Bah. And Furthermore, Humbug

I just want the season to be over and done with. I know, it's not what I'm supposed to say this time of year, but there you go.

I found out last weekend that my friend of over 20 years has lung cancer and is preparing to die. She's 93 and says she's not going to pursue treatment, has had enough and is "ready to go." Whatever that means. She might be ready, but I am not. I'm intrigued by people's reactions when I tell them this news. Once they hear she's 93, it's no longer sad news. More along the lines of, "Oh well, long life, she's old, whatever." What people don't know is that her sister (the nun) lived to be 101. Many people in her family passed the 100 mark. When I moved back here, spending time with her was one of the big, big perks motivating me. Now I'm thinking about which black thing I'll wear to the funeral. Which isn't far in the future.

My spouse is about to leave for a trip across The Mountains to visit relatives. The weather reports call for one to two FEET of snow on the pass. I'm really, really not happy about this. I worry. It's my hobby.

While I have for the past nine years gotten the week between Christmas and New Years Day off free and clear, no vacation time eaten up, THIS year I get how much time off? Oh yes, the 25th. AND, we're closing the office at 3PM on the 24th. I'm a little underwhelmed and damn, these crankypants are pinching me.

Because of family obligations, I might not get to spend any part of Christmas with my best friends in the whole world, the people who sent me telepathic messages to Come Home for the past nine years. This makes me incredibly sad.

So there you have it. I'd love to make some stuff up about the beauty of the season and the glow of the lights, but honestly I'll just be glad when it's all over and I'm back at my desk on the 26th. Nevertheless, I wish YOU a happy holiday, whatever form that might take, and offer this annual ritual offering as my gift to you. The music of my people! Enjoy!