DATELINE: St. Louis

[muckefuck]

Not much to report. The true madness has yet to begin.

I felt much better yesterday than I had been expecting, considering I was home sick all day Wednesday. I slept most of the time, which was a wise choice, though it may have something to do with why I couldn't sleep at bedtime. Or maybe that was just pre-trip stress. I love visiting; it's the travel I can't stand.

My sister met me, son in arms. I didn't feel up to shopping, so we got a little baking done and brought each other up to date on potential personality conflicts for the days ahead. Mom, in particular, seems to be hauling the most baggage to town (literally and figuratively). It came out last weekend that she thinks my sister is hosting everything only because Mom doesn't yet have a house in town and her sense of matriachy is injured. She feels she should be feeding, housing, and entertaining everyone. sigh Now I need to look for opportunities to shore up her sense of self-worth while tactfully keeping her more extravagant notions for the Christmas party she's hosting tomorrow in check, lest we all lose it. My sister introduced one of her reports yesterday by saying, "This is Mom being insane." I think that will be a common refrain today and tomorrow.

Must dash. Time to unload Mom's car and discover the bushels of half-completed projects she thought would each add a little something special to our celebrations--which I'm still looking forward to, mind you.

Comments

Frohes Fest ... schöner die Glocken nie klingen ... oh Tannenbaum ...

[(Anonymous)]

Ich wünsch dir, dass du einige schöne tage mit deiner Familie hast ... trotz Familienstress.

wie lange wirst du in St. Louis bleiben?

werde / bleibe gesund!

Machs gut (es lebe der Imperativ),
Nino.

Re: Frohes Fest ... schöner die Glocken nie klingen ... oh Tannenbaum ...

[muckefuck.livejournal.com]

Jeden Tag bei der Familie ist schön. Ehrlich! Ich berichte einfach nicht von jedem guten Moment, da sie so viel sind. Ich bleibe acht Tagen und erwarte, dass die besten Tage am Ende kommen.

Viel Spass mit deinem Neffen und deiner Nichte! Ich hab noch nicht St. Niklaus im Not dem Drewes vorgelesen, aber ich hab's noch vor.

[prilicla.livejournal.com]

...her sense of matriachy is injured. She feels she should be feeding, housing, and entertaining everyone.

Yes, this sort of thing can be a huge source of stress and conflict between generations. lhn's grandmother was just saying how much she missed being the hostess when people would visit her in her apartment in Florida. She has her own apartment in Michigan, too, but people who are visiting almost always stay with my mother-in-law or my sister-in-law, who both have houses with guest rooms, multiple bathrooms, etc.

I hope that you continue to feel better and that your holiday is as happy and stress-free as possible. If all else fails, keep reminding yourself that you really do love these people and that you'd be very sorry later if you actually killed them all.

[muckefuck.livejournal.com]

I didn't realise how big a source until I heard about the disagreement between my sister and mother last weekend. It was then that it came out that Mom really feels she's hosting, even though everyone is in my sister's house. There's no easy way to break it to Mom that we're all glad most events are at my sister's, because she's too modest and reasonable to let them get out of hand. I imagine next year, Mom will be hosting (she put down earnest money on a nearby condo) and we'll all just have to suck it up!

[bunj.livejournal.com]

Yes and no. After all, even if meals are in the condo, our sister's house is where everyone will be staying (everyone except for me, of course, next year at the in-laws). More on this tomorrow.

To St. Louie

[(Anonymous)]

It will be fine. No really, it *will* be fine. Extra tablecloth, check. Cheesecakes, spinach balls and centerpieces, packed. Mouth, shut. Cattiness, restrained. Mouthguard, in purse. Happy face, on.

See you tomorrow!

-e