HI everyone! I am back at payroll and my parents are staying with DD16. My LR has been repainted except for one alcove, two wall touchups, and ceiling touchup. There is still ice on the roads in neighborhoods and I nearly made some amateur alterations to a car in front of me. Missed him by inches. Holidays have been mostly good. My aunt's death on Christmas day prevents it from being an entirely joyous time. My daughter has gotten my dad (50+ years professional interior designer) to help her pick colors for her room, so more painting will be in our future.
Mom is driving me nuts with her ideas of how I should keep my house clean. Apparently one is supposed to: dust everyday, mop everyday, vacuum everyday, and wash kitchen cabinets weekly. I dust and mop before guests arrive and do not own a vacuum (never found one that worked well on hardwood floors). I have lived in the house six years and never washed cabinets except when I spill something on them. She was worried about some gaps between the baseboards and walls because dust would get there. I want to put cabinets on the shelf in the LR by the vents. This is about 9 feet up. She is perturbed because, "If you put cabinets up, you have to dust them." Um ... no, I don't. And vertical cabinets will collect lots less dust than the existing shelf. (Apparently, the shelf does not need dusting, not sure why). She has never liked dust (who does?), but is now convinced that DD and I are have respiratory problems due to the dust. Except that neither of us have respiratory problems. All this snow has made me want to return to Mobile. Except then I would have to hear about my substandard housekeeping every day rather than once every few years.
I had 202 work emails, now dealt with and 185 home emails not even looked at. Tonight I must: find my grocery list and get groceries, find a library book and return it, pick up meds, and bring in the wreath from outside (forgot it). Should do some bills and budget, but may not get to do it until Saturday after they have left. Don't need to hear how I should be managing my money too.
Even after telling me of my brother's soap opera life post-remarriage, Mom still won't hear a word against dating with minor children. Bro was a bonehead when he gave his daughter's room to his step-daughter on the premise that DD is only there 50% of the time while SD is 100%. (100% because SD's father is deceased, not evil). I'm the only one who can see that DD feels replaced, even though I am pretty sure bro did not intend it that way.
Question for y'all: My friend, N, asked me if she could bring another woman, G, to the xBFF's Christmas party. I, of course, said that was not up to me! She got the ok for that from xBFF, then later called and added a second woman, B. I doubt the xBFF was pleased with either request, though she never said anything to me about it. G shows up on time and is a good guest. N keeps sending me texts during the party that she is running late and wants me to get the hostess to delay the white elephant exchange until she gets there. I completely refuse! N and B show up late, during the game, and DRUNK! They decided it would be a good idea to do shots before meeting a party full of people that N knows do not get drunk at these parties. They had taken an Uber to get there, and I had to drive them home so the hostess would not be stuck with them while they waited for their return Uber. xBFF asked me not to mention any of her parties to these people again. I agreed that it was a total embarrassment and assured her they would not hear about another from me! The question is, do I tell N and B that they will not be invited back? My inclination is to say nothing unless they ask about it next year, to which I reply, "Last time you showed up late and drunk." And what about G, who did nothing wrong and was liked by the hostess?