U is for Ulcer

Dave and I were up late last night.  We had all the gifts bought and wrapped for a few days already, but we were just hanging out together, basking in the glow of a Christmas we were both excited for.  First time in years that things were not stressful at this time of year.

Sure,  he would have to go work EARLY xmas morning (4a-ish) because it was supposed to snow (he does snow removal in the off-season of his landscaping business), but we'd already told the kids they could open one gift each, and then when he came home, they could open the rest.  They were fine with that!  We planned to let them open the video games we got them since we knew that would occupy them until he could get home.

Then the phone rang....

Dave's right-hand guy is a twat.  He goes by W, and he's about as useless as a fish on a bike.  Don't get me wrong, he does his job and he's good at that part (irrigation mostly, but he does all sorts of other stuff for Dave, too), but the man cannot make a command decision to save his life.  He calls Dave at least 4 or 5 times a day when he's working, and what takes most people 30 seconds to say, W takes 5-10 minutes to say.  One time he actually called Dave to tell him the address he was going to was Street instead of Drive.  Seriously??? Write that shit down!  Text if if you have to!  Don't waste Dave's time and stress levels by calling to have a ten-minute conversation about it!!

I keep asking Dave why he doesn't just fire W and get someone else.  Dave says he would never be able to hire someone who can do all the things W does at the salary W has.

All right.  So he calls at 11:20p on Christmas Eve, and Dave thinks he's calling to ask his usual inane questions about the plan of action for snow removal the next day (same questions EVERY time it snows).  He never calls this late, though.

Dave didn't get to his phone fast enough, so it goes to voicemail.  He comes back from our home office red-faced mad. 

W picked up the smaller truck with the snowplow on it (we have a bigger truck, too) to take it home so he'd have it super-early when the snow gets to the right depth.  Nothing unusual there. 

That idiot rear-ended a City plow truck!!  How the FUCK do you not see a giant City of Denver plow truck?? 

So great.  Not only will that cost Dave about $5,000 just to fix the plow (not to mention what it's going to do to his insurance), not only that, but now they have only ONE plow truck for xmas day's work instead of the two they will need.

Dave didn't sleep at all last night.

On a brighter note....

We did have a lovely xmas day!  Dave was home about 9a so we had the kids and all three of us adults (gma, too!) open our presents and hang out for awhile before he has to go back out.

I love our family so much! 

I love that Dave has started a tradition where he doesn't know what to get me so he goes to a department store to buy the ugliest thing he can find, forcing me to return it and get what I really want.  Cracks me up!  Last year it was a hideous holiday sweater, this year it's a giant purse (he knows I hate big purses).  He's the best!

And our boys!  We get them each a book every year and also an assortment of things they asked for.  I love that no matter how many things we get that they actually asked for, they always (without being asked/told) sit and read their books first!

Even the MIL was in a great mood this morning!

I feel awful for Dave having to work today (I also have to work today, but not until 4p), and I'm terrified for how much W's accident is going to cost Dave, but for now, this moment....

it's Christmas!

Merry All to All, Ruth!