Home again

Well, officially we've been home since Friday. We successfully spend one entire week in Great Falls without too much drama. We actually had quite a bit of fun and got to spend time with everyone we wanted to. My ex-step-sister Nicole recently became a Pampered Chef Rep, and my mother has jumped head first into helping her. For me this meant sitting through three parties in three days. It definitely got old, but I did get some free stuff.

My mother and I had our moments during the stay. We both have very strong opinions (as most of you know) and they happen to be opposite most of the times. I'm not sure how that happened with her strong influence on me growing up, but it did. And she doesn't like it much. Usually we can have a decent debate about an issue, but she got pretty upset with me a couple of times. (and yes, I do enjoy getting her wound up) For example, we had a conversation about work, pay, retirement, etc. I told her I felt that CNA's at nursing homes are undervalued and underpaid. After all, they get yelled at, hit, and shit on all day. She took that to mean that I undervalued her work somehow and proceeded on her in-public rant about all she sacrifices for her job (weekends, evenings, vacations). Then she told Nicole the next day that I said people at McDonald's should make the same as her. Never mind McDonald's was never mentioned. Maybe the alcohol had something to do with it. Sometimes I think she's disappointed that I have opinions of my own, even though she taught me to have the strong personality I do.

We also got to spend some time with Marlena which I had not done in some time. It always reminds me that no matter how different we become, we will always be friends. I can count all of my friends on one hand and I thought about all of you over Thanksgiving.

We went out too much, drank too much, ate too much-a fairly normal vacation. I managed to get hardly any homework done, but I am catching up now. Only three more weeks left in the semester.

Thoughts and love to Sara who lost a good friend of hers last week. RIP Maggie!