HOLIDAY PARTIES ARE A DRAG...I'M REALLY NOT IN THE MOOD FOR THEM

BAH HUMBUG!

I know just how he feels

Just joking...or am I?  I'm never like this during the holidays.  The tree is up, and the house is decorated, but I have no holiday cheer.  I'm Mrs. Scrooge.

I'm just not in the mood for holiday parties this year.  Maybe I'm just not up to the performance art of it.  Holiday parties are normally ramped up show-off fests where people are shoved together who really can't stand one another.  You are forced to make small talk with the wives of men who work with your husband.  You have nothing in common, except for to ask "how has it been since I saw you at last year's holiday party?"  Then you have to listen to the answer--endless drivel about sons and daughters, school events, and vacations...yada yada yada.   I couldn't wait to get home.  I would have rather stayed home with Derek, as a matter of fact, and I'm sure that Philip would have preferred it.  But, the boss expected the men to bring their wives, so...since I am still a wife (on paper), we got a babysitter and I went.

Well, that was Friday night.  Then Saturday afternoon, we went to Roberta's annual shindig, which is always a pleasure (a little sarcasm there).  The highlight each year is finding out what new dress she bought for the occasion, and how much of her is falling out of it.  Her wonderful friends are always there--loud, flirty and available to all men (whether married or not).  I never really liked her parties,  but at least she invites the neighbors.  Chloe and Theresa were there with their families.  Our new neighbors were there too, looking a little shell-shocked when they popped in to say hi.  I put on a smile on my face and tried to have a good time, but my mind was somewhere else thinking about what I was missing.  

Chloe caught me staring into space, asked me what was wrong.   I think that I managed to change the subject well enough--said something like I was feeling under the weather, or some other crap like that.  I wish that I could get all excited about the holidays, but no matter how many cookies I make,  I'm still stuck in the same rut, unable to dig myself out.    Maybe