Earlier in the evening, I heard Hubby talking to the television. More than usual. I knew the Giants were playing so I chalked it up to them playing extremely well or extremely bad. No matter how they play, it is guaranteed that he will be telling them what to do or what not to do.
As time wore on, I began to notice that the tone was more conversational than confrontational. Generally, Hubby is confrontational with the television. I also noticed that the chatter of the sports announcers weren't blathering on and on in the background, as they usually are when he is watching a game.
Curious, I took a stroll past the living room to see what was going on. It turned out that Hubby was on the phone. With Man-Child.
These two boys of mine are extremely close, and always have been. They used to spend most of their Sundays during the "season" watching football together. And, if I'm not mistaken, up until Man-Child left for college, they have watched every Giants game together.
Since MC has left for school, I can tell that some of the joy Hubby felt at watching a Giants game is gone. Oh sure, he still berates the team when they aren't doing well, he still berates the referees and he especially berates the sports announcers. In his mind, all the announcers are Giants haters. But I could tell that his heart wasn't in it.
Until tonight. Tonight, one of them called the other. And then like two school girls, proceeded to watch the game "together" via the phone; for the ENTIRE game. It was hilarious. After it was over, Hubby informed me that it had been "fun." I sense a new trend in their football watching going forward.
In other news, I decorated the tree today. After yesterday's mild panic attack, I am feeling a little more in control. Oh sure, the house isn't decorated (and, most likely, won't be - since just looking at all FIFTEEN of those boxes gave me a headache.....), but the tree is trimmed and the stockings are hung. What more do you need to have Santa come visit? Exactly.
Only two minor hiccups occurred today while trimming the tree. The first being, I discovered last year's Christmas ornament. I buy a new one that is dated every year. Recently, I've been buying the photo ones to ensure that we have a family picture every year. Here is last year's.....
 |
| WHY my pictures are randomly turning sideways, I don't know! But, other than that, what is wrong with this picture?! |
Look closely; what do you see?
|
| That is NOT my family!!! |
This lead me to do a mental review. Did we take a family picture last year? If we did, why did I not put the picture into the frame?
For the life of me, I could not remember. And thus began the internal debate; "Should I just hang it on the tree as is? As a testament to the fact that I am obviously losing my mind? Or should I cheat and put in some random, fairly recent, photo and call it a day?"
In the end, I decided to set it aside and see if I could find some evidence of a family picture from last year before hanging it AS IS on the tree. After searching one laptop, my cell phone and another laptop I DID discover a family picture. And it was a definite cheat - since it was apparently taken after Christmas - on the 29th to be exact.
 |
| Well, at least this one is right side up! |
And then it all came flooding back to me. I had bought the ornament frame just days before Christmas and never got organized enough to have the picture taken. In a frantic attempt to get the picture done before the season was over, I had my friend come over at the last minute in an attempt to "close out" the holiday season. And then, once the photo had been snapped, I completely ended the season, neglecting to print the photo and pack it away.
Since I already have this year's ornament, I suppose I should get busy with that family picture business (note to self.....be more organized this year, dammit!)
The other hiccup occurred after I had decorated the tree. Yesterday, while up in the mountains, I found a Christmas ornament in MC's school colors and with the logo stamped on it. I bought it immediately. Today it was the first ornament on the tree. I snapped a picture and immediately texted it to him.
Hours later he responded.....
 |
| Seriously? |
This from the kid who has had absolutely NO interest in trimming the tree these past several years? The kid who actually moaned if I suggested that he help me in any way?
I can't win, people. I just can't win.
Ooooooh... sounds like since someone (MC) isn't around 24/7, he may have become just a bit nostalgic for things he's missing back home. Even tree trimming.
ReplyDeleteOkay, have you set those two up on Skype, yet? (or whatever the latest see and talk, is)
Ha! Now that he's gone away from home, everything you do without him is missed by MC. You're right, Gigi, you just can't win! :-)
ReplyDeleteHa, well, maybe let him put the star up or something. Or hang candy canes on it.
ReplyDeleteFirst off, I buy an ornament with the year on it every year too! But sometimes I just buy one I like and write the year on it, like this year. I bought one from the ENORMOUS gas station we have that says, "Eat Here, Get Gas". Yup, the boys picked it out. Hahaha.
ReplyDeleteAnyways, yes he wants to help because now that he is not living at home he realizes how much he is missing out on. To bad they can't learn these things while they're actually still with us. So how did his first semester go?
Just an FYI- I have read every.single.post. you have written, I have just become a very lousy blog friend. Suddenly my subbing job has turned full-time and I just can't seem to muster up the energy to do much of anything other than sit on the couch and be a bum until it is time to go to bed. That includes Christmas decorations for me too. We have our tree up and the stockings hung. That's it. And gosh darn it, it's good enough.
LOL! My son has helped trim the tree since he was big enough to put hook to branch. A couple of years ago - when it was 3 weeks til Christmas with nary a decoration in sight - I suggested that maybe we didn't need to put up the tree. You would have thought I had suggested he give up video games! Since then, he is in charge and my job is to remove the ornaments from the box, attach a hook, and hand it to him.
ReplyDeleteOf course, the daily redecorating after the cats' daily ornament party still falls to me.
LOL Oh I hope you have an awesome long distance plan!
ReplyDelete