Jesus Christ- Florida Vacation Day THree

I write this as the friggin family is driving me crazy. Thank god the holidays only happen once a year. Seriously... but let's start at the day's beginning.

I went and saw SHaun this morning. Got to spend a few hours with him. He seems to be doing better, but I think that he will always be mentally retarded for the rest of his life. While until recently I had hoped for an outright recovery, I no longer think it will be that. I now view it like the SAT's. Where the first few questions get you to a certain level and then after that each correct or incorrect answer only marginally affects things. That's how I view his situation. He'll make it to a certain level then it will be marginal. This bothers me a lot, because he was the one person I told him all of my deep dark secrets and I miss having that. Although Sponsler is quickly coming close to that.

Then I came home and did the family thing. Jesus.... I went to my car to get a bottle of wine. I need to be drunk to get through this holiday. Clearly, alcoholism begins with the holidays. I get home early so that we can open our presents, a family tradition. ANd my father had gone to church, surely a sign of the apocalypse. And they come home three hours later because they didn't know the time of the service and was an hour early. And my grandmother, who has serious illnesses cooked them dinner despite not feeling well all day because my father and the Belorussian (his mail order wife) ate out since they were early for the God worshippin'. WHich upset her and of course I take my grandmas side in everything. This caused me to go out to my car and get me a bottle of wine because the beer just didn't have enough alcohol in it. Then my father starts screaming (as he doesn't understand the tone of his voice) at his wife and my grandma and I just couldn't take it so i start yelling at him to shut up. Time for the second glass. THen we open presents. I got osme candy, cologne samples from my step-brother and a check from my father. Then he tells me he doesn't have enough money in his checking account to cover it. Glass three. This causes me and my grandmother to have a conversation about my father's finances and how he is living outside his means. THis explains why 1. my step-mother works two jobs and 2. my grandmother is being charged rent. Why am I the only individual in my family who understands basic finances. Despite how my father talks down to me about things like getting better paying jobs and the such, clearly he is not the shining example of personal finance that Suze Orman is.

We also do some internet stalking (me and my grandmother that is). And I am truly proficient in my skills as I finally locate my estranged sister, who i've been looking for for over a year. Apparently since we last spoke (which was two years ago) she has gotten divorced as her husband cheated on her (glass four). And she had another child. I apparently have three nephews. I only knew about two and have met neither. I feel really bad for her to be honest. Try to pour glass four... what? no more wine!!!!! I guess that is what happens when you drink glasses of wine in water glasses and not wine glasses.

And all of this really brings the important question that we all ask ourselves to put ourselves in context with a higher power: Do I really have to eat dinner with these people tomorrow? and Is there no excuse good enough to get me out of it? (what if i cut off a finger????)

Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good Hanukah.