Platitude Paradise

I'm going to share a little secret with you.   Something people may not know about me.   You know ... because I am so 'discrete'.   Here you have it ... I hate realtors.   Hate. Them.   No ... REALLY. I mean it.   So for the back story ...   It all started about 6 years ago. Really this has been building since then. It was the decision that has now defined our daughters' childhood... and not so much in the good way.   I got it into my stupid little head that we should buy a house with an in-law suite so that my mom could move in with us when she retired.   ... yadda, yadda, yadda, six years later we are about to be foreclosed upon by not one but two lenders ...   Oh ... and I yadda'd a bankruptcy, a trip through social services, two job losses, a business failure and very nearly, the end of my relationship with my mother.   It boggles my mind how this has played out. Honestly, I'm si...

Dec 31st 2013 ... I submit for your approval, a new drink proposal: "The Twenty Thirteeni" (or should it be: "Thirtini"?) ... anyway, the drink needs to go down smooth, pack a monster of a punch and leave you with permanent brain damage when it's over ... something like absinthe, vodka, Kahlua and milk ... over crushed ice. Bitch will mess you up. Just like Twenty Thirteen.  Mess. You. Up. I'm sitting in my rec room, beside the roaring fire in my wood stove. My children are at ease enough to be tearing each other new assholes every 49 seconds ... my husband is playing with Shorty's new tablet ... we had a decent meal ... the de-Christmas-ing has been completed ... it was good.  We survived ... and I'm not only referring to the holiday season. *wipes brow* We had help. Mom really came through with a bunch of extras that we simply could not do. It was good. I feel like crap about it, but it was good. Really, w hen I lay out t...