Anyone know how to tie a noose?

Birthdays just aren't such a big deal when you're older. George asked me a couple weeks ago what I wanted. Originally, I told him a pair of diamond earrings. But then I told him just a card with something thoughtful written in it. Really, that is all I wanted. Going to the pharmacy, or Walmart, and picking out a card and writing something thoughful in it has some sort of innocence and feels so genuine to me.

Did I get a card?

No.

Yep. I was upset. I don't know if he's ever going to realise how important a birthday, or an anniversary, or mothers day is to me. He doesn't even like celebrating Christmas. Forget Valentines, Holloween and Thanksgiving. When you're married to someone who is such a downer on holidays, it really rubs off on you. Well, atleast me. It makes me feel stupid and childish for putting so much thought and excitement into them. Although, realistically, I know it's not stupid.

I ended up grocery shopping, buying liquor for the first time (and no, not because I turned 20. Legal age is 19, here - George was just being lazy.), and driving myself to Baskin Robbins to pick up my own birthday cake.

I got phonecalls, emails, IMs, messages, etc. from several wonderful friends. Including a phone call from an ex-boyfriend of mine - who is in Afghanistan! For him to think about calling me on my birthday while he's deployed means a lot to me. And my closest friend, whom I drifted apart from over the last couple of years, called me. She's at AIT training for the military.

It was really nice to speak with her again and not feel awkward. Things went downhill between her and I when I moved away with George. I tried to keep things going, but she wasn't reciprocating. I even drove 12 hours back home for her birthday one year - and got the cold shoulder. But things are slowly becoming more normal between us. She has been trying for about a year to talk to me more - but I'm the one who is now avoiding. I was really hurt with prior events, and I'm not one to let someone hurt me more than once. But I also can't throw away 11 years of a friendship. Especially considering she's entering the Military - who knows what could happen in the future.

Boy do I ramble.

We had plans to go to the Beach this afternoon. You know, spend a few hours there. Georges family wanted to come over for a BBQ, so I figured we'd make it a family outting.

They get here, and Gabes sleeping. So, we give them the choice of eating first and then going to the beach - or going to the beach and then eating. They chose the latter, so we hung out until Gabe woke up and then we left. The beach is 40 minutes from us. And parking cost us, combined, $32.00. No sooner than 10 minutes after we get there, they want to LEAVE!

@%#$^%&$#%@#$#$^$^@#%#$^#$^%

Seriously.

"We hungry. We so hungry we going to die." - says my MIL in her broken english.

I offer to pick up sandwiches or order a pizza to tide everyone over until later in the afternoon. I was hungry, too! But they refuse. Oh, and it was "too much cold". o.0

So we spent a whopping 30 minutes at the beach, and drove 80 minutes there and back. What a wonderful afternoon!

Not to mention all the normal annoying stuff they do while they are here. You see - my MIL and FIL can never come here alone. Just themselves. They always bring a couple who works at my FILs bakery. And this couple.. the husband is alright. He really is a nice guy. He likes to joke about taking my children with him. But his wife? Oh my goodness - she is possibly the most annoying person I have ever met. Honestly.

So, her and my MIL combined - I usually want to hang myself in the bathroom half way thru our visit.

However, even if I tried to act on the urge today - I wouldn't have been able to. She was CLEANING my bathroom for me. Seriously. Nice gesture, yada yada. But really, it makes me feel like she thinks I'm a slob - so she has to clean my bathroom for me while she's visiting.

It was not bad. Seriously. The bathroom was cleaned 3 days ago, you know - toilet scrubbing and sink scrubbing. But somehow she found a reason to lock herself in the bathroom and clean it.

Not to mention all the stupid old wives tales they tell the entire time they're here. And "is he still getting milk? -points to breast-" ... "Yep!" I say, in a chipper tone. "Oh, my baby only have it 9 month. Bad after that, says Doctor.", says MIL ... Me: -blank stare- "My baby never had my milk. They very healthy." - says most annoying person in the world. Me: -blanker stare-

RAWR!