Our subdivision tradition is to line the road with luminaries. It is lovely. But, last year, despite global warming, it was so cold and windy they would not stay lit. We put sand in the bottom of waxed and folded paper bags and set a tea light in each one. Last year most caught fire of blew out. This year they got little battery powered 'candles' from the dollar store. We turned them all off this morning and hope we can use them again next year.
I wouldn’t like that either. It was deathly quiet here but it was also very cold, down to 10 degrees by morning. One thing I noticed that was different this year was less outdoor Christmas lights on my street.
OK, here's my Christmas Rant. My daughter and SIL are in Germany for 3 weeks, but their 19 year old son came to Christmas Eve (from Austin) and brought their boxer (dog). Now I am a "dog person," but I really do not like that damn dog. She is hyper and really annoying, scratches up my floors/furniture, sheds all over everywhere, and slobbers on stuff. Totally gross, plus she PEED on my wood floor. Grandson said, "Oh no she didn't! She NEVER pees in the house." So I told him to see for himself, get a mop, and unless HE peed in the hallway then I am not convinced. I am a crabby grandma, but LEAVE YOUR DOG AT HOME. I had a house full of people and didn't want to be dog-sitting on Christmas Eve. OK. I'm done. (Except I spent Christmas morning re-mopping the hallway and mystery goo in the kitchen.)
@Beth Gallagher very inconsiderate. We put our dog in the crate as we have not broke her from jumping up on people yet. We do not like that and do not expect others to like it either.
You're not crabby. Grandson has no manners. And I hate drooling dogs. Why would anyone want such a breed?
I am totally with you on this, @Beth Gallagher ! I would not have wanted a large drooling dog visiting either. Even if the dog does not go to the bathroom in her own home, she was probably very distressed being in a strange house and strange people, and didn’t know how to tell someone when she needed to go out. I can see that maybe the grandson needed to bring the dog along, but he could have brought a crate and not just let her run all over your house, and finding someone to watch her in her own house would have been a much better plan, I think.
Yes, I really wanted my grandson here so I suppose seeing him was worth a few hours of the dog. I don't seem to have patience with stuff like I used to. Plus by the time everyone left last night I was really, really tired.
When I pulled into the parking lot of that church last night for the cookie swap that I missed, I called another woman from church to see if I goofed up (because I got there 1/2 hour early and foolishly thought perhaps no one was there yet.) I could barely hear her because she had several adult children and their families/grand kids and perhaps a few friends at the house. It sounded like Times Square on December 31. At first I was jealous, because I was stoked for the event I missed and was driving home to an empty house. But the idea of being around all that chaos made me feel tired just thinking about it.
Since our kids were little, we have always had a big blow-out on Christmas Eve... usually a fire in the fire pit outside, tons of food and booze, relatives, all the kids and their friends, blah, blah. Now I just don't have the stamina for it. I love to see them all but then I want them to go home so I can rest. I just can't run with the big dogs anymore, and I know what you mean about all the noise and chaos. There is a reason people have kids when they are young!! I know they were disappointed that there was no Christmas Eve shindig during covid and then when I was sick, but none of them have offered to have the get-together at THEIR house. I'd like to be the "guest" for a change and sit around with a margarita while someone else is cooking and mopping up dog pee. (Caution: humbug alert) I'm old, dammit. I did enjoy seeing them all, though!!
My sons often bring their dogs when they visit, but I don't allow them in the house. The dogs stay in the car outside and the owners walk their dogs and check on their welfare. I never took my dogs anywhere unless invited since I have been married, although I did when I was single, as my dog was my life and my best friend when I was alone.
We never took our dogs when visiting someone's home. Even the best behaved dogs can be unpredictable in a strange environment, plus I know that some people just don't like dogs or any animal in their home. One reason we bought an RV was so that we could take Harry along with us when we traveled, and we wouldn't have to worry about what to do with him when we got to a destination. I didn't know in advance that my grandson was bringing the dog; he just showed up with her and I felt imposed-upon but I didn't want to spoil Christmas over it. Next time I will make sure that everyone knows to make arrangements for their pets.
One daughter brings her tiny very old Chihuahua, her part Dalmatian and a dove. Now she has a lab like dog she will bring with her the next time. However they are very well behaved, and she crates them at night. The way the house is set up here not all that bad. However now we have Delilah the part GS..um this will be interesting on her next visit.
Last night's Christmas dinner at local Truck Stop/Cafe was pretty terrible. The dinner description looked good on the Christmas Dinner Menu, but it sure wasn't. We've ate at this cafe' a number of times and most of the meals were very good, until last night. The total cost? Believe us, you don't want to know! Wife and I agreed that it was the most awful Christmas dinner we'd every had. Next year, without a doubt (hopefully), we will be living in northwestern Nevada, not here.