ho ho ho

I had a nice Christmas. I tried not to let the bastards get me down, as they say. They succeeded, but not completely.

I called my Aunt (I'll call her "Bernice") yesterday. The conversation went like so:

Mary (me): (cheerfully) Hi Aunt Bernice! It's Mary. How r u?

Bernice: (laughs) Could be better. Having trouble walking.

Mary: (sympathetically) I know. We were hoping to stop over today about 4:30. Is that ok?

Bernice: Where are you going?

Mary: Rockville Centre

Bernice: You're not going to see your father?

Mary: No, Bea is going today. DH went yesterday and we're going tomorrow.

Bernice: Are you sure you're going tomorrow?

Mary: Yes, we're planning on it.

Bernice then went into a tirade about my not seeing my father, etc. My father had requested that we not come in on Christmas Day since DH and DS had gone there Christmas Eve, that Bea was coming Christmas Day. It would be too many visitors for him. Did I think to explain this to Bernice? No, I caved.

I don't know what it is about Bernice. She always gets me rattled. She never has anything nice to say. Whatever happened to pleasantries such as these?:

- Merry Christmas to you too!
- So nice to hear from you.
- Did you have a good Christmas?
- How are the children?
- Of course, I would love to see you. That would be wonderful.
- How is your father?

Bea and Bernice are two peas in a pod. I thought that Bernice - unlike my father and me - was too smart to fall for Bea's tricks. I was wrong. Bea has been manipulating Bernice, lying to her about what is going on with my Dad. She has Bernice thinking that DH and I are horrible.