Applying for a rebate

That's what I want for Christmas-a rebate.

This season has almost completely passed me by. I miss so much of what I used to do holiday-wise (Christmas was a huge deal in my former married life), which is now almost next to nothing.

Having ailing parents has not helped at all, either.

I've spent a great deal of my spare time lately dealing with them and their doctors. My Dad developed a gangrenous condition a month back-dealing with the surgery (big toe amputation) and the recovery involved could almost be a full time job for several people. I have to say that the hospital that he is in (Mountainside Hospital in Montclair, NJ) made a lot of this problem easier by getting my mother and I clear information much of the time.

Johnny, the new hound, has been really easy to have around. His demands are few and easily met. He does suffer from car-sickness, though-this is something I never gave even a second thought before, having dogs that seemed well attuned to driving around. I am going longer distances, though-commuting regularly 60 miles to my Mom's and then another 70 miles (on top of that) to Laura's place up in Westchester. Poor guy has probably spent very little time in a car before. BTW, settled on the name Johnny as it seems to fit him but, as usual, he has many names, most of them working well. He just doesn't like it when I raise my voice, so I'm making a concerted effort to not do that at all. He gives me absolutely no reason to raise it as he is an almost perfect gentleman.

Please put up a little corny or kitschy ornament for me and know that I'll be back next year, much like Santa, to hopefully enjoy my holiday a little more fully.