post-holiday liminal period
By Kelli M
@spiderdust (14760)
San Jose, California
December 27, 2022 10:15pm CST
We had a good Christmas around here, and we're all trying to adjust back into the real world again. The kids are off school until at least the 3rd (although some are home until the 9th) but we adults are working our regular hours, so it's kind of a weird week. I'm looking forward to sleeping in tomorrow because it's a day off and I don't have to wake anyone for school, but it's also not going to be a usual quiet Wednesday for me.
In the picture above, 3 of the gifts I received are visible: a Bonne Maman advent calendar, an Edward Gorey wall calendar for the kitchen, and a BritBox subscription! I also received a new FitBit (the one I had last year had disintegrated and we couldn't reattach the band, so I was gifted an upgraded model) and a wooden ornament that someone purchased for me from the German immersion school (the one that hosts the German Christmas market every year).
I made dinner tonight from some of the leftover Christmas ham and a package of black beans from the freezer. I'm trying to free up some freezer space because I'm getting a couple of free turkeys from work in the next week. I suspect the rest of the week's meals will be made from a combination of leftovers and freezer fossils.
Is the space between Christmas and New Year's a weird time for you as well?
11 people like this
10 responses
@DaddyEvil (137602)
• United States
28 Dec 22
We ignore the New Year holiday. I always had to work at Walmart, so we never bothered to do anything and I hate being out driving with the drunks the night before.
Your received some nice gifts! 
I hope you have a good day off tomorrow.
I hope you have a good day off tomorrow.3 people like this
@crossbones27 (49722)
• Mojave, California
28 Dec 22
Man in your town of 6, 5 people are drunks. 
Come on man have to give you a hard time and I know people like go to other towns and truly travel. Not me though I been on both sides if we being honest and totally understand.
Come on man have to give you a hard time and I know people like go to other towns and truly travel. Not me though I been on both sides if we being honest and totally understand.3 people like this
@DaddyEvil (137602)
• United States
28 Dec 22
@crossbones27 True, the drunkards! But I worked 20 miles from home in another small city so I had to contend with drunks from the small towns along the way home, too. (There are 7 of us if you count Pretty, too. 
)
I hope you get a sober person to drive you around. I don't want you hurt when you're just trying to have some fun.
(There are 7 of us if you count Pretty, too. )
I hope you get a sober person to drive you around. I don't want you hurt when you're just trying to have some fun.3 people like this
@crossbones27 (49722)
• Mojave, California
28 Dec 22
@DaddyEvil You will never have to worry about that with me again. Those days are over and its not even worth it how much it can set you back these days, not to mention each year they make laws more strict for that kind of thing here. It is crazy looking at some of these bars that get so packed and you just go I hope they doing it right or they in for a world of hurt.
3 people like this
@spiderdust (14760)
• San Jose, California
28 Dec 22
It really is. I try to keep the decorations up.until the "Twelfth Day of Christmas" or January 6th, and that helps me mentally transition out of the holiday season.
1 person likes this
@sallypup (61643)
• Centralia, Washington
28 Dec 22
@spiderdust Isn't the 6th when the wisemen finally make it to Jesus?
@spiderdust (14760)
• San Jose, California
28 Dec 22
@sallypup I think so. Some people also refer to it as Twelfth Night.
1 person likes this
@celticeagle (168334)
• Boise, Idaho
28 Dec 22
I love the expression 'freezer fossils'. That's great. Sounds like you had a very nice Christmas.
1 person likes this
@spiderdust (14760)
• San Jose, California
28 Dec 22
Yes, I will also sometimes refer to "fridge fossils". It's the same idea, things that always seem to be sitting in there unused. In the case of freezer fossils, sometimes we literally have to chip them out of the ice!
1 person likes this
@RebeccasFarm (90474)
• Arvada, Colorado
28 Dec 22
Nice the kids are off.
Hope you get a bit of a rest then for your day off.
Free turkeys you cant beat that.
I love your presents there, so sweet and handy.
And a new Fitbit wow..never had one.
It isn't weird the space around here, it is always strange Kelli.
1 person likes this
@RebeccasFarm (90474)
• Arvada, Colorado
28 Dec 22
@spiderdust Oh yeah if you are washing dishes of course..well maybe somehow you can protect this one better..hope so. Do you have to wear dishwashing gloves?
