- December, much like both May and August, is one of those months that goes through a lot of changes quickly. Mine began with being in another state for the first seven days, then I had to catch up on house stuff, attend parties, get ready for our party, and then by the end of this week, the kids will be out of school. Then I have four days off for the Christmas break, a three day work week, and four days off for New Year’s. In this constant state of flux, I find myself struggling to remember what I have to do and ever feeling caught up. It’s a whirlwind of things!
- I’m trying to slow down but I get into this habit of rushing and it isn’t good for decision-making. For example, I didn’t read an IT email about a phishing scam last week and then today, I randomly got it and well, I clicked on it. It had to do with training and I’m new so it actually made sense. Sigh. I really need to think before I act! I tend to get into the “must do now” mindset and again, not smart.
- So you may recall how we had a falling out with the neighbors. Short version: the mom accused me of not reciprocating and she said that every time my daughter played with hers, she was babysitting FOR us. To this day I am still mystified by this. But anyway, I had already had it with her husband, who I don’t like anyway (especially not after he literally just walked in my house and helped himself to a beer; I didn’t even know he was inside for a little while!) Well, my husband is a lot nicer than I am and so he invited the guy to our Christmas party and he says he is coming! I am happy that Dakota can see her old friend but he better not talk to me. Obviously the wife isn’t coming but I mean, what would there be to say anyway? I actually reread her texts to me and it’s insane. Oh well. Sometimes people are not meant to be in your life, I think. Maybe God was showing them the door. Or me, however you want to see it. I’ll definitely be avoiding him at the party!
- Out of curiosity, I sometimes go to google maps and look at my childhood home. Well, I got on a path of looking on Zillow at said home and it turns out that the little old house my parents sold for 108k in 1994 is now worth – are you ready? – 573,000! It’s not even that nice! I mean, it was only 1700 sq/ft. Now, it did have a big backyard but it does appear that that neighborhood in Hollywood, FL has really grown up. I think all the homes have been remodeled or else they could not ask that much. Crazy to think how much things change though.
- Last night, we followed through on our plan to: eat Mexican salads and then go to Walmart. We had to get some stuff for the party and various white elephant gifts. I HATE Walmart and last night was no different. I feel like I can’t even find things there; it’s all so jammed onto the shelves. It’s basically becoming Kmart. We walked out with only a few finds and ended up at Target, where I felt much more comfortable and found the stuff I needed. Shopping at the holidays is such a mess too; that didn’t help my overall stress level. Luckily, when we got home I was able to sit in my chair and watch the newest Yellowstone and a couple episodes of a show now canceled called Counterparts.
- I just picked up a couple funky little gifts for my office white elephant. I really don’t know this crowd very well yet so it was a bit tough. I’m sure next Christmas will be a lot different!
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Lists help, especially this time of year. You seem like a list maker already maybe, but just in case.
Does this woman next door work like you do? Really strange that she would do that. I had a handicapped child, so I didn’t work outside home then (we had our own businesses, so I did lots of books). But I much preferred kids to come to my house so I could see how things went on. Kids gathered at our house when I was a kid and I liked it when I was raising mine. Instead, she could have just asked if they could play at your house on an occasion? They sound very weird, so you are likely better off without them.
OK so up until a couple months ago, she was still working at home. I was in and out, depending on which days I taught on campus. This was why it worked for the kids to go to either house – one of us was typically home. I would always offer our house but my daughter went there probably 2/3 of the time, at her request. So yes, it was weird that she did that to us!
She sounds like a major pain. That’s not how you’d handle it if you wanted them to play at your house a bit more. Just ask on any given day. Don’t give her a thought.
Oh, I try not to. She was really more mad that I didn’t have time in October to babysit her kid so she and her husband could go out. But I honestly couldn’t find a time when they wanted to go out. We were JUST that busy. So she was mad I wouldn’t drop everything for her.
You’ll never please someone like that, of course. It is too bad since your kids play together though. I was lucky my best friend’s son was my son’s best friend and we got along just fine. My daughter’s friends’ moms were also very nice. We all worked from home, though, and didn’t have to deal with your schedule–hard to believe she doesn’t get it. I WAS unusual in that when my son started his band I was fine with them playing in our basement when nobody else could deal with it–even my neighbors probably had a hard time with it, ha. But I loved it. Rarely did it get on my nerves. One kid was especially iffy so I preferred them to be at my house so I could monitor things. I knew forbidding Johnny to hang with him would backfire. It all worked out.
Yeah this was the first neighborhood friend she had and it was so great. My boys always had friends they could ride their bikes or walk with but she never had. It’s really too bad it ended this way.
Sorry you have issues with your neighbor. The kids usually pay for this and I’m sure that’s the case.
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I have lots of fun with Google maps. Any time I see a Chicago address, I put it into Maps to see where it is and what the area looks like, as well as checking out all the addresses we ever lived at. It can be a lot of fun. I don’t check out home prices, mostly because I’m not in the market. I also like to look at real estate listings online, especially listings for condos in Chicago, because I like seeing how they’re laid out.
Your neighbors sound psychotic…
My neighbors are the kind of people who do things like get a dog, (and never walk it, keep it outside), buy cats and ignore them so they tear up furniture (and subsequently have to buy new stuff they can’t afford when the cats ruin it). They make such bad choices and then judge everyone else. It’s really pretty insane.