New Year's Day -- History, Traditions, and Customs

Happy New Year. I worked almost all the whole holiday. Hubster's sister and her daughter were staying with us, and I had my brothers and mother over on Christmas Eve.

Christmas was depressing. Hub gave me a cell phone I never asked for on an 18 month contract. $100 every four months for something I never asked for, on a credit card with a balance of $9,000. What I asked for was a crockpot and a foot spa. I asked him to take it back, which he did. However, he didn't give me anything else to replace it.

My youngest son told me about the mysterious gift he was making for me in woodshops. He got an A+ for it. At the last minute, he gave it to his Dad and gave me a few dollar-store candles.

My oldest son gave me a can of apple-cinnamon air freshener from 7-11 with the price tag still on.

My middle son did give me a welcome gift which reflected my interests and enjoyments. He gave me a CD of the lastest Vinyl Cafe stories and a Scrabble calender for 2004.

All I seem to do anymore is work.

Hubby stays home, bakes cookies and cooks supper. He's depressed that no-one has hired him yet. He hasn't added "House Husband" to his resume. We are comtemplating cutting off home internet and using free internet services elsewhere nearby. I am willing, but Hub says it would be inconveinient.

This is after discovering our youngest son has been Googling REALLY bad movie clips, even through our filters.

I think it's a little too conveinient.

I'm tired of being the hard hand in our home, but Hub is clearly backsliding in his financial and fatherly responsibilities, in my view.

How to make 2004 a better year?