She lost her father -- who really was the most lovely man -- two years ago in November and now her mother. And her mother's decline is pretty... self-determined, for lack of a better phrase. She apparently just quit taking her medication back in February and this is the outcome. It's awful. My friend has been a wreck because she knew her mother wasn't taking very good care of herself and she was advocating hard for her to sell her house and move into a home or a condo. So this is the realization of all her fears.
Also, she has a terrible relationship with her sister and that's never going to change. So in many ways, she's not going to have family after this. Her niece is about it.
That's awesome! Did you all plan to be there, or was it mostly coincidence?
Definitely a plan.
that IS nice! my company shuts down for 1 day in December and its just kind of painful.
I honestly always wonder how I did it before I worked at this place. But also, in Canada we do get the two days (Christmas + Boxing Day) so I will admit to having always wondered how Americans do Christmas and then go straight back to work.
ahhhhh, i see. Well, 'Black Friday' here has stretched into October, so I'm not sure anyone should still be using the term.
This does make me feel a little better, for some reason.
i am home the whole time. when I was younger, it was travel the whole time and I like staying home, more.
I will probably bounce steadily between my place and my mom's for the month. My niece and nephew will be down the street this year, which will be great. They were living with us two years ago, and Christmas was pretty great. Now they're back with their dad, and we definitely feel their absence.
i have 4 bits of Christmas up (2 of them i bought recently, so do they really count as being 'taken out'?) and my fall wreath. i must harmonize for 1 season....after the tree goes up.
It IS cheering. I have some ikea lights that change colour, and then this little house they sell that lights up. That and a dollar-store wooden "forest" scene is oddly cheering in the evening. I think I'll keep it up well into the new year.
