a bit, Rocket Boy got up and we opened all the rest of the presents.The pickings seemed a bit slim this year, and it's not just because we're poor. I really hesitated to buy toys, because our house is so small and so jammed with toys already. But then it did seem like the presents were all opened pretty quickly. However, they received some money and gift certificates too, so they were able to add to their loot the next day with a visit to Grandrabbits.
Rocket Boy and I are getting better about presents for each other. I made him a little list and he gave me a couple of ideas, too. One of his requests was for some extra bathmats, because we only own three, and when the twins take a bath together they make a huge mess, water all over the floor soaking all three bathmats. So here's RB opening his two new bathmats. Although I selected them, the card said they were from the twins. He was very pleased (not sure you can see that from the photo, because he was so sleepy). I also got him an assortment of interesting kinds of tea, and some dark chocolate.
I thought my own list would be hard to work with, but there was one item on there that Rocket Boy jumped at the chance to give me: a new bike helmet. I think my old helmet may be over 20 years old, and all the foam has come out and it is very uncomfortable, so I've hardly ridden my bike all fall. The twins knew about this gift and they can't keep a secret to save their lives, so I heard all about it ahead of time. Kid B: "Mom, I don't think you'll like your present because it's something you don't like to do." Me: "You're kidding -- what?" Kid A: "Don't tell her, don't tell her!" Kid B, trying to sound as though he's changing the subject: "Mom, do you like to ride your bike?" Me: "Yes, I do, but my helmet is broken." The twins exchange significant glances. Kid B: "Mom, what's your favorite color?" Me: "I think green, probably, but I also like purple and blue." Kid B: "Oh... so you do like blue?" Me: "Yes, I like blue very much." The twins heave a joint sigh of relief. And here I am on Christmas morning, wearing my beautiful blue not-at-all-a-surprise bike helmet and opening another gift, either the pie weights or the CD. I was happy with my gifts.
What we have to work on is teaching the twins how to give presents. They did help me assemble cookie trays for our neighbors on both sides (after also helping make the last batch of cookies and the fudge). I was going to take them with me to shop for RB's presents, but there was never a good time and they were always tired or grouchy. Maybe next year.
I realize that if I were a good mother I would help them MAKE presents for people, but OK, let's not go there. If I were still a stay at home mom and Rocket Boy were working, then maybe, or if I were 20 years younger with lots more energy, but I'm not, so end of discussion. The boys DID write thank-you notes this year, with my prodding (I said I'd cancel computer time the next day if they didn't get them done). Oh man, Kid A's penmanship is bad, not to mention his spelling. Kid B's isn't great, but Kid A's is dreadful. Oh well. He'll spend most of his life typing.
After we finished opening presents it was only 6:42 am, so I went back to bed for a few hours. By the time I got up, the big Christmas Lego sets were both completed. Gone are the days when RB and I had to do the assembling! Kid A got the red train and Kid B got the Scooby-Doo haunted mansion thing. We had more ham and Aunt Barbara's potato dish and the leftover green beans for dinner, and then Christmas was over.We've spent the week since doing a bit of this and a bit of that. Rocket Boy took the twins swimming one day and I took them to a movie (Sing) on another. We've made multiple trips to Grandrabbits, because Kid A's miniature remote-control helicopter kept breaking. (After the third one broke, we gave up and they put the money back on my credit card.) One day we went to the library, and we've gone to a few parks. Rocket Boy devoted the week to cleaning, because Kid A lost his glasses again -- RB finally found them under Kid A's bed. We're now keeping them in their case on the piano (when he's not wearing them).
My depression returned as soon as Christmas was over, but I'd say things have evened out a bit since then. But I'm not looking forward to January, for so many reasons. Trump's inauguration, the mess with Russia potentially blowing up, me not having a job and needing to job-hunt. A friend of mine may have come up with a stopgap measure, so we won't starve, but I'll still need to search for work. And I need to get back on the wagon with food -- I've been so bad! For two weeks I put eggnog in my tea every day instead of milk. Fortunately there's no eggnog left in the stores, but there is peppermint ice cream. My weight loss drug keeps me from bingeing on chocolate, which is great, but there are so many other things to eat. I've gained back at least five pounds, after being almost 20 pounds down in early December.
Well, that's what January's for, right? Getting back on track. Plotting and planning for the year ahead. Trying to stay healthy, while enjoying plenty of cocooning. I have a stack of books I want to read, so that's something to look forward to. I think the main thing about January is not to expect too much. It's a low-energy time of year, especially when you live in snow country. It's a good time to eat root vegetables, lots of soup, cut way back on sugar. Go for brisk walks when the weather allows, but don't feel like you have to run a marathon. Get lots of sleep, not too much. Snuggle up with someone you love.
I'll be back in a day or three to talk about those goals and plans, but for now I will sign off and get ready to welcome 2017. Happy New Year, everyone.
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