Home for the Holidays

I am home for the holidays. My home, that is. The one I have made for myself here, in the condo I have bought, with my two precious kittens. I am fortunate that I have a roof over my head and food to put on my table. I'm making a steak (medium-rare of course) with a creamy pepper sauce, and potatoes au gratin with parmesan, asiago and reggiano parmiggiano. With a $4 bottle of chenin blanc pinot grigio. Yes, that's apparently one wine. I am watching LMN Christmas movies and sitting under my electric blanket (many thanks to my significant other) and typing on my new laptop (many thanks to my best friend).

I wish I were at my parents' home. I didn't find out until yesterday that all my family was together, celebrating Christmas together and cooking up some good eats. I miss cooking with my mother and my sisters. My mother is an amazing cook and my younger sister is a chef. My older sister is also a wonderful, creative cook. When we are all home, everything revolves around the kitchen and the oh so important question, "What are we going to eat?"

But alas, my car decided to break down one more time. I know it's the O2 sensor, so it's probably a good thing I didn't try to drive home; I'd have stalled out somewhere in the middle of Nowhere, Ohio.

I appreciate the people who have been thinking about me today and sent me a text or other message to say Merry Christmas. And the gift of friendship I have received from so many this year.

It's funny that after 5 months of unemployment, I feel like one more minor setback of my broken down car, while initially an annoyance, it merely makes me think I should just put the absolute minimum insurance coverage on my car, let it sit in my parking lot and start taking the bus until I start working again. It will save me a lot of money. And, I don't go many places these days.

It does make me feel like one of those people I would roll my eyes at in a previous life. That person who had to work the retail job because s/he didn't go to college, their car always broke down, they didn't have regular transportation, things in their life always seemed a mess. Well...I guess I'd roll my eyes at me now. If it can go wrong, it probably does. My life must look like a mess to other people. I'm not that successful exec that I used to be. I'm just scraping by. But I know I must need this, to learn something.

Who ever would have thought I'd be taking the bus, shopping at consignment shops for a new interview outfit, eating pasta and soup more often than ever. Certainly not me. I'm learning to roll with the punches and make the best of what I've been given...or what's been taken away.

And that is one of the best gifts I could ever receive.