@spiderdust (14760)
• San Jose, California
28 Dec 22
I bought myself a FitBit 2 years ago and it was great until the pins holding on the wristband fell apart. I have to wash dishes a lot at work, and I'm sure that was related to the pins deteriorating. Hopefully that won't happen with this one!
1 person likes this
@spiderdust (14760)
• San Jose, California
28 Dec 22
@RebeccasFarm I don't have to, but I sometimes do. It's also possible that the pins just wore out! They don't build things for permanence anymore.
1 person likes this
@TheHorse (220275)
• Walnut Creek, California
9 Jan 23
@spiderdust I think I would enjoy his sense of humor. Was he ever friends with the Monty Python people?
@TheHorse (220275)
• Walnut Creek, California
9 Jan 23
@spiderdust My favorite alphabet book (so far) was written by Shel Silverstein.
1 person likes this
@spiderdust (14760)
• San Jose, California
31 Dec 22
The Edward Gorey calendar? Sure thing! Edward Gorey was an illustrator known for drawing Edwardian era people in "unsettling" scenes and has a bit of a cult following. He likely inspired artists and authors like Tim Burton and Lemony Snicket. One book of his, The Gashlycrumb Tinies: A Very Gorey Alphabet Book, (which is a children's book!) showed every letter depicted with some disaster happening to a child. "A is for Amy who fell down the stairs, B is for Basil assaulted by bears." If I had to guess, the feet you see in the air are likely attached to a body that someone hid in the planter.
If you saw Mystery! on PBS in the 1980s, you likely saw the intro that Edward Gorey illustrated for the show.
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1 person likes this
@just4him (317238)
• Green Bay, Wisconsin
29 Dec 22
@spiderdust I'm glad I'm not the only one who felt that way.
1 person likes this
@spiderdust (14760)
• San Jose, California
29 Dec 22
All day yesterday, it felt like Saturday. I kept having to remind myself that it was only Wednesday.
1 person likes this
@pumpkinjam (8769)
• United Kingdom
28 Dec 22
It can be a strange time. I don't know if it's better or worse to be out of routine or having people all doing different things. I do love having my kids home. Today is my last day off work - I don't work weekends or public holidays so I would have had those anyway, but I had an extra day of leave either side of that so six days off altogether. We were supposed to go to my mum's today, as we hadn't seen her since before Christmas, but she was unwell. Instead, I had a long lie in and then took my eldest son up to a local arcade for drinks and games (we did invite the youngest but he didn't want to come with us). Over the past few days, we've been mostly playing games that we were given for Christmas. Tomorrow and Friday, I'll be working. I work from home so that's not too bad. I'm hoping it won't be too busy so I can make the most of having my boys here. The eldest is going on Sunday, spending some time with his dad's family before going back up to uni on Monday. I'm not sure when the youngest is back at college. I must remind him to check.
I seem to have rambled a little there! Anyway, yes, this limbo period can be strange. Saying that, I sometimes get into the 'I don't know what to do with myself' sort of mood even having one day off.
1 person likes this
@spiderdust (14760)
• San Jose, California
28 Dec 22
I don't mind the rambling!
I did get to sleep in a little bit today, but I woke up at 7:30am and lay in bed playing a game. My youngest son and I watched an episode of Adventure Time after he woke, then we had breakfast after the rest of the house started rousing themselves.
We finished off the cinnamon rolls left from Christmas morning. I suppose I should start pulling out things for lunch.
I did get to sleep in a little bit today, but I woke up at 7:30am and lay in bed playing a game. My youngest son and I watched an episode of Adventure Time after he woke, then we had breakfast after the rest of the house started rousing themselves.
We finished off the cinnamon rolls left from Christmas morning. I suppose I should start pulling out things for lunch. @crossbones27 (49722)
• Mojave, California
28 Dec 22
Very hectic sounding, glad you kind of get a day off.
1 person likes this
@spiderdust (14760)
• San Jose, California
28 Dec 22
I'm.glad I do too. I hope I can get a bit more caught up on laundry while I'm home tomorrow.
@spiderdust (14760)
• San Jose, California
28 Dec 22
I wish I could break them down into halves, but they're already frozen. A half turkey would be a more manageable amount to pull out for a meal, not to mention freezer space.
1 person likes this
@LadyDuck (472077)
• Switzerland
29 Dec 22
@spiderdust Now resting a few days before New Year's Eve celebration.
