Thoughts on Thursday/A Time to Vent

Maybe you haven't been wondering what happened to me....but I am going to explain a little anyway:

• I've imposed upon myself the rule that I have to finish my posts about New Orleans before I can move on....and I have lots of photos and a few thoughts I wanna share....so those posts are still incomplete. I want to get back to posting different things.......whether you want me to or not.
• Isn't Christmas suppose to be a happy, joyful time? Well I (like many others), don't feel that way. I am way too stressed....I know I put it on myself....I want to have a FABULOUS family gathering, like everyone else says they have. Lately I am just on the verge of tears, everything is getting to me. I know I am not alone. At our Red Hat Christmas party we shared our wishes for the new year.....so many gals had family or health struggles to share. They cried and we cried.
• We are having the extended family here on the 24th, everyone takes a turn.....not my family, mostly Kevin's family, mainly his first wife's family. Hubby doesn't help; let's see....he brings the box with the tree inside for me and he cleans up after everyone leaves on the 24th. He might make breakfast on Christmas day.
• The Sunday after Christmas we are getting together with my family and I am organizing that. That doesn't stress me too much, I am just wondering who is going to be there. We have to bring everything! My daughter and sister will help :-)
• My hubby is soooooooo very distant and most of the time I can deal with it, but lately it's getting to me. He is acting more like his +%$%#@ twin brother who is in the process of a divorce. I just want him to talk to me and treat me like a person. Other men do.....at work, on the bus trip, total strangers.
• He does just the bare minimum of home maintenance here....we still have leaves that should be raked up. Last month we had a new furnace put in and Monday I stepped into a puddle of water in our basement and I had to call a plumber (thank God I work for one) and we got a new water heater. He was golfing and I had no way to get in touch with him (he REFUSES to own a cell phone). I know what to do when a water heater leaks anyway. Of course it wasn't just an ordinary heater, we needed the one that is twice as costly as an ordinary one, with twice the time to install it.
• I have lots of Christmas programs to attend, unfortunately I had to turn down a couple of invites. I feel really bad but I just can not do everyone.

Thanks for letting me vent......I could go on but I HAVE to get something done today before I take my grandsons to their Sno Ball tonight. It's a winter dance (party) at their elementary school. Wish me luck!