The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly

Okay I made it home last night from the frigid north and Dad’s 80th celebration.

The Good:
It was sunny and 4 degrees yesterday when we left! Woo –hoo!!!
Satellite radio in the rent a car so one could listen to comics and laugh on the dreadful drive.
My Dad was sincerely gleeful and thankful for the party and had a helluva good time.
(hangover to prove it)
Hubby and I saw some friends and family that were fun to see and party with.
The food at the party was superb!

The Bad:
It was sunny and 4 degrees yesterday when we left
It was snowing and blowing and frigid all weekend.
It was 50-60 mile an hour winds and that made it -12 to -15 degrees outside on the day of the party.
The snow was blowing so hard you couldn’t see and the wind made it difficult to walk.
The hole in my tongue is from biting it so much around family and other assorted numb nuts.
The hotel bed.
'nuff said.

The Ugly:
It was sunny and 4 degrees yesterday when we left and that was the high the whole time we were there!!!!!
There was a foot of snow that fell and another 6-12 on it’s way when we left.
One sister did not show up for her father’s 80th birthday. There are no excuses for that.
The smell of the car with 50 garlic and butter chicken wings that my husband insist he had to buy from this local bar to bring back home. Oh it was bad. The poor folks who rent that car next.

Overall not too bad of a trip...getting started was a hoot.
My husband was making all kinds of goofy mistakes when we were trying to leave our home. We drove around our development for 45 minutes before we could truly leave. The first time we got to the traffic light to turn on to the highway he says he left his wallet on the dresser....so back we go. Then we get to the last intersection before we leave the development and I ask, did you remember to get the E-Z pass out of the car? He answers so proudly, “I sure did and he removes it out of his sweatshirt pocket as he does a “ta-da”. I look at what he is holding and laugh and say, “honey that is the garage door opener.” Back we go.....again.
I am laughing hysterically at this point because he was so damn proud that he remembered without me having to tell him. C’mon now you all know that’s funny. So as we pull away from our house I say, “Are we really ready this time?” He says we sure are and we try this again. Now leaving our development we should turn left....he turns right. I say while laughing my ass off, “Where are we going?” He says angrily, “Margaret where the hell you think we’re going?” I am laughing so hard because to me this is funny but I am also just a bit scared like my stud muffin is perhaps getting Alzheimer’s? I say, "Hon, we are headed toward DC and we are going the wrong way." To which he responds with a few obscenities and does yet another u-turn and he says to me, “My God my head is up my ass today....and you don’t need to comment any further on that.” I just laughed. No need to abuse the old coot.

Seeing my father have so much fun and be so damn happy was worth all the bullshit and the family crap. I mean really, he’s 80, how many more times will I see him that happy? How many more times will I even get to spend that much time with him? He can truly be a pain in the arse but he means well most of the time. I have to try and remember that.
A few others there....not so much.

I’m home now at one with my stuff and my great bed and where the cold is relative. Today it is 28 degrees....that would have been a heat wave where I was so I am doubly glad to be home. It’s true, there is no place like home.