Hey Bets! Glad that you had a nice Christmas and that is great about reconnecting with the estranged SIL. I hope the bond continues to grow.
Great news for you on the financial front as well. What a nice boss you are - I can just imagine how happy your employees were to receive and unexpected bonus, especially at this time of year.
I am not on vacation, as I received the short straw and get to cover the office while others are out. It's ok though because my girls have been in California with their mother ever since Christmas night. We had a nice Christmas though. I had them Christmas Eve and Christmas morning. GF celebrated Christmas with us as well, so it was a very nice holiday. GF and XW got to have their first ever meeting on Christmas day when she came to pick up the girls for the airport. That all went well.
I have no big plans for New Years Eve. I will spend it by myself at home with my favorite choice of beverage. I quit going out to parties a long time ago. Not worth it to be on the roads with a bunch of potential drunks. GF will be with her kids and we will be getting together on New Years Eve.
So yesterday, I had an epiphany of sorts. I have been working with my Mother for some time now getting her settled into her new house and dealing with the stuff that she wants to get fixed. It seems that at every turn there is either something new wrong or something isn't going right and she goes negative on me. Well as I was dealing with smoothing over the latest issue with her I realized that ever since I can remember I have been trying to make my mother a happy person. I've always felt like she got a raw deal in life with the way my dad treated her and everything and she always needed to be lifted up. That she deserved to have a happy life. The problem is I'm not sure she actually wants one, and besides it's not my role or responsibility to provide her with one. I then realized that this behavior most likely had a huge influence in the two women that are now my ex-wives, because they have a similar negative outlook on life and I spent a good deal of time trying to make them happy - thinking if they are happy with life then they will be happy with me and everyone will just be happy - I MEAN CAN'T EVERYONE JUST BE HAPPY!! I know climb down from the ledge!
Anyway, I'm not sure why it took me 56 years to figure this all out - specifically the connection between my mother but I'm very happy I did. One positive thing is that my GF fortunately does not follow this mold and is happy on her own, so at least I'm not falling into the same situation a third time. (Happy dance here)
Ok enough psycho-analyzing BS for the day. Happy New Year all!!
I know climb down from the ledge! 
