Christmas Camp Out − 26 December, 2007
I love my family, I really do, but sometimes… sometimes I just… well, let me tell you about my accommodations Christmas Eve…My mother wanted my husband and I to come out and spend the night at their house Christmas Eve. Against my husband’s wishes, I said yes – after all, it is family, and they have plenty of room in their house – and it’s only one night, right?My husband was not thrilled – last year we had driven over to spend Christmas Eve there and stayed in a hotel because, despite the fact that my dogs are all perfectly trained and behaved, my parents did not want them in the house. So the dogs spent 24 hours in their crates in my van. My husband did not want that to happen again – the dogs are his “kids” and he felt that at least my parents could have allowed us to put the crates in the garage or something.So this year, my mother says she will accommodate us. They have 3 bedrooms and a study with a pull-out couch – plenty of room.We spent the night (notice I didn’t say “slept”?) OUTSIDE. Yes, outside. We were relegated to the “lanai” – passive-aggressive punishment for bringing our dogs, I suppose. Even though I strongly suggested we at least get to stay in the garage, apparently it was too much to ask for them to move their cars out for the night. At least the garage would’ve been INSULATED, relatively sound-proof and an actual room. But no, we didn’t even earn the right to the garage. We got an alcove on their patio.It was cold, and given the fact they are in the middle of nowhere, there was wildlife making noise all through the night – including a couple of groups of feral pigs. And you can imagine the commotion caused by feral pigs – my dogs kept firing off at the critters who stopped by throughout the night.It was not fun. Also, I had surgery on Thursday, so I am still recovering from that, so here we are – I am swollen and tired and hurting – and now shivering and sleepless all through the night. And of course, as we are outside, it’s a full moon and there was no hope of getting even a catnap in when the sun comes up, bright and shiny. It was miserable. Needless to say I was not myself Christmas Day. Happily, my dad made it home Christmas Day – he had been over in France to be with his sister, who passed away last week. I hadn’t seen my family in quite awhile, so it was good to get together and spend time with everyone.We had a barbecue on the beach – a new Christmas tradition – but alas, it was soon time to go home. As we had taken my van, I had to drive there and back, which was also no fun when your face is swollen and you are tired. It was so wonderful to finally get to my own home where I went upstairs to bed as soon as we got home. So, we’ll see about next year… my husband only visits my parents when we do our yearly Christmas trek out there. He refuses to board the dogs just for that – especially since my parents have a dog of their own, who they are just nuts about, and our dogs are never a problem.I am so terribly disappointed with my parents. I would never have done what they did. So I can sympathize with another couple who stayed in a barn Christmas Eve many years ago…
