Phil Skips Stones Across the Pond of Life

[MaineWriter]

He'll be decorating tomorrow too, together with the kids. And I'll be making egg nog for the first time in my life! 

I hope you like it, Fabienne! Do you have a good recipe?

L

[belbbmfan]

I hope you like it, Fabienne! Do you have a good recipe?

L

Yes, Leslie, there's one on the Egg nog thread, but more suggestions are always welcome of course! 

[Front-Ranger]

Awwww poor thing! 

You should get yourself a nice little Smart Car ... they do about 1,000,000 miles to the gallon, and you can pop them right into your pocket! 

.

You can always "Americanise" it if you like...

 

Too funny!!

[John Passaniti]

John hates Christmas in general: "Phil, when are you going to get over the silly sentimentality and icons of Christmas" and either actively dislikes or ignores the Christmas tree project, so I'm bringing my 6'4" cousin over to help assemble things tomorrow.

No, that's not quite right.  I don't hate Christmas.  But Phil makes this mistake every year; he sees that I have no interest in the iconic trappings of Christmas, but completely ignores my search for meaning and worth in the holiday itself.  For example, Phil will repeatedly point out that I have zero interest in setting up a Christmas tree, stringing garland, putting lights in the windows, etc.  But Phil doesn't ever talk about the few times in my life when Christmas actually produced in me a sense of joy and wonder and gratitude and happiness.  And the reason for that?  Because the joy and wonder and gratitude and happiness didn't come from the things you can buy in a store.  They came from reflection and introspection and a genuine tear that falls not because some Hollywood director cued a violin swell or a some hackneyed archetype of Christmas crossed my path.

And yes, Phil is correct that I wish he would get past all this nonsense.  But what Phil constantly misses is the next part-- I don't just want to get rid of it, but replace it with something personal and meaningful and worthwhile to both of us.  I want to replace the idiotic Christmas traditions that have been sold to us since we were kids and replace it with a new Christmas tradition that's based on something real.

Yeah, I hate Christmas.  I want to replace the gift-giving between our family members with buying a toy for the kids who are case numbers in the local Department of Social Services.  I want our family to get together and donate our time to a group like Habitat for Humanity.  I want to replace the time I would travel to see family members who barely remember me to spend some time with the elderly in our neighborhood who have nobody.  I want to see all the money wasted on gifts people don't need to be donated instead to a cause (like a local hospice).  Or in short, I want Christmas to be spent not worrying if the star on the top of the tree is on straight, but coming up with new and creative ideas to do something for others.

Yeah, I hate Christmas.

[Shasta542]

"I want to replace the gift-giving between our family members with buying a toy for the kids who are case numbers in the local Department of Social Services.  I want our family to get together and donate our time to a group like Habitat for Humanity.  I want to replace the time I would travel to see family members who barely remember me to spend some time with the elderly in our neighborhood who have nobody.  I want to see all the money wasted on gifts people don't need to be donated instead to a cause (like a local hospice).  Or in short, I want Christmas to be spent not worrying if the star on the top of the tree is on straight, but coming up with new and creative ideas to do something for others."

 

[injest]

One of the hardest parts of being a couple is figuring out that middle ground...each person giving up enough that they can meet in the middle. But you two have been through a lot together...you'll make it thru this too.

The holidays are SUCH a stressful time and this year sounds like it is gonna be a doozy in your household, John, so much going on....wishing you both as much peace and comfort you can get. Be kind to one another.

[ifyoucantfixit]

       Glad to see you probably don't look like that car Philip.   You and John are both
healthy and strong, and have a warm and wonderful place to live.  You can get another
car.. and the trees will come and go..But you can count your Christmas a wonderful time of year, as long as you care for each other and are thankful for all you do have.   
Forgive my butting in.. but its how I feel about it...           Merry Christmas, Yule, whatever.. Janice

[Shakesthecoffecan]

Wow Phillip I have never had the experence of airbag deployment, but I am glad they are standard anymore.

John I agree with you about the holliday I am fond of calling Xmess. I think my family is starting to come around to the fact that we all have everything already so it is kind of pointless to try and give gifts. I never decorate for it, but I do enjoy icicle lights so much I have a couple of rooms illuminated but them year 'round.   

[Ellemeno]

We had early gift-exchange with my in laws today because we'll be away at Christmas.  We have really pared it down.  The group of us is basically made up of three small families.  Each family as a unit gives the individuals of the other two small families one small, simple present that we KNOW they want.  For example, my sister in law's family gave me a pair of potholders because on Thanksgiving, while standing in my kitchen I told her that would make a great gift for me.  My family gave my sister in law photo printer paper, because she told me recently her husband (Lord of the Computer at their house) won't "let" her "waste" "his."  Now she has her own.

Anyway, Mr. Meno, MiniMeno and I arrived for the gift exchange with 6 small to medium presents to hand out to 6 people.  Everybody got something they wanted enough.  Done.

I want to be that way with my side of the family on Christmas.  We are super-fortunate to have our needs met.

[Phillip Dampier]

Well, here we go again.  My father's cancer has returned and has now gotten into the liver, which is not at all a good sign.  At the moment, doctors are not certain the cancer is spreading in an uncontrollable way, and want to do a new CT scan three months from now.  I'm not satisfied with that treatment plan and we'll be consulting with Roswell and possibly one of the cancer treatment hospitals in New York City to see about beginning some sort of chemotherapy a.s.a.p., to arrest the development of what has already appeared.  Colon cancer that appears in the liver or lungs is indicative of stage four of the disease and life expectancy can really only be increased by controlling the spread of the cancer cells in hopes of either slowing it down or stopping its advancement.  There is no real cure at this point.

Emotionally, this is obviously a major hit after my mom passed away from cancer in November 2006.  But there are options remaining to us which could keep him reasonably healthy for quite sometime.

This is also a reminder to everyone to not put off colon cancer screening (colonoscopy) at age 50 (40 if you have a family history).  I'll be getting my first one after the holidays.  The earlier a polyp can be seen and removed before becoming cancerous, the better.