Exactly

I knew, but didn’t really know, that the holidays would be hard this year. I knew intellectually, but didn’t really grok how it would feel. It felt wrong to have Thanksgiving without Chickie—as thankful as I am for so many other things—and although we usually do the tree and the decorations the weekend after Thanksgiving, I didn’t say anything, and neither did Otto or Monkey, so we just let it go. There’s plenty of time. She’ll be home in a few weeks, for a bit, and we’ll try to figure out how to cram in all of the family togetherness we need around this year’s unprecedented weirdness.

So we had a nice meal with friends and have been doing Leftoverpalozza ever since. Yesterday was the first batch of soup, and the moving-of-all-leftovers-from-giant-containers-to-slightly-smaller-containers, and this morning I lovingly packed turkey sandwiches for the boys to take in their lunch. (“Turkey again?” YOU WILL SHUT UP AND EAT IT AND YOU’LL LIKE IT.) Some things are the same as always, even with other things so very different.

But I am trying to get into the Holiday Spirit.

Monkey helped, totally by accident.

See, when we visited the Titanic exhibit, we of course bought cheesy souvenirs before we came home. I, naturally, was drawn to the fridge magnets, because our refrigerator always looks like some sort of demented Chicken Soup For The Twisted Yet Somewhat Repentant Soul book threw up on it, and why not add an ill-fated ship?

But the problem was, the magnet was cheap, and would never stay upright. Observe:

Otto suggested maybe this was by design; perhaps the WHOLE POINT was that the Titanic couldn’t stay afloat? I suspect shoddy overseas manufacturing, myself, but whatever. Maybe he was right.

But this magnet was DEEPLY OFFENSIVE to Monkey, because Monkey is generally a glass-mostly-full sort, and he wanted the Titanic to stay up. On the other hand, he’s still my child, so thanks to some LOLspeak magnets of ours, he rigged the perfect solution:

His calm (and humorous) acceptance of the inevitable has proven to by my own personal holiday-time revelation. I think… I think my heart grows three sizes every time I open the fridge, now.

23 Comments

  1. birchsprite

    he’s a bright star that boy!

  2. dad

    KTHXBAI to the rescue!

    Huh?
    What a guy.

  3. Jenne

    Love it! And I LOVE the THINK card – it’s my desktop at work. We save the tear-off pages from the Life’ Little Instruction page-a-day calendar on the bathroom shelf. I have no idea what to do with them, but we have a huge pile of them :)

  4. Kate M

    That Monkey is a problem solver, but I love the twisted irony of the Titanic that is determined to sink.

    I have that exact THINK printable on my fridge too. Love it!

  5. kapgaf

    Well the Titanic also kind of sank because of shoddy overseas manufacturing…..KTHXBAI

  6. Korinthia Klein

    Monkey is king of the world!

  7. Celeste

    He’s not just a boy… he’s a BUOY. :)

  8. Jen H.

    Love that boy!

  9. Golden

    lol!
    But wait, where did you get that Think poster/card thingie? There is a certain monkey-esque boy in my house who could benefit from the visual.

  10. Jamie

    We have different issues, but I feel very much the same this holiday season. My husband and I separated about 2 months ago, supposedly with the intent on reconciliation, but it seems nothing like that for me. Regardless, I appreciate your thoughts on the holiday challenges as I am trying to do the same as you – keep afloat, try to enjoy it, just survive.

  11. Aimee

    Monkey exists, therefore he is awesome!

  12. Mom24@4evermom

    Definitely awesome. :)

    The T-H-I-N-K saying is one of my favorites.

    Keeping you in my thoughts and prayers, I know it’s going to be a different holiday season for you.

  13. Arnebya

    I agree with Monkey. No reason for the Titanic to remain in a perpetual state of sidewaysness. I’m hoping you get the spirit, Mir. I’m hoping and a wishin’ and a prayin’ for it for myself as well. It’ll happen. Chickie might right your mind just like Monkey righted the ship and thereby righted your spirit. We’re in the land of cause and effect it seems. I should tell my mind.

  14. suburbancorrespondent

    I’m liking that THINK card also! Congrats on making it through Thanksgiving. Our bar is so low, we’re just glad to eat Thanksgiving dinner without being limited to plastic utensils, if you know what I mean. 3 years ago this week…

  15. Mary K. in Rockport

    KTHXBAI? ???

  16. Chris

    I had to look it up but that is good. (Yes i am too old for these things).

    Hang in there – 2012 only has about a month to go!

  17. Jill W.

    I LOVE that!!!

  18. Lara

    Love the Think! What on earth is KTHXBAI? Jenne – I find they are great for note-taking e.g. By the phone, on the fridge etc.

  19. mandy

    KTHXBAI = “Okay, Thanks, Bye”

  20. laura

    My husband tried to clear the refrigerator of all my preciousness before Thanksgiving. It was close but I managed to keep everything. Whew.

  21. karen

    ..a buoy in deed :-)

  22. Daisy

    I tell you, I love this young man. He’s a gem.

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