And then families get so bent out of shape that you don't want to participate in the familial soap opera.

Oh man, that sounds awful. I admit, I'm sad to not see my BIL and sister since I'm not going home for Christmas, but other than that? Meh. Especially my brother the troll (literally was banned from commenting at the NYTime, apparently!)

I've been feeling sort of self-pitying because we don't have family to celebrate with. After reading about all of your families, I'm just going to be over here watching the neighbors' lights and sipping eggnog, glad my husband and son will be here in a a day or two so we can have our own small celebration. Yes, there will be people we miss, but we'll have each other, and at least at the moment, no axes to grind.

I'm sorry about that Teppy . I hope you and Tim and your brother and SIL can have a good Christmas.

I am home from Matthew's. We still have a lot of snow. I also dropped the sweater I got dad in the mud. I wasnt sure if it was the right color so i was going to tell him I could exchange it. Now I can't because it is muddy. Hopefully I can wash it and it will be fine.

I also realized I don't know where the reimbursement check from the dental insurance is and I never deposited it and need to find it or call about them cutting a new one.

However when I went to say goodbye to Scrappy he was chilling in his cat bed we got him and didn't run when I went to pick him up.

Scrappy is wise, askye!

I'm feeling much better about my choices this year. I have decided not to spend Christmas with my mother (going to BFF's house instead). Long story short, she had a little too much champagne on Thanksgiving* and ended up screaming at me on the street that she had a six figure income and lived in a million dollar condo and she didn't need me or my brother and some other really ugly shit. Great behavior in a not so great neighborhood in DC. I finally got her into an Uber and home. Next day she gets mad at me and accuses me of treating her house like a hotel because I had made plans to have lunch with a friend. Conversation then devolved into her telling me that I'm a horrible person (which she has done about once a year since my dad died).

I kept it cool until I left the next day, but I am just not going to deal with that shit. I have been putting off talking to her, but she called me tonight, so I am going to send her a letter to let her know that she will be spending Christmas alone this year.

• Alcohol is not usually a problem with her. In fact, the last time(s) that she got into a huge fight with me/my SIL, she was totally sober.

I'm sorry the holidays are fraught for many of you. My family certainly has their moments of irritating me, but as I get older, I only feel more grateful for them.

Eek, Vortex. That's such a shame. I take it your bro and them are not celebrating with her either.

I told my parents I'd come visit sometime in spring, once they move to be near my sister. I think they're thinking like, early March. I'm thinking it may end up being later. But I also freaked myself out earlier today reading blogs from people who also had broken ankles and surgery. So far I haven't found anyone who had as much metal put in as I did. Yikes.

So far I haven't found anyone who had as much metal put in as I did. Yikes.

You're the winner!

That little dog did more damage to you than a whole volcano did to Zen.