• Today is  my first day back in the office after 9 days of either working from home or being on vacation. To say it was hard to get up and dressed is an understatement.
• The snow is FINALLY all gone, and I really don’t think I EVER need to see snow in Portland again. If I need to see snow, I’ll travel to it, thankyouverymuch.
• I had a minor meltdown (HA!) the day before Christmas Eve over how I was going to get to Seaside to be with my dad. And, when I say minor meltdown I mean, I was THISCLOSE to throwing myself on the floor to kick and scream.
• But, my Daddy is the best and he drove over the coast range and drove 3 hours (normally a 1.5 hour trip) to come pick me up. And, then he took me to the yarn store.
• It took us close to 4 hours to get back to Seaside and OMG was the drive ever scary. Tell me this? If you drive a Mazda RX-7 why do you think that you can make it over the pass without chains?
• So, anyway, we had a nice quiet Christmas Dinner (the Finns celebrate on Christmas Eve. Christmas Day is a quiet day for reflection, or basketball watching) and then opened presents.
• There is no reason EVER why a 30 year old woman should have 15 presents to open from her father. Seriously. I am a spoiled brat.
• A spoiled brat who has a new toaster, a Flip Video Camera, 4 new cookbooks, a salt pig, a new apron with the Finnish Flag on it, and lots of new books.
• I woke up Christmas Morning at 9 a.m. (awesome!) and could see the ocean from my bed. And, then I noticed that it was snowing. AT THE BEACH.
• Christmas Day was spent knitting (me) and napping (my dad). I deserve a giant cookie for not using my new camera to document my dad’s very loud snoring.
• Oh, and holy crap! It snowed at the beach.
• My dad  brought me home on Friday, where I found my car still under a lot of snow, but not as much as before.
• I spent 30 minutes breaking ice off my car so that I could drive over to my beloved boyfriend’s house to celebrate Christmas with him.
• When I arrived, he greeted me with a Hot Buttered Rum which is exactly what you should greet your girlfriend with after she’s risked life and limb (well, not really, but I’m all about the dramatic) to come see you.
• Anyway, we then opened gifts (darling green coat from Saks that doesn’t fit, boo) and trudged up the hill to McMenamins for drinks. Note to self: these boots? NOT SNOW BOOTS.  
• And, that was pretty much my holiday. Oh, but it should be noted, that after two hot buttered rums, some wine, and then some PBR, opening a bottle of dessert wine is not advised. Lucky for me, I have a boyfriend who made me yummy huevos rancheros the next morning which fixed me right up.

How was your holiday? What did you get? What are your plans for New Years? I’ve missed you!-

Exhibit A: My car, I THINK

• Hello, it is winter in Portland. And, by winter, I mean SNOW AND ICE. Not our normal RAIN.
• This weather is making it very difficult to a) spend my birthday gift cards and also b) Christmas Shop.
• I am really almost done with my shopping, I just need a couple little things for the boy, and also one more THING for my dad.
• Last night we went to a Champagne Tasting at our favorite little wine bar and I met another girl named Rhiannon. I’ve decided that I never want to run into her again. I kept thinking her friends were talking to me.
• The best champagne I tasted, was also the least expensive. That is pretty much the first time I’ve ever liked something that wasn’t the most expensive on the list.
• Holy crap, it’s snowing again.
• Thank you ALL for your thoughtful repsonses to my last post. I’m still really sad that I won’t be seeing my aunt and uncle for Christmas,  but in order to have a somewhat pleasant Christmas, I need to put it behind me.
•  BUT, with that said, I’ll be responding to both of their email messages this weekend. Whilst snowed in.
• Earlier this year, I went through a rather painful process of detoxing my body from the evil wonder that is Stouffer’s French Bread Pizza. I’m very sad to say that I’ve fallen off the wagon. I blame cabin fever.
• I really feel like I need to go over the whole “Due to/Because of” thing with the world, AGAIN. This really is my biggest grammar related pet peeve. I’ll prepare a power point and schedule time with everyone.
• And, because I’m in a teaching mood, I’d also like to go over “How Not to Drive Like a Dipshit in the Snow”
• Oh! Question – pretend you went through a nasty breakup almost two years ago. Pretend that you lived with this person and had things such as garbage service in your name. Also pretend that said garbage service has been calling you everytime there is a service delay for the past almost two years EVEN THOUGH you asked your pretend ex-boyfriend, Hugh Jass, to remove your name and contact information from the service. Now, here is the question: How many profane words are you allowed to use in the email you send to your NOW  MARRIED ex-boyfriend when you get YET ANOTHER CALL from the garbage service.

Months ago, my family and I were going through the painful task of going through my Grandmother’s things and splitting them up between us.  Upon tackling the dining room, we found the cupboard that contained our Santa Mugs. We had a set of 7 mugs with our names on them; Don (my Papa), Tommie (my grandma), Mark (my uncle), Wendy (my aunt), Dan (my dad), Rhiannen (misspelled!) and Helen (my grandma’s sister). The corresponding mug went at each of our place settings. Years ago, there were always seven mugs at the table, the past 10 years or so, there have been only five. My aunt said she’d take hers and my Grandma’s. My uncle and my dad said they didn’t want theirs. At some point we decided that I’d keep all the mugs.

For some reason, in my heart, I thought that if I kept all the mugs together that we’d stay together. That on Christmas Eve, I’d set four mugs at the dinner table, and I’d share a meal with my family. Turns out, I’m really naive.

My Aunt emailed on my birthday to wish me a happy birthday and to ask how I was feeling. She also let me know that she’d not be spending Christmas with us. Today, I received the same email from my Uncle.

I feel defeated. I feel alone. I feel like my Grandma is looking down on her family and is digusted that just 10 months after her death we’ve already gone our separate ways.

I knew it would be hard, this holiday season. Thanksgiving was not my favorite, I missed her on my birthday. But, I’m just so frustrated that during a holiday that is going to be so obviously hard for each of us, that my aunt and uncle are pushing away. I’m angry at them for leaving my dad and I alone. I’m scared that he and I will have a terrible holiday.

I can’t stop reading the words that they wrote to me. I wonder if they knew how hurtful (albeit unintentional) those words were to me. This is weighing so heavy on my heart and I don’t know what to do.

So, the mugs are sitting on a shelf in my pantry. I can’t bear to look at them, yet I feel ridiculously guilty that they’ll go unused this year. I know that things will never be the same without her, but I’d appreciate if not everything had to change all at once.

So, before the Snowpacolypse of yesterday, I had a birthday party.

You know how you’re supposed to look in the mirror before you leave and take one thing OFF? Yeah, I didn’t get that memo. Actually, I kid. I loved the necklace Kerri gave me so much, that I had to wear it. Even though it clashed with my 30th Birthday Lei.

Birthday Pub Quiz had winners (and let’s face it, they couldn’t have done it without me)

Also, there were losers. And, I’m all about public humiliation. (I had nothing to do with the pitiful loss)

Later, we moved on to another bar (affectionately called The Yipper by my crew and I. Nobody knew where we were talking about when we said we wanted to go there. WHY NOT?)

And, there were many more drinks and lots of dancing. And, now my foot is broken. Or, sprained. Or, it just hurts a whole damn lot.

And, then I woke up and was snowed in. THE END.

(more photos are here)