'Well, she should just have a glass of wine to warm up, but she won't do that!'
This is what my mom said aloud to no one in particular after I mentioned that I was a bit cold at a small New Year's dinner function at a family friend's house last night. The above sort of complaint-rant would have been fine, if I hadn't quit drinking last December. It's not that I won't have a drink, like some obstinate child. It's that I feel I currently should not drink. I didn't make a big show of stopping drinking, but did mention having quit at a party--where all these New Year's revelers also were-- I had given at my place this past August. The guests were well-stocked with beer and wine, but I wasn't partaking. The question 'why aren't you drinking?' came up a few times, so I answered.
Just before midnight it seemed to be thought that not drinking didn't include a toast with Sekt & someone tried to pour me a glass. 'Just a little bit is okay to ring in 2017, right?' 'Oh, no thank you.' One of the party hosts also doesn't drink, so we two toasted with juice. -quite nice.
I wasn't too phased with what mom had said although it bugged a bit. And I imagine that many who don't drink are faced with the whole 'won't you have a little glass of champagne?' on Dec. 31st. What did annoy, to be honest, was my mom's Trump-voting husband's commentary. He'd managed to squeeze in a few pro-Trump/pro-Russia opinions over the dinner table that no one cared to hear. He also apparently thinks that any car sticker identifying him as having been in the Navy in the 60s would make him a target for 'terrorists'. Such ID got him 'out of more speeding tickets' than he could count, but now it could kill him. All mom could do in response was to verbally jab at her husband in a really ineffectual way that wound up making everything feel just a bit worse. After he'd managed to gamble away their savings on a stupid house-flip scheme back in 2009, thus relegating them to renting in one of the most economically depressed areas in No. California far away from friends and family, I'd begun disliking him a great deal. I think that dislike has now spilled over into hate.
Oh, and the neo-Nazi brat that raged at my German group for not being right extremist a-holes like he is sent a mail to all the German club organizers on New Year's stating 'Das Reich kommt wieder'. From what I recall, he lives with his grandma. -wonder if she knows what's percolating in that head of his.
So how was your New Year's? Better than mine, I hope!
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Every now and then my mom will drop a nugget of her personal history on me and anyone else lucky enough to be in earshot. Last night over d...
I'm just glad none invited me anywhere. I was more than happy to spend it by myself. Some people are such bores and I don't suffer fools gladly, so I would have had to tape my mouth shut. I hope it gets much better after that.
ReplyDeleteYeah, I had a bit of trepidation about the evening, but I really dig the family friends. My mom's husband is a real handful, and, I guess, my mom is becoming one, too.
DeleteLike Donna, I spent New Year's Eve on my own. And didn't toast it with anything. Indeed I let it find its own way in, and retired to bed early. Which was lovely.
ReplyDeleteIt sounds as if your mama's husband is an expert at having his cake, keeping his cake and banking it too. Whatever fits the moment.
I hope your year precedes in a much more positive and kindly way.
Thank you for your kind words, E.C. I probably should have stayed home. Ah, well.
DeleteI'm glad you had a lovely, peaceful evening.
That's the nice thing of being in a family of teetotalers. No one questions my not drinking.
ReplyDeleteMy SIL laments this, but she knew my brother was a non-drinker when she married him. My niece promises that her mom won't drink alone, just as soon as she turns 21 (6 years).
They love the sparkling cider. (I can't do carbonated anything, so that's out for me.) I find not toasting works just fine.
I think I dislike your mother's husband just from your description of him.
Here's to a family of teetotalers! Sorry for the SIL. :D
DeleteThere's more to tell about the mother's hubs that would make you like him even less, but I'll just keep that bit to myself...for now.
I also had to quit drinking (some years ago). Those times were good times in my life, but my life changed and I just had to let it go. It's hard sometimes, but I keep in there. If it's what you gotta do, do it! People are schmucks sometimes when it comes to things like social things. My husband use to give me a hard time because I quit smoking.. dumb, I know. Happy New Year friend. Hope you're warm in cali
ReplyDeleteIt's chilly and rainy here today. I've got the thermostat up, so I'm warm. :)
DeleteYeah, people are funny around abstinence. Good for you for letting go of things that weren't healthy for you anymore! Happy New Year to you, too, dear D!