"The Party's Over......"

January's Lament

 

by: Bobby McDonald

 

All the stockings, that were hung with care, are hopefully packed away, not to be gotten out for at least 10 1/2 months, and heaven forbid that you look in the refrigerator, there's still left-over turkey, and a small package of dressing, that you didn't have room for in the freezer. There's a candy jar still half-full of red and green M&M's, that haven't been eaten, a few pieces of Aunt Bessie's famous fruitcake that nobody will touch, and yes, there's those credit card bills that will be arriving almost any day.......It's January!!!

The poinsettias are all shedding leaves and you still haven't taken all of the plastic bins of decorations to the attic, yet. And, there's still two or three strands of Christmas light's left in the yard. Oh, and those champagne glasses you used on New Year's Eve, they're still in the dishwasher, clean but not put away. There's party-mix left over and enough candied fruit to make three more batches of Christmas cookies, that needs to be added to the deep freeze, but deep down, you know that you'll be better off to just throw it away and start over next year! What are the chances of you finding it, it still being useable, and you using it next year?

Folks, there are three garments laying on the kitchen table that must still be returned for a different size, and there's even that wrapped Christmas gift, that you need to deliver to the neighbor that you failed to connect with, prior to the holidays.

You've traveled over 1000 miles, visited with relatives that you have nothing in common with, and endured the displeasure of seeing your once "close-knit" family, slowly disintegrate with each new addition. There's you favorite cousin, Fred, who brought his college-aged son to the table with two pierced ears, a mowhawk haircut, and reeking of marijuana. And, your favorite little niece, that you once bounced on your knee, brought her new boyfriend, with a garland tattooed around his neck, and announced that he thinks he'll let her make a living while he finds himself, in this world.

 

 

Your once level-headed and favorite aunt, Alice, who at 80 is widowed and "painting the town now," brought some braggart to Christmas, that all he could talk about was the "hot babes" he would date, if only Alice would let him! And, she announced that they would be taking "fox trotting" lessons, soon after the new year began.

The Redneck cousins brought their 25 family members and the family dog, that ate up the new leather couch you had just recently purchased, while managing to eat the last crumbs of your favorite coconut pie, before making what you thought was their exit. But, their van wouldn't start and you had to lone them $75.00, that you'll never, ever see again, to buy a battery, to get them out of the driveway!

Folks, it's January, and aren't you glad the holidays are all over?

As my dad once said, "The prettiest Christmas lights are the twinkling taillights as the kids and grandkids leave to go home!"

January is here and it's time to drink some "straight," black coffee, not laced with peppermint, chocolate, or some other flavoring, eat a normal breakfast, and head to the office, to start back to work. After all, January brings the property taxes to pay, the quarterly labor reports, and the beginnings of getting all of your transactions from last year organized!

It's back to "normal" and time to get to work, to pay off all of that "cheer" you enjoyed last month!

And, to top it all off, we traditionally have some of the coldest, snowy and icy weather, here in Hopkins County, during January! The heating bills will be exhorbiant!

 

Happy New Year!!!

 

Health Tip For the New Year:

 

 

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