Family | BulgingButtons

December 23, 2017
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Happy Merry Un-Christmas

We’re celebrating Christmas today, and it’s glorious.

We’ve opened gifts, enjoyed delicious appetizers that my son made, and my sweetheart whipped up a batch of fudge. We’ve also been cleaning up around the house, anticipating my mother’s visit later in the day. It’s been fun, relaxed, and all around a darn good day.

I know it isn’t really Christmas today, but my son will spend the actual holiday with his dad, so it made the most sense with everyone’s schedules to do it today. I was going to cook, but last night I got home from work utterly exhausted and not feeling very well. I called my mother to warn her that the house might not be up to the standard she’s come to expect, but she was gracious. So gracious, in fact, that she offered to do the cooking.

We’re about to pick her up, along with a roast, potatoes, carrots, salad, juice, home-made macaroons, and Italian panettone. I’m so grateful! We’ve got White Christmas cued up, Trivial Pursuit in the wings, and a plan to walk the neighborhood after dark to enjoy the lights.

This is the best un-Christmas ever. I think we might have to try this again next year.

December 20, 2017
by BulgingButtons 2 Comments

Farewell for Another Year, Chanukah

Well, it ended. After eight crazy nights (to borrow from Adam Sandler), Chanukah has wrapped up for another year.

Did I light candles?

Some.

Did I play dreidel?

Not yet (but I’m teaching my fourth graders how on Friday, so that totally counts, right?).

Did I eat latkes? Yes. They weren’t as good as my homemade ones, but I haven’t made them in years, so they’ll have to do.

Did I eat a donut? Yes, although it wasn’t specifically for Chanukah, but I used it as an excuse.

Did I sing the dreidel song? You bet.

Did I exchange gifts with anyone? Yes. My mom and my son specifically. Thank you Shutterfly, for creating a calendar that my mother loves. After all, what do you give the mom and grandma that has everything? She did love the college beanie that my son gave her, though. She gave him a toothbrush and mini toothpaste. From the dentist. And floss. From the dentist. He was gracious. To be fair she has a check for him too, but she decided to save that for Christmas, so he’ll have something to open.

Did I commemorate the miracle of the oil lasting eight days?

I’d say so, yes.

So there, I did celebrate Chanukah. I even did a Chanukah themed puzzle on my iPad, plus I listened to some Chanukah music. Oh I so did Chanukah this year. I’m good, at least until next year.

Now it’s on to the next holiday. Ho ho ho, happy holidays!

October 22, 2017
by BulgingButtons 7 Comments

Not Great, But Thanks for Asking

So here’s the update on Mom’s surgery, for those who wondered. No, it was not a miracle fix. In fact, something didn’t go quite right. I won’t say it went wrong exactly, but the result isn’t what was anticipated, and somehow, during the recovery, something shifted in a way that it wasn’t supposed to. I’m not sure exactly. I wasn’t at the appointment, so I’ve only heard the news second-hand, but I know that things aren’t exactly on track.

So now what?

Now there’s a new appointment with a new doctor to try a new “procedure” to fix that which went awry. It’s to be done in the office, and a few days later Mom will be evaluated again to see if the procedure was effective at getting things back on track.

If it was, great. She can continue healing and hopefully the end result with be all good.

If it wasn’t, no so great. It will mean a second surgery, and it sounds like this one will be more involved than the first one.

“Maybe I’ll schedule it for Christmas break, if it has to be done,” said Mom. Oh. Christmas seems like a long time away. Shouldn’t it be done soon? I don’t know. I’m not there. I wasn’t at the appointment.

I feel guilty about that. I live 2,000 miles away. I can’t help. At least not in a go to appointments, run to the grocery store, pick up eye drops at CVS kind of way.

We won’t know until the end of next week what the next steps are, but I feel awful that I can’t take her to the “procedure” appointment on Tuesday or the follow-up on Friday. Fortunately she has many good people in her life who are able and willing to step forward to help, but I would rather it was me.

If you happen to think of it, a positive word for Mom and her doctors would be appreciated. Thanks for listening, internet, you are too kind.