The things in my head go 'round and 'round

Life around our household has been interesting to say the least.  I managed to conract an infection in my foot making it impossible to put on a shoe and be mobile.  And seeing as

my job requires me to be a ble to walk around the store so that I know what is going on, not being able to walk was a hinderance so I spent the week between Christmas and New Years with my foot elevated.  sounds a lot more fun than it actually was.  Believe me.  Because being home at that time meant that I was home with MLW and The Princess.  That never ends well.  Too much time together and we start to get on one anothers nerves.  Really bad.  And I am the one who starts it because I am not as nice as MLW is.

That being said, I also spent some time learning how to make soy candles, something that I had done years ago but had gotten away from.  Actually, I didn’t make soy candles we made parrafin candles and had a great time with it, but this time around I am planning on making some soy candles.  I also made another batch of my famed Out Cider hard cider for some friends.  Said friends keep hounding me as to when this batch of cider is going to be ready for consumption, and if they keep it up it will never be ready for them.  I unfortunately have not brewed the latest batch of Imperial Red Ale because, hello!  Have you noticed how freaking cold it has been outside?  I am not a cold loving kind of guy.  And even though I do enjoy brewing some good beer, standing outside in the cold during the process is not my cup of tea.  Sorry.  I am not a cold lover.

This week we have the Pennsylvania Farm Show in town.  This event happens every year in January as an excuse for all of us who have gained 50 lbs over the holidays to pack on just a couple more.  something to make feel that much worse about ourselves before we get into the rest of the winter.  The best part of the Farm Show is the food.  Potato donuts, french fries, baked potatoes with real melted butter on top.  Deep fried vegetables fried cheese, fried mushrooms, fried everything.  They have really good milk shakes, and honey ice cream, and warm apple dumplings with ice cream, and oh my god pretty much anything else you might want to eat.  Really good fried tilapia, pulled pork sandwiches, beef BBQ, meatball sandwiches, blooming onions, onion rings.  I am salivating just thinking about all of that really good fried food that is waiting to clog up my arteries somemore.  If you have never been to the Farm Show and are going to be around the Harrisburg area this week you have got to stop by and check it out.

And don’t forget to look at that animals, cause there are about a billion 4-H kids around who have been raising all of the cows, and horses, and chickens, and such who like to show their animals offf.  We can’t forget about the kids.  It wouldn’t be right if we did.  But once you have gotten that out of the way you can head for the food court.  I will see you there.

So, Halloween has come and gone.  Most of the candy is out of the house.  The decorations have been taken down, and put away.  Now we get ready for the end of year holiday onslaught. 

More decorations to dig out and put up.  The time changed back an hour.  Which really messes me up this time of year.  I don’t have much trouble in the springing forward part, but this falling back really takes its toll.  I think because of all the darkness.  You get up in the dark, go to work in the dark, and then come home in the dark.  Dark, dark, dark.

Growing up, holidays took on a different feel.  I grew up in a good sized family.  2 Aunts, and 2 Uncles.  A smattering of cousins tossed in for good measure.  And that was just on my Dad’s side.  My Mom had 10 Brothers and Sisters, but we didn’t see them as much as they lived on the Detroit side of Michigan.  And we can’t remember my Grandparents.  Earl and Vida lived on a farm outside of the small town I grew up in.  Not a huge farm, but to me it was the greatest place there was.  And holiday dinners with my Grandparents, Aunts and Uncles, and cousins were wonderful.  Great food, people who loved you, and a warm house.  Gathered around the TV, or playing games in the dining room.  Taking naps on the floor listening to the adults talk.  Voices of people who loved one another. 

Those were good times.

Though I am not so sure whether it is writers block, or just not having the same levels of angst/anger/depression that I had prior to the introduction of zoloft to my system.  Rather Sertralin, not zoloft.  You get the idea.

And then there is the aspect of having our laptop baptized.

Either way, it has been a struggle for me to sit here and not just play FarmVille on FaceCrack.  I want to tell you stuff.  I want to tell you what it was like to watch my youngest daughter get ready for her first Homecoming dance.  The twinge I felt knowing that I never got to see my eldest getting ready for hers.  Or that I never got to see my sons leaving for theirs.

I want to tell you about the beer that I am making, and the new process that I am using.  I want to tell you about the batch that I muffed and bottled too early, and now I don’t know what it is going to taste like.

I want to tell you about the holiday beers that I have planned, and am really excited about brewing for Christmas, and New Years.

But I think that I have some corn that needs harvesting right now.

Namaste.

Yeah, I am over the whole holiday thing. Can’t wait for this coming Sunday when I take down the tree, and put it back in the storage shed. That will be a good day.

The holidays are fine. I actually enjoyed them more this year for the first time in a long time. Why? Because I had the week of Christmas off. I didn’t have to go deal with the ugliness of retail right before the big day. That is what made the difference this year. I made beer, bottled beer. Made cookies, and fudge, and had just a great time with The Princess, and MLW.

But it now needs to end. I go back to work Saturday for an evening shift, have Sunday off to put Christmas back in storage, and the rest of the year starts.

Be safe this next week. Don’t drink and drive. Don’t let you kids drink and drive, and don’t let them ride with someone who has been drinking. Keep your family intact.

That is the reason for the season, dude.

namaste.

The day has arrived, the presents have been opened, everyone is happy.

I am perplexed by the reaction of The Princess to her gifts. I had thought that at 13 a girl was beyond toys. But it seems that I was wrong. The biggest exclamations came from something called “moon sand”, and a “meeba”. I have to say that I have no clue what this items are, but as I am typing this The Princess is playing with her “meeba”. With a bow pasted to her head.

I love my girls.

Merry Christmas, have a safe and sane holiday.

Namaste.