It's all good, vw. I'm not really opposed to doing Christmas-related things before Thanksgiving, because I would never finish any craft projects if I didn't start early. But I have a personal line I try to hold on things like candy, holiday movies and the like.

I felt that I had betrayed myself when I sat down a few weeks ago to watch The Bishop's Wife off my TiVo and (re-)discovered it was a Christmas movie. (Still a good flick, though.)

My mother-in-law died yesterday. I'm not too upset, because, while not expected, it's not a surprise. She was in a nursing home with various ailments, and it was just a waiting game. Still, I'm thrown, because while I never sought her out on my own, she was always good to me. Hubby is sad but, to quote, "I was expecting it to be closer to Thanksgiving." He knew it was coming, in that odd way he has.

However, Hubby's family is once again embracing the high/low drama that characterizes their internal interactions. No fueds are rearing their heads, but the dynamics are in high relief.

His brother, who is in the same town that Mom was and so gets to arrange everything, is planning on going against her express final wishes. After my father-in-law's death, Mom converted back to Catholicism, which she followed before she married Hubby's dad and converted to Mormonism. Part of her reasoning was that Catholicsm was more of a comfort to her and part of it was as revenge against the LDS God for allowing her husband to die. In addition, her wishes were that she be buried in Wyoming, not in Utah next to her husband. According to Hubby, who spoke with her quite a bit, this was in revenge on her husband, for daring to die on her. Mom was a woman who knew how to hold a grudge. She'd told us for years that she was an only child and that her mother was dead--then she had to admit that she had a brother and her mother was alive and kicking when said mother and brother called up after having tracked her down.

I understand why bro-in-law is bringing her back to Utah. He wants his folks together. Still, I'd go with her wishes, myself. If anyone is likely to be a vengeful spirit, it's Mom.

Then there's Hubby's sister. He called her after he got the news. Hubby's quote: "She said, 'Oh. You're having surgery soon, aren't you, bro?'" and proceeded not to say another word about their mother. She and Mom had not spoken in years, not since they sued each other over a house they'd bought together. I think the judge threw the case out and told them to resolve the matter between themselves. Hubby was relieved, because the two of them were demanding he take sides.

I don't know when--or where--the funeral will be. Probably down here. Mom apparently had money set aside to deal with it, which is a relief. It's going to be a strange event, because the three siblings are now the top tier of this branch of the family, and I don't think any of them are too cut up. There's no one I feel I need to be supportive of, like Mom when my father-in-law died. The three strands of the family had Mom at the top, and we could be defined as Iva Neil's children. We still are, of course, but it's now more genealogically important rather than socially important, becase Iva's now historical, not current.

I wish I could go home, I could use more sleep and processing time. But I might need a day off for the funeral, and I've already got the surgery I've got a day off for. I wish it was Thanksgiving, I could use a long weekend.

Did you get any sleep?

Yeah. Fievel let me clean the kitchen in peace, so I figured he wouldn't bother me.

I'm sorry for the family drama, connie. And Nora. FAMILY. Geez.

Biofamilies is weird.

Yeah. Fievel let me clean the kitchen in peace, so I figured he wouldn't bother me.

He likely won't bother you too much. Just don't leave food out where he can get to is. And also know that those little dark crumbs may well be mouse poop. Easy to clean up, but good to be aware.

Connie, I'm sorry. Peace to you and your husband, and sending good vibes that the family gets through this without too much drama.

Fievel let me clean the kitchen in peace

Uh oh, you named it. Now it's a pet.

Hee. My BFF named it for me.

My sympathy to your husband, Connie. I hope that the drama dies down soon.

P-C, while they sometimes get the placebo!rap, I've had good luck with the 'sonic' mouse deterents. I live over a store...a store that has thankfully not attracted roaches, but not so thankfully, has been a haven for Fievel's kin. I also managed a b&b that was like Disney for mice...um...anyway. The sonic buzz-boxes have worked for me and they don't bother Bartleby. I can only hear the noise they make if I put one to my ear.

Dealing with the killing of or the disposing of dead rodents (like the one that commited suicide in the fan of my refridgerator a few years ago) is NOT for me.

Not too long ago, I found a glue trap (of the DEVIL) in the office where someone else must have left it yonks ago. Stuck to it was a teeny mouse, wailing away. I nearly died. I marched it down to the vet's office a few doors away and offered to pay to have it euthanized. The staff said that wasn't necessary. A little vegetable oil and the critter would be free. They promised to find it a new home. Now, that may mean that s/he 'went to the country', I dunno. But I just could not let him/her die in agony.

Try the buzzbox!

I'm sorry, connie. Peace to you and your husband.