Politely Walked Away..

As I still digest the happenings of Christmas season present, I thought I would entertain you with the happenings of Christmas past.  Ching and I try to spend an equal amount of time between his family and mine.  Last Christmas, we were in Ohio with his aunt and uncle (and their children).  His Aunt Angela and Uncle Ming-Luh (pronounced Loo) are the closest he has to parents and their daughters are as close as he is going to get to having sisters.

It is always hard to spent Christmas away from your own family because other families tend to have normal routines that an outsider would label as quirky like using potato flakes rather than real potatoes.  (I offered to peel potatoes several times)..All the Caucasian spouses (Lisa's husband, Debbie's husband and me) not only wonder what traditional dishes are going to be served in between the Chinese ones but also where the hell was the liquor?..Ching's family aren't really drinkers.

I have always gotten along with Lisa and Debbie, the only Ivy League educated stay-at-home moms that I know, but last year, there were several instances when I just had to politely walk away.  Like Debbie asking if we would like to contribute $250 to Angela and Ming-Luh's Christmas gift.  Apparently they wanted to give them an Ipad.  While it was pricey, we agreed to contribute and were there when it was given.  A+M were grateful but less than enthused.  It went unopened for 3 days.  They had no urge to use it.  Debbie didn't find out if it was a gift that they would use before we all chipped in.  Really?!  I politely walked away.  Strike 1 for Debbie....

Now Lisa....Ching talks to Lisa a little more than Debbie.  Lisa and Ching went to college in Boston at the same time (he at BC, she at Harvard)  Since I am on Facebook, I thought it would be another way to stay connected. I asked her if she was on Facebook..she told me that she didn't have time.  Lisa is a stay at home mom with a live in nanny that cooks for them.  Apparently I have plenty of time...I didn't say anything and politely walked away.  Strike 1 for Lisa...

(The stay gave me such a headache.  I wasn't sure if I had a headache because I was keeping in my snark or that I wasn't drinking what they were offering as coffee.  They drink Taster's Choice..you know, the instant coffee with iridescent flakes.  I am not a coffee snob (I would suck on the bean if I had to) but that stuff takes like crap...)

And that leads me to Angela.  She loves Ching and has been very nice to me but Holy God!  I wear a size 8.5 shoe!  My foot is not going to fit into your size 7 used flip flop sandals with the big Boca rhinestones.  No matter how much you don't want to waste them..find someone else because I can't wear them.  If you ask me on Sunday and they don't fit, they are not going to fit on Tuesday.  Mild strike #1 for Angela..

But strike #2 was the be all, end all.  Angela told me that I should have Rachel (who was 5 months old at the time) sleep on her stomach because her face is very round.  Sleeping on her stomach would elongate her face because apparently long faces are better than round ones.  Holy Crap..first of all, Angela--have you met my husband, your nephew?  His face is the definition of round..secondly HOLY CRAP!  Ching heard this and chuckled uncomfortably.  I held back and politely walked away.

I counted down the days until I could come home.  But it is quite possible that Ching was counting down the days this year...