So, my evil plan to take over the world is slowly coming to fruition. My parents are now hooked on Trading Spaces - they're having a marathon today on TLC and I'm in fung shuei heaven. This is only the first of many steps I'm taking in brainwashing the 'rents.
I was thinking I would bore you all with the list of Christmas goodies that awaited me this morning under the tree, but now I'm not going to. But, I win in the giving sector. I bought my mom the best gift ever - a cashmiere sweater! She absolutely loves it! Which makes me happier than getting any gift (except, maybe, a new car, but I'm guessing that will never happen). I did get a pimpin' DVD player, although I have no DVDs to watch in it.
Christmas seems to have suddenly turned into a four-day affair, as I'm cautiously awaiting the arrival of my sisters (without Katie; she is so very stubborn) tomorrow evening. I'm thinking if I just bake cookies for them all day tomorrow, there will be no uneasy moments, cause they'll be too busy eating my culinary treats. Since we had Christmas at my Grandma's Sunday, we were invited to go to my aunt Lori's this afternoon for some Gold Star Chili and spaghetti. Yum! My mom made her famous derby pie, which is like the best food ever, except maybe for tomatoes, mashed potatoes, and crab rangoon. And my grandma came and brought some homemade fudge. Whatever weight I may have lost last week from the diet of potatoes has returned, I'm sure (I'm in fear of the scale right now). And I've made plans to take my cousins Billy and Bethany down to the Levee on Friday to see Monsters, Inc. I'm just bursting with excitement at the prospect. I may just let Billy drive my car (he just got his temps).
And now for the Dad issue. So, when I got home from school last Sunday, there was a check waiting for me on the dining room table - my Christmas present from him. Definitely something I can use, but money from your dad just says to me, "I don't really know you well enough to get you anything else. Sorry." I haven't seen him since I've been home, and I tried to call him twice today, but he wasn't home. I'm a little hurt that he didn't even bother to call to say Merry Christmas or anything, but I'm not all that surprised. My guess is that he and the rest of my crazy relatives went to visit my uncle, in his little halfway house, or whatever he's in. See, when I say my family is crazy, I don't know if people believe me, but here is just more proof:
So last March or April or some such, my mom calls me out of the blue and asks if I know anything about my uncle being in jail. To this, I reply, "No one has told me anything about it." Apparently she heard on the radio, of all places, that my uncle was arrested for embezzling over one hundred thousand dollars from the bank where he was some big important figure. When I asked my dad about it, he told me that it wasn't any of my business. Okay, whatever. The strangest thing about it is that my grandparents are still totally in love with him - they think he is just the greatest thing since cheese (not that such a thing could ever exist that was greater than cheese), but I have been completely ostracized from the family since the time, seven years ago, that I told them all they were hypocrites for claiming to be such righteous christians and talking shit about my father, my mother, and myself when we weren't around.
It's no wonder that no one can even FIND my aunt Susie, who moved to New York after my uncle (their son) died. Hell, I'd take the first chance I could get to get out of this family, too. I wouldn't even keep my last name, except that Bradley is just so much easier than Zix.
I didn't intend to write my Christmas memoirs here, but once you get going, sometimes you can't stop! Night, kiddies!
My apologies and a farewell??? - 2005-10-20
It should be Friday somewhere. - 2005-10-03
It's Friday again! - 2005-10-01
Amendment to previous entry... - 2005-09-26
Longer than I intended. It's to tide you over for another week. - 2005-09-23