Angels, Dreams and Ding-A-Lings

So the last couple of weeks have been a roller-coaster. As with most families we have experienced the extremes of the season.  Angels popped in a couple of times to brave the Clutter Heap clean and decorate and help our family find some of the seasons joy.  It seems that Scrooge Mr. Murphy and his law also decided to take up permanent residence with us as well.

So without further ado… The Good,  The Bad, and well let’s just skip the Ugly. 

The Good:  Four Angels stopped by and helped me find the floor, even better they attacked and cleaned two of my bathrooms.  That act alone should insure Sainthood.

Another Batch of Friends showed up Monday and helped us Decorate, Decorate and Decorate.  The Kids loved it.  So did I because I was tempted just to decorate a tree and leave the rest of the stuff packed up.   Now I’m surrounded with reminders of  service and sharing and it feels like love to me.

As for Mr. Murphy… He prompted my teenager to put his feet on the windshield of the car and stretch.  So the single crack in the window became a spider web of cracks.  If I could knock some sense into the boy I would, but I don’t have a hammer large enough,  and I don’t want Child Protective Service knocking on my door for child battery, so I guess I’ll just have to deal him the way he is. 

Cha-Ching #1.

Since a broken windshield wasn’t enough, the next thing on his list was to cause the wiring in our portable swimming pool truck to go funky on the tail-lights.  And after we spent nearly $170 trying to fix the problem on our own,  we finally admitted we are auto idiots caved and took it to the dealer.  But the story doesn’t end there.  On the way to the dealer the radiator blew.

Cha-Chings #2 & 3.

But the biggest single incident that proves Murphy has joined our family happened to Prince Erik and Evo-man.  They decided to kill some time between appointments and window shop at the mall.  While they were in the mall some huge Ding-A-Ling driving a 11 foot tall U-Haul truck decided to pull in a 7 foot tall parking garage, thus hitting a high pressure water line which burst and get this… of all the thousands of cars parked at the mall that evening only one car was affected by the jet blast of water.  OURS!  Resulting in dents in the roof and somehow water found it’s way in through invisible vents to flood the cars floor with a few inches of water.

Cha-Ching for Dina-A-Ling #4 

Ding-A-Lings should be banned from driving U-Haul vehicles.

So Yesterday, Prince Erik unsuccessfully tried repeatedly to get a hold of Ding-A-Lings insurer but we can’t wait to fix the car or the water can mess with it’s wiring or so the dealer told us.  So the car is at the shop.  I think the dealership might give us the most valuable customer award for frequent visits.

Cha-Ching for Ding-A-Lings Insurance #5

Mr. Murphy also talked Mother Nature into giving our area a deep freeze with no temperatures over freezing for nearly a week – resulting in two broken pipes.

Cha-Ching #6

And I tell you all this because…  I’m laughing.  They say bad things happen in three.  And since we are up to six I’m showing Murphy the door.  That’s right Mr. Murphy and Mr. Ding-A-Ling.  I’m laughing at you.  Sure you can drain every spare penny out of my bank account, but you can’t touch the Spirit of Christmas.  And the harder you try the more I’m going to laugh in your face.  And even though you are trying to get me down, get this, in the meantime just think of all the friends in blog land, eternally grateful that they are not us.  

Of course I know that in telling Mr. Murphy that I’m laughing in his face is like saying to him… Try Harder.  In which case, I’m knocking pounding on wood with crossed fingers (rather unpleasant) while I’m typing this because I don’t want to invite any more of the shenanigans.  I’m done with them.

On the good side.  I finished sewing the Nativity costumes for our Church’s Children’s Nativity Program.  They worked out great and I was able to make Mary, Joseph, Three Wise Men, the Inn-Keeper, Two Shepherds and an Angel for Under $100.   (Thanks be it to Thrift store materials, and a good serger).

  

O.K. I’ll go ahead and show you the Ugly.  Our Christmas Tree came this year with a gift.  A Mummified Frog of all things.

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Now go enjoy your Christmas goodies after that fine fact.  I slipped the mummy in Mr. Murphy’s suitcase before I kicked him out the door.

I can’t wait to share with you an Honest-To-Goodness Real Christmas Family Letter.  It will be the best one we’ve ever sent.  Look for it soon.