so this is christmas

So ... certainly not a perfect Christmas, but I don't believe in such an animal anyway. We picked up one aquarium and setup for two gerbils (they're very social, or so we've read) on Dec. 23rd. One for The Boy, one for The Princess. Put them back in our closet. My, the black one sure was chasing the brown one. OH MY, there's blood on the walls of the aquarium. By Dec. 24th, it was, OH MYYY, the brown one has bite marks and a giant wound on one hip. Got online to learn how to make them stop fighting. Kept reading "...once blood has been drawn, there will be no reconciliation." Put Blackie in a small cage left over from when we had hermit crabs and called The Husband, who was out running errands. Better get another aquarium and set ups.

The little cold I had seemed to jump full force into a big cold on Christmas morning. Afrin 12 hour, Sudafed 12 hour, and coffee and mimosas all fought for dominance in my head. It was not unlike the feeling of two gerbils racing around and around ...

Dec. 26, I realized the gig was up. The cold had won and I wasn't going to fake it out. My sister-in-law, GlamourGirl had arrived, so she and The Husband took out the crew to the mall and to a movie while I swigged Nyquil and went back to bed. Today, they're out bowling, while I stay home, detoxing from medication to see what's the cold and what's fuzzy-drugs, and watching sappy holiday movies I tivoed.

I'd be lying if I didn't admit to being disappointed. But it's an ordinary disappointment, getting a cold. And ordinary disappointments still happen, even after Great Big Things like cancer. Paper cuts still hurt, even if they happen after winning the lottery, I imagine.

And ... if I have to be sick, this is the way. House to myself, don't have to take care of anyone but me.

And even if it wasn't the perfect Christmas for me, I think several folks in my house feel it was pretty darn perfect for them. Like two kids with their own gerbils, that they can keep in their own rooms. "It's the best gift Santa ever brought me," says The Princess. And Bo Peep with her chef set. And Little Warrior, who doesn't remember other Christmases, but still says, this was the BEST one in her Whole Entire Life.

Which, in a way, makes it mine, too.