We WERE going to go to Victorian Christmas today, since they were only running it on two weekends and Mom had some party to go to on the first weekend. But the weather here is fucking terrible, AND the event is in the mountains where everything is worse, AND one of Mom's headlights burned out last night which made for an .... interesting.... drive home (and us going, "Are they on? I can kinda see some light..." for 2 hours) and would be a lot worse up there. And whoever the hell it is Mom knows in the area called and said not to come. I am very bummed and kinda whiny about it.

So....we were stuck in my house today, and the inevitable drama about how I fail as a housekeeper was going on. Like complaining that I don't have milk for her cereal when (a) I haven't been home for most of a week and (b) I don't drink milk because every time I do, it starts to go bad in my mouth. I've warned her before that if she wants milk, she's bringing it, taking care of it, and taking it away with her. Or not liking that I am wearing two watches because she gave me one for Christmas, but I am still using the regular one I have that lights up in the dark (hey, it's useful). I was wearing them both on the left wrist, but she yelled at me to stop doing that and put one on the right wrist. Gaaaaaaaaaah. And while we found an open car repair store and picked up replacement car lights, we couldn't get the burned out light in her car fixed either--it was too rainy to send anyone under the hood to fix it.

She literally grabbed my arm and yelled at me in Safeway today (we had to pick up food that she'll actually eat, which does not exist in my house, I guess?). Why did she yell? She insisted on me getting breakfast food, wouldn't shut up about it, and when I got 2 bagels, then grabbed two packs of strawberry cream cheese in a 2-for-1 deal, well, apparently she doesn't like strawberry. Except she couldn't like, say that, or say, "I prefer plain" so I could say, "already have plain in the house, thanks." No, she was all bitching about why did I get that, and when I took the hint that she didn't want it and went to put the strawberry back, she grabbed my arm and yelled at me and said if I didn't stop now, I'd have to walk home. We were getting stared at, thanks, Mom. I called her out on the crazy in the car and she eventually apologized...but said I should use my words and talk to her more. Says the pot to the kettle here.

We're okay by now, and I am glad I called her out on it in a cool and practical matter. But at the time I was just like, "oh good god, stop iiiiiiiiiiit we need some time apart nowwwww."

What did improve things for the day was getting together with L, who was going to go to Nevada City with us until the great rainout. (I wonder if it got canceled on the day? I kinda hope?) Now, she and Mom get along--which is extremely impressive--and Mom was all, "ask her if she wants to get together for dinner." So we did that and had a good time taste testing stuff at the nearest pizza joint, and then we all drove around looking at this year's local Christmas light displays. Yes, I was going at the same time as Bev and probably passed her several times in the dark. But who can tell, especially when you are trying to not get out of the car in the rain?

Hell with it: the local house pics start on this page. I will especially highlight Henri Court, the blingiest neighborhood in town. I also liked Reindeer Houseand Santa's Beach House.

We went through...well, six houses with L before she wanted to go home, and then three after. By then, two of them had their lights off, so I don't think she missed much. We went to the Snoopy House again (unlike Bev, we arrived in a non-deluge period of time) and I got some better shots of what I didn't get before. and everyone else got to watch the light show.

L has invited us to come along to the dim sum lunch she is having with her visiting brother and the other friends of hers I met in Oakland a few months ago on Christmas Day in SF, and we have accepted. After that, I will go back to Mom's for a few days before coming back here...and then I'll probably have to go back to SF again to see Jackie, who is only free on the weekend...the back and forth is gonna get to me, I fear. I am kind of annoyed that I won't be able to update as many entries here on my "days off" from socializing that I was going to be shooting, for since Mom's net access now hates us all and refuses to work. But....hey, having more interesting plans on Christmas Day than fighting and cleaning is a big ol' plus. Especially when it's with nice people. And yes, the idea of hanging around SF is one of those things I keep whining about it wigging me out, but Christmas and Thanksgiving are the 2 calmest days there in the year, plus traveling in a pack is always better.

And hey, I finally caught up on reading everyone else's Holidailes posts, and writing mine, even if I am still behind on actually posting entries. I will try to post them as best I can before, well, needing to do more catchup again.

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