The Returns are Out

J. is trekking to Costco to take back some items we ended up not keeping.  Example:  a super cute reversible jacket for me - only $9.97 and not exactly my first color choice (light blue) - and I loved it EXCEPT no pockets.  That's a deal breaker 'cuz I need somewhere to put my freezing cold hands.  I considered keeping it 'cuz at that price, it's nice - but I know I likely will never wear it so better to let it go vs. adding something to my overflowing closets.  Yes, plural.  I have a lot of clothes.

Also an assortment of other items that either didn't fit or we decided against.  I feel bad for him standing in a likely long return line but am grateful he's going today to get stuff out of the house. And to get the credit on our account before the billing cycle closes.  As always, Christmas results in 'what the heck' bills this month.  And next.

We also have a fair amount of donation items ready to load up and give away as well.  Always feels so good to lighten up around here.

The family is back on the road from Portland and will arrive sometime this evening - hopefully, they won't be driving through a huge snow storm this time and the drive will be easier (relatively speaking).  Long car trips are always hard and I admire their tenacity to get to/from even in the face of four long days in a car.  I'd be nuts, frankly - but that's just me.  Car rides and road trips always sound fun at the planning stage but the execution of same is always just hard.  Looking forward to having them here tonight and it was so fun to message my cousin with 'see you tomorrow' yesterday afternoon.

I went to our County Office of Ed yesterday to pick up pay stubs and then went to the office for an hour or so to do a couple things that I intended to get to at home but never did.  Those two small items had me feeling overwhelmed at the thought of 'needing' to get them done so it felt great to have those feelings resolved.  Five days left of the break and I'm already dreading the return - and I'm sure many others feel the same.  This treasured annual time is always followed by the depressing dark cloud of going back in January - it's the circle of life in a district that shuts down for two weeks at Christmas.

B. is working 1/2 days this week and will have a long weekend - he's heading to Nashville for New Year's eve and I'm sure he will have a blast.

H. is......I have no idea what H. is up to.  I know he's rarely home and leaves in the middle of the night.  I'm fed up with him and taken to just trying to avoid him - seeing him makes me so angry - because I really, truly don't want him here - there, I said it.  I know that sounds harsh for a Mom to say about her son but it's how I feel.  Sometimes, I think me moving out is the better option - I'd have my own space and not be confronted daily with the fact that I'm living with someone I don't trust.

It's a crystal clear, blue sky day and the blue jays are deeply appreciating the peanuts I put out yesterday.  I've started just putting out 10-12 nuts at a time so if it rains, we don't waste too many...and if it does rain, I go out and clean out the tray right away.  I don't want them to look for food and find peanut soup.

Time to get to the chore list.  I've done a pretty decent job of getting stuff done this break and still have lots to do.  Feels good to make a point of accomplishing something every day - even if it's doing a little yard clean up every time I'm out with the dog.