Friday, December 10, 2010

Body Shop Update & Christmas Blues Continued…

The wife and I are heading to the body shop tomorrow morning to see the work that’s been done and to do a final water leak test. I won’t be satisfied until we are 100% sure it no longer leaks. I’ll take some pictures while we are there and post them tomorrow.

As for the Christmas blues, part of the reason is both my Mothers death and birthday were within 8 days of each other. My sister is driving the family insane which would take pages to explain and this year it will be just my brother, his wife and their son and I celebrating and none of us are really getting into it. Matt suggested I do some volunteer work, one has to have the free time to do these things, right now I just don’t.

What always got me into the spirit was knowing how much my Mother enjoyed getting ready to have everybody over and going shopping with her, she was like a kid in a candy store when she shopped for Christmas. Almost every year for most of this past decade my wife and I took her to the Amana Colonies during their Prelude to Christmas weekend. She loved doing that so much.

It’s just not going to be the same, this will be Christmas number 2 without her, last year we muddled through it in cruise control and it just kind of went by, we were numb so didn’t really think of Christmas. This year it has really sunk in I suppose and we are trying to find a new tradition and start fresh. I think once we get past this one, next year will be easier and hopefully it will become something we all look forward to again.

My spirits are a bit better today, there is snow on the ground, so many more houses are decorated this year than there was last year so slowly but surely I feel the humbug ebbing away. The only way is to take it day by day and remember that she would want us to celebrate as she would. We are striving to do so and hopefully we get there before Christmas has come and gone.

Thanks for the kind words everybody.

Erik

6 comments:

Sue and Doug said...

hang in there..life will get better!

Andy said...

You said what really matters, "she would want you to enjoy the holidays" not be sad. By getting into the spirit you are doing what she would want. It never gets easy, but it does get easier.

Chuck and Anneke's RV travels said...

I am sure it will get better. Life is all about transitions. My mother spent as lot of time with us after my father was gone. Her passing required us to change our traditions again.

Margie and Roger said...

Sadly, life is full of changes, some good, some not so good. I'm sure your mother would want you to make the most of the holiday season, but only as much as you are able to do each year.

Erik's RV Blog said...

Margie,

Agreed, she would have told me to cheer up and get into the spirit. I think the biggest reason I was down is she deserved to go out feeling good and enjoying life and this year full retirement but it's like something had to make sure it was a battle until the end.

She was a very special person and I am trying to handle Christmas as she would want it.

Thank you Margie, Chuck, Andy BigDawg and everybody else who has started to read and comment on my blog.

Erik

Unknown said...

just read about your mother and I know how sad you must be...especially this time of the year.Just remember that this too will pass